Beyond Greek: 10 Yogurts You Have To Try In 2016

Beyond Greek: 10 Yogurts You Have to Try in 2016

From yogurts made of almonds to yogurts coming from animals other than cows, we'll show you 10 Greek yogurt alternatives that you might find to be quite pleasant.

Almond Milk

Almond milk is a great dairy-free way to get your yogurt experience. Brands like So Delicious and Almond Dream contain a much higher carbohydrate content and, typically, don't come in fat-free varieties. If you're looking for dairy-free yogurt, almond-based yogurts could be for you.

Balkan

A Canadian brand, Astro, sells a Greek alternative called Balkan-style yogurt. Balkan- or set-style yogurt is fermented in individual containers as opposed to a large vat. Balkan yogurts usually have equal fat and carbohydrate numbers (Astro's variety totes seven grams for each), and they're low in protein (four grams for Astro) when compared to Greek.

Coconut Milk

Whether you buy coconut milk yogurt or make your own, you'll most likely enjoy it if you lead a dairy-free lifestyle. While this dairy-free Greek yogurt alternative doesn't carry much (if any) protein, it is a low-calorie, tasty treat.

Goat Milk

Goat milk yogurt brands (take Redwood Hill Farms as an example) haven't exploded in the way that Greek-style yogurts like Chobani have, but its nutrition stacks up nicely against non-Greek yogurts like Yoplait. Redwood Hill Farms' goat milk yogurt contains 100 calories composed of 4.5 grams of fat, seven grams of sugars, and seven grams of protein, rendering it a somewhat exotic alternative to most standard brands of yogurt.

Kefir

Kefir can be made of cow's milk in the way that Greek yogurts are, but it can also be made from the milk of goats or sheep. Coming from the Turkish word for "feeling good," this drinkable style of yogurt is high in protein, rich in minerals, and teeming with probiotics.

Lactose-Free

Some yogurt brands like Green Valley Organics produce lactose-free yogurt options. Green Valley's plain yogurt has 100 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 11 grams of carbohydrates, and eight grams of protein. If you can't have lactose, this nutritionally-sound yogurt is a great way to work probiotics into your diet.

Sheep Milk

Yogurt coming from sheep's milk has the same probiotic benefits and taste that cow's milk-based Greek yogurt does without the purported soy- or goat-based yogurt aftertaste. Brands like Bellwether Farms proudly promote the health and happiness of the sheep from which their yogurt comes from.

Skyr

Skyr is incredibly rich in protein. Siggi's, a brand which produces skyr, describes it best: "Skyr is the traditional yogurt of Iceland. It is made by incubating skim milk with live active cultures... So to make just one cup of skyr... you need [three to four] times the amount of milk required to make a regular cup of yogurt. As a result of this process skyr comes out with two to three times the protein count of standard yogurt."

Soy

Some are skeptical about soy yogurt, but this Greek alternative is great for vegans, those with lactose intolerance, and people with an allergy to milk. Naturally lower in fat than whole fat Greek yogurt, soy yogurt is made in reduced-fat varieties like its cow's milk cousin.

Swiss

Swiss yogurt is a smooth and creamy style of yogurt that doesn't carry the thickness of yogurts like Greek and skyr. The milk that goes into Swiss yogurt is stirred after being incubated and cooled in a large vat, rendering it thinner than Greek yogurt (in which water is purposefully removed from milk in order to increase its thickness).