skip to content
Home » 7 Ways to Sweeten Greek Yogurt for a Healthy Breakfast

7 Ways to Sweeten Greek Yogurt for a Healthy Breakfast

If you are among those who don’t like Greek yogurt due to its tart flavor, Here is the good news. There are yummy ways to enjoy the health benefits of Greek Yogurt without adding calories from sugar and fat. And if you are careful enough, your yogurt will stay well below the 120 calorie limit per serving that experts recommend.

According to Greek Yogurt Diet, Sweetening up your Greek yogurt gives you an opportunity to add additional nutrients. All you need is the list of ingredients to get started.

Some Reddit users advised to add mashed bananas, canned pumpkins, even frozen fruits to make any plain greek yogurt taste good.

If you are on a mission to satiate your taste-buds without over-boarding with a high-calorie and sugar dense dessert, what could be better than sweetening your Greek Yogurt.

Combinations Calories Benefits
Greek Yogurt with Fruits 130 Consider adding low calorie tropical fruits
Greek Yogurt with Cocoa 146 Cocoa comes with other health beenfits
Greek Yogurt with Honey 200 Honey is an excellent source of antioxidants
Greek Yogurt Smoothie 160 Smoothie is a blend of nutrition and minerals
Greek Yogurt with Maple Syrup 120 Maple Syrup comes with the lower score on the Glycemic Index

Here are some ideas for sweetening your Greek yogurt:

1.     Add a fruit combo

Mix in about ¼ cup berries or chopped peaches, plums, apples, or pears with the yogurt and top it with nuts for crunch, if you like. You can also fold in some fresh orange or lemon zest for a hint of citrus.

2.     Try tropical flavors

For a spin on the classic, blend mango and passion fruit pulp with your yogurt. Top it off with fresh pineapple chunks and finish it off with toasted coconut flakes for a high-protein dessert that’s also low fat (about 5 grams per serving).

Related Posts:

3.     Add cocoa to the mix

You don’t need very much unsweetened cocoa powder to add a rich chocolate taste. Just ½ teaspoon will do the trick, and you’ll get 3 grams of protein per cup of yogurt (plus 5 grams from your fruit or nuts and 4 grams each from your milk and granola topping).

4.     Sweeten yogurt with honey

Unlike sugar, honey is mainly fructose and glucose, not sucrose. So it’s bound by proteins in the milk and won’t spike your blood sugar or triglycerides. Choose raw honey for a darker color and richer flavor while adding 4 grams of protein per serving.

5.     Add whole grains to the mix

Whole grains help up your fiber and stick-to-your-ribs factor. It can lower the glycemic index of Greek yogurt. So, it won’t spike your blood sugar as much as a plain version. Top ½ cup with 1 tablespoon whole-grain cereal, 4 additional grams of protein, and 3 grams of fiber.

6.     Make a smoothie

Greek yogurt is an excellent base for any smoothie recipe since it thickens the drink and adds protein without adding fat or sugar. To make your smoothie super thick, try blending 2 cups of fresh berries with 1 cup milk and ½ cup nonfat plain Greek.

7.     Add nuts for crunch and flavour

The very best Greek yogurt add-ins are ones that deliver protein along with crunchy texture, and nuts do the trick. Try ½ cup toasted pecans or walnuts for 5 grams of high-quality protein per serving while adding Mediterranean flair.

What can I add to plain Greek yogurt to make it taste better?

Kefir vs. Yogurt

If you’re used to eating sweetened, flavored yogurt – such as vanilla or strawberry – switching to plain Greek can be challenging. But if you are looking for something healthier, then give it a try. Plain Greek yogurt has only about 100 calories per serving and is high in protein. It is why it’s perfect for a healthy breakfast. The key to making plain Greek yogurt taste better is to add fresh, healthy ingredients that will enhance the taste and make your breakfast more enjoyable.

Try adding some of the following:

  1. Fruit – The obvious choice would be strawberries or blueberries since they are sweet and naturally flavorful, but you can mix it up with other fruits if you’d like, such as peaches, mangoes or pears. Make sure you cut the fruit into small pieces, so it mixes well with the yogurt and doesn’t overpower its taste.
  2. Granola – Whether you make your granola from scratch or buy a prepackaged option, granola is a great way to sweeten plain Greek yogurt while adding crunchiness to it.
  3. Honey – For an added kick of sweetness, try drizzling honey or maple syrup over the plain Greek yogurt and top it off with nuts for additional flavor.
  4. A vanilla extract is an excellent option if you love vanilla-flavoured yogurt but don’t want to load up on sugar. Just add a few drops of vanilla extract over the plain Greek yogurt and top it with some fresh fruit for additional flavor.
  5. Flaxseed or chia seeds – The best way to eat flaxseed is to sprinkle it onto your yogurt while mixing everything. Chia seeds work the same way, but once they are added to the yogurt, they will expand in size and thicken it.

How Do You Take the Tanginess Out of Greek yogurt?

The process of straining the yogurt to make it thicker leaves a bitter taste that some people do not like. The good news is you can soften the bitterness by adding honey, fruit, or vanilla extract. Alternatively, if you made your Greek yogurt at home and only bottled one cup, add ⅓ cup of full-fat plain yogurt to another cup of full-fat plain yogurt to create a new batch that is less bitter.

Can I Add Sugar to My Greek Yogurt?

Many people believe that sugar can only be added to plain Greek yogurt, but that is not the case. Even though plain Greek yogurt has zero grams of sugar in it, you can still add your type of sweetener if you don’t like the taste or feel it’s too tart. The only thing to keep in mind is that all sweeteners contain some amount of sugar. The following are better options to add to plain Greek yogurt:

https://youtu.be/DoyW5rsydWY
  1. Honey – One teaspoon of honey has only 23 calories and 4 grams of carbohydrates. It makes honey a great alternative if you want to sweeten your cup without adding extra fat or calories.
  2. Pure maple syrup – This option is low in calories, but make sure you don’t go overboard because it contains a high sugar concentration.
  3. Stevia – Although this sweetener has been linked to stomach upset, nausea and headaches. It is still considered one of the better options for anyone who wants to add some sweetness to plain Greek yogurt without adding any extra fat or calories.
  4. Fruits – If you prefer to add a fruit option, make sure it is unsweetened and does not contain any sugar. Additionally, limit the serving size to ½ cup or less if you watch your caloric intake and weight.

 

Yogurt Expert Sonia Uvezian was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. A renowned expert in Middle Eastern and Caucasian cooking and winner of a James Beard Award, she is the author of six other highly acclaimed cookbooks, such as Recipes and Remembrances From An Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen, Cooking from the Caucasus along with The Book of Yogurt.