Sainsbury's Organic Yogurt Greek Style

Sainsbury's Organic Greek Style Yogurt Natural 500g

What’s Greek-style? (Stop sniggering at the back!!)
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Greek-style is thicker than your normal natural off-white yogurt which is it the first cousin to, however in appearance it is thicker, creamier and far more satisfying than its nearest relation.

I am really not going to get away with writing this review without you collapsing laughing, am I?

The main difference between standard and Greek yogurts comes about as a result of how they are made. They both start off in life as the same rather ordinary looking natural yogurt then someone plays God with a quantity of the ordinaire and strains it through a cheesecloth then adding extra cream and sometimes extra clotted cream as well - usually about the 10%. The finished product has a thicker consistency, a slightly cheesy creamier flavour and a WHOLE BUCKETLOAD more calories.

And yes, adding almonds does change the flavour ….. sigh….

Country of Origin
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United Kingdom. Although Sainsburys have omitted to say WHERE in the UK this product has been made. According to the Organic Targets Campaign, a pressure group set up to convince supermarkets of the value of using BRITISH made organic foods rather than imported ones, the only Supermarkets to commit to targets are Sainsburys and Waitrose. Sainsbury’s published aim is to reduce imports of organic food from 60% to 45% by the end of this year, which can only be a good thing.

Organic, eh?
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Yep, which means it is free from the quarto of nasties; preservatives, thickeners, additives and sweeteners.

It does not mean that the cows responsible for the milk in this yogurt are given daily holistic massages by scantily dressed Somerset nymphs with soft hands and cooing voices although this is what the natural foods industry would like us to believe.

Sainsbury's Organic Greek Style Yogurt Natural is produced to EC organic regulations organic certification uk 5.

While the Soil association in the UK is not the best pressure group in the world for the promotion and enforcement of organic standards, they are the best that we have and when they say that something is certified to the standard of 5, it means that the product is produced in such a way that:

• Prohibits the routine use of artificial pesticides and fertilisers whilst promoting wildlife in the environs surrounding the area where the product is produced
• Prohibits genetically modified foods and ingredients. (Not ‘bans’, you will observe)
• Requires any animals involved in the production of the foodstuff to live on an organic farm conforming to high standards of animal welfare.

All very vague, I am sure you will agree…..

THE BAD STUFF (always best to get this out of the as soon as possible)
– Fat, sodium and calorie content:
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According to the outside of the NON-recyclable plastic tub, per 100g, you get:
CALORIES:
580kj (139.50kcal) - (The recommended daily intake for an adult are; 2000 calories - women and 2500 - calories men)
CARBOHYDRATES:
6.90g, of which sugars - 6.90g
FAT:
10.30g of which saturates - 6.30g (The recommended daily intake for an adult is 65 grams)
Sodium 0.10g (The recommended daily intake for an adult is 2.4 grams)

Quantities available:
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500g

But is it good for me?
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--Vitamin A--
Greek-style yogurt contains a high dosage of Vitamin A. This is the nutrient responsible for strong eyes and healthy skin, hair, gums and glands.

It helps, along with a regular intake of calcium, to build strong bones and teeth.
There is also on-going research which indicates Vitamin A helps to fight infection by maintaining a strong immune system.

IMPORTAINT NOTE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN: Beta-carotene is often called Vitamin A on food labels and this is a form of vitamin A that, as a mother-to-be, you can take in until you pop (one way or the other)

BUT, not all Vitamin A is beta-carotene and the UK Department of Health has recommended that pregnant women or people trying to get pregnant should not take more than 2,664iu (800ug) of vitamin A daily because of the dangers it poses to your unborn child. This applies to the type of vitamin A found dairy products especially rich ones like full fat butter and yogurt. So this is a product to be taken in SMALL QUANTITIES if you are trying to become pregnant.

--Calcium--
Getting enough calcium daily, over one’s lifetime, will help prevent osteoporosis, a dreadful affliction which leads to fragile, easily broken bones, a stooped posture and general aches and pains. It happens when your calcium levels are too low and the body ‘steals’ the mineral from your bones and supply the muscles and nerves with the amount they need.

Your body is best equipped to absorb calcium and establish a strong bone mass before the age of 35 but we can all benefit from a high calcium intake to maintain the health of our bones and teeth for our whole lifetime.

--Vitamin B12--
Vitamin B12 is a necessary part of the B-vitamin as it reduces levels of homocysteine, the amino acid implicated as a risk factor for osteoporosis.

Don’t worry, I’ll go back to the innuendo in a minute or two….

Cost and availability:
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Price: £1.39 per unit - £0.28/100g which is pretty good compared to its contemporaries on the market like Rachel’s Organic Greek Style yogurt which retails at (£1.64 per unit and Yeo Valley which retails at £1.69 for 500g. However the latter company DO claim to give their cows holistic massages although they refused to comment on the apparel worn by the nymphs carrying out these actions.

What does it smell/taste like?
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It smells like buttermilk with a small bit of cheese added, a bit like the sauce that is often served with cauliflower, the homemade pale version and not the synthetic darker packet stuff.

In taste it is a bit sourer than regular plain old yogurt and as I have mentioned previously there is a great deal more substance to it.
The first taste is a mild whisper of cheddar with the main taste being the thick body of the yogurt with the lactic aftertaste being the last sensation.
Compared to home-made Greek yog.s that I have had before this is a little more acidic that I am used to and as a result, I would recommended it as something to add to something else to give it body rather then something to spoon out of the carton and enjoy on its own.

In conclusion....
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It is not terrible but it is not the greatest Greek-style yogurt I have ever has but if you are looking for something to cool down a home-made curry or thicken a soup, for the price, this is probably the best organic Greek-style yogurt available from the mainstream supermarkets.

Interesting tit-bits:
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Made with cow's milk.

Suitable for vegetarians.

Do not freeze Greek-style yogurt as it separates on thawing resembling chalk in water

Useful Related URL’s:
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http://www.sainsburys.co.uk

Recipe for humus made with Greek Yogurt:
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You will need:
1 large chopped onion
2 crushed garlic cloves,
1 tsp olive oil; 1 tsp ground cumin
2 x 425g drained cans of chick peas,
100ml lemon juice
100ml tahini;
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
125ml Greek yogurt

Fry the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft and golden, then stir in the cumin. Spoon into a food processor with all the other ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.

Thanks for reading
xx

E.
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Produced For
Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Limited
33 Holborn
London
EC1N 2HT
Customer Careline Freephone 0800 636262