Probiotics and Oikos Greek Yogurt: What You Should Know

Greek yogurt has become a popular choice for the health-conscious, and probiotics are one reason for its popularity.

Greek yogurt is made by fermenting both milk and beneficial bacteria, then straining the solids to remove most of the liquid whey along with some salt and sugar. The result is yogurt that is thicker and creamier, with more protein and less sugar than traditionally made yogurt, according to The Science of Eating. The process of making and straining Greek yogurt also results in a higher level of probiotics than traditional yogurt.

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There are many brands of Greek yogurt available, and one of those is Oikos. There are actually two different Greek yogurts named Oikos—one is Stonyfield Organic Oikos and the other is Dannon Oikos. These yogurts may share the Oikos name, but they have different formulations.

Viewpoints, a product review website, states that Greek yogurt can contain up to 6 strains of probiotics, whereas traditional yogurt usually has just two.

The actual strains of probiotics in Dannon Oikos are not readily available, while Stonyfield Oikos contains s. thermophiles, l. bulgaricus, l. acidophilus, bifidus, and l. casei, according to Be Food Smart, which ranked Stonyfield Oikos third among Greek yogurt brands.

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Dannon Oikos’ label states the yogurt meets National Yogurt Association criteria for live and active culture yogurt, which means that it contains at least 100 million cultures per gram when it is manufactured.

While most yogurts start out having this level of live and active cultures, some are heat-treated, which kills off most of the live cultures.

Both Dannon and Stonyfield Oikos yogurts are available plain, vanilla flavored, and with fruit. Stonyfield Oikos has all organic ingredients including fruit, as well as using milk with no hormones or antibiotics.

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