Is Greek Yogurt Healthier Than Regular Yogurt?
Short answer: Plain low-fat Greek yogurt has more protein than plain whole-milk yogurt. Calories and fat also depend on the fat level; neither wins for every goal.
Selected foods: Plain low-fat Greek yogurt and Plain whole-milk yogurt. These specific preparations are compared below.
Nutri-Score: Greek Yogurt A, Regular Yogurt B — Greek yogurt scores better.
Which to pick for your goal
| If you want | Better pick | The numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer calories | Regular Yogurt | 61 kcal vs 73 kcal per 100 g |
| More protein | Greek Yogurt | 10 g vs 3.5 g per 100 g |
| Less sugar | About the same | Greek yogurt 3.6 g, regular yogurt 4.7 g per 100 g |
| Less saturated fat | About the same | Greek yogurt 1.2 g, regular yogurt 2.1 g per 100 g |
| Overall (Nutri-Score) | Greek Yogurt | A vs B |
Small differences count as a tie: a few calories or a few tenths of a gram won't change your day.
Nutrition side by side, per 100 g
| Per 100 g | Greek Yogurt | Regular Yogurt |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 73 kcal | 61 kcal |
| Protein | 10 g | 3.5 g |
| Fat | 1.9 g | 3.3 g |
| incl. saturated | 1.2 g | 2.1 g |
| Total carbohydrates | 3.9 g | 4.7 g |
| incl. sugars | 3.6 g | 4.7 g |
| incl. fiber | 0 g | 0 g |
| Salt | 0.1 g | 0.1 g |
| Nutri-Score | A | B |
Rounded values from exact USDA records (see * Data and sources below). Different brands, cuts and recipes can have different values. Diary food cards and the alternative versions below retain their own typical recipes.
For the same amount: 50 g
| Equal amount | Greek Yogurt | Regular Yogurt |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 37 kcal | 31 kcal |
| Protein | 5 g | 1.7 g |
| incl. saturated | 0.6 g | 1.1 g |
| incl. sugars | 1.8 g | 2.3 g |
| incl. fiber | 0 g | 0 g |
In a typical serving
| One serving | Greek Yogurt | Regular Yogurt |
|---|---|---|
| Serving | container, 150 g (5.3 oz) | container, 125 g (4.4 oz) |
| Calories | 110 kcal | 76 kcal |
| Protein | 15 g | 4.3 g |
| Sugars | 5.3 g | 5.8 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.8 g | 2.6 g |
| Easy walking to burn it* | 36 min | 25 min |
* For a 70 kg (154 lb) person; the app works it out for your weight and your activities.
Portion size usually moves the numbers more than the choice between two similar foods: a heaping serving of the “healthier” one can easily outweigh a modest serving of the other.
Other versions: typical diary estimates
The first two rows repeat the selected USDA records; other rows are typical diary estimates, without an exact source-record match. The cut, fat level or recipe can change the result. Per 100 g:
| Per 100 g | Calories | Protein | Sat. fat | Sugars | Fiber | Nutri-Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greek Yogurt | 73 | 10 g | 1.2 g | 3.6 g | 0 g | A |
| Regular Yogurt | 61 | 3.5 g | 2.1 g | 4.7 g | 0 g | B |
| Fat-free Greek yogurt | 59 | 10 g | 0.1 g | 3.2 g | 0 g | A |
| Greek yogurt 5% | 97 | 9 g | 3.3 g | 3.9 g | 0 g | B |
| Low-fat plain yogurt 1.5% | 48 | 5 g | 1 g | 3.5 g | 0 g | A |
*Data and sources
- Yogurt, Greek, plain, lowfat — USDA FDC 170903 (SR Legacy; published 4/1/2019).
- Yogurt, plain, whole milk — USDA FDC 171284 (SR Legacy; published 4/1/2019).
Retrieved 2 October 2026. USDA composition is per 100 g; drink values per 100 ml use the record’s measured household weight, with the USDA customary cup of 236.6 ml. Displayed cup servings remain 240 ml. Carbohydrate includes fiber on this US site; salt is sodium × 2.5. The food records are historical reference values, not current brand guarantees.
WHO guideline on free sugars: honey, syrups and fruit-juice sugars count as free sugars. WHO guideline on saturated and trans fats: consider replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat.
FAQ
Which has fewer calories, Greek yogurt or regular yogurt?
Regular yogurt: 61 kcal vs 73 kcal per 100 g. In a typical serving that's 110 kcal for Greek yogurt (container, 150 g) and 76 kcal for regular yogurt (container, 125 g).
Is Greek yogurt or regular yogurt better for weight loss?
No single food makes you gain or lose weight — the day's total does. Gram for gram, regular yogurt is the lighter pick (61 kcal vs 73 kcal per 100 g), though Greek yogurt has more protein, which helps you stay full. The portion usually matters more: a typical serving of Greek yogurt (container, 150 g) is 110 kcal, of regular yogurt (container, 125 g) 76 kcal.
Which has more protein, Greek yogurt or regular yogurt?
Greek yogurt: 10 g vs 3.5 g per 100 g. Per typical serving: 15 g for Greek yogurt (container, 150 g) and 4.3 g for regular yogurt (container, 125 g).
Which has less sugar, Greek yogurt or regular yogurt?
About the same: Greek yogurt 3.6 g, regular yogurt 4.7 g per 100 g. A typical serving has 5.3 g of sugars for Greek yogurt and 5.8 g for regular yogurt.
Which is better for your heart, Greek yogurt or regular yogurt?
On saturated fat, the nutrient heart-health guidelines ask us to limit, they're about the same: Greek yogurt 1.2 g, regular yogurt 2.1 g per 100 g.
Log it and see your day
In Calories Not Count every food gets a Nutri-Score grade, a sugar–salt–fat–fiber traffic light, fair same-calorie swaps and the minutes of movement it costs for your weight and your activities — no scale needed. Goals like lower sugar, more protein or more omega-3 can be set in the diary, and swaps there are ranked for that goal.
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