Contents
In this article you will learn, among others:
- What’s skyr?
- What is skyr made of?
- Is skyr dietary?
- Better skyr or Greek yogurt?
- Skyr and natural yoghurt
- Is skyr healthy?
- Which is the healthiest yogurt?
- What to eat skyr with?
What’s skyr?
Skyr is a type of natural yoghurt that (as mentioned in the introduction) comes from Iceland and is one of the most popular delicacies there. Its production has a long history, it is said that he came to the island with the first settlers – the Norwegian Vikings, in 874 and to this day its recipe has remained almost unchanged [1].
What is skyr made of?
Originally, skyr was made from raw milk [2], now skim milk pasteurized at 90-100 degrees Celsius is used. Streptococcus salivarius ssp. Thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. Bacteria cultures are added to the milk. bulgaricus, thanks to which it can be made into yoghurt.
Is skyr dietary?
Due to its growing popularity, many companies have introduced this Icelandic yogurt to their offer. Of course, the group of such products is quite homogeneous, so for the purposes of the text I chose one example, in which I will present the contents of the package. Here is the skyr produced by the “Piątnica” company for Jeronimo Martins (owner of the “Biedronka” chain of stores).
As you can see, in the nutritional table, two values are particularly striking: no fat and a very high protein content.
Skyr reviews
Better skyr or Greek yogurt?
Taking this opportunity to describe skyr, I will also present how it compares to other, relatively similar, dairy products. For the test, I took the natural yoghurt “Tola” (here you can find out about the process in which yoghurt is made) and the Greek “Tolonis”, which can also be purchased in the “Biedronka” chain store. Although, of course, both skyr and natural or Greek yoghurt are distributed by many companies and stores, I deliberately decided to combine such products that can be bought in one store, in one fell swoop. You can view the nutritional values of 100 g of each yogurt in the table below.
Skyr and natural yoghurt
I will start my brief overview of the table with the fact that none of these products in the right amounts will be “only unhealthy” or “only healthy”. Of course, we can see the difference in value, but each yogurt has a slightly different recipient, and sometimes the purpose and the “recommended” amount in one meal. As long as you are not allergic or intolerant to cow’s milk dairy products and know how to be moderate, all three may appear on your diet.
Is skyr healthy?
First of all, we immediately see that our hero is the only one that does not contain fat, which means that he also does not have saturated fatty acids, i.e. those (in short) acting in large amounts negatively on our cardiovascular system. It is characterized by a very large amount of protein. Compared to natural yoghurt, it has a slightly higher calorific value and salt content, but such amounts will be really irrelevant. For people who want more protein and less fat, skyr will be more suitable than plain yogurt. However, we see a much bigger difference in the comparison of the Icelandic product with the Greek one. The latter has the most fat and the least protein from the entire list. However, this is not always a disadvantage – due to the fat it is, for example, a better addition to sauces – it is more difficult to brew at high temperature and of course it has a different (perhaps better for some) taste. However, do not forget about saturated fatty acids and use Greek yoghurt in moderation.
Which is the healthiest yogurt?
As you can see in the photos below, a slight difference can also be seen in the consistency. In this matter, however, each of us has to make a choice – depending on what we like.
Icelandic or Greek yogurt?
It is thanks to the zero fat content and the guarantee of high protein supply that the product described today will be perfect for virtually all consumer groups. Its consumption should be considered by people who are slimming or physically active, but also just everyone who does not have problems with kidney function (then you should often limit protein), or allergies to cow’s milk.
Protein has a very wide spectrum of activity in our body. First of all, it is a building material for tissues or organs (hence it is worth eating skyr if we are physically active – it will support the regeneration and building of muscles) and is responsible, among others, for for the transport and storage of certain substances in the body. They can also be found, for example, in immunological (immune) or enzymatic reactions.
Of course, we need fat as well, but we ingest it from many different sources, so consuming skyr should not cause any deficiency of this macronutrient. It is also worth emphasizing that in many products containing 0% fat, manufacturers add sugar instead, which is to increase the taste. In the case of skyr, this is not the case, which definitely works for the plus of this Scandinavian delicacy.
What to eat skyr with?
Skyr itself is a good and low-calorie snack – one 150 g pack contains 96 kcal. You can also add fruit, whole grain flakes, such as oatmeal, or seeds – such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds, which are a source of healthy fats. Just remember that then the caloric content will increase accordingly.
In addition, we can also add skyr to, for example, soups, e.g. creams, thanks to which we will increase the amount of protein in them and increase the nutritional value, and to smoothies and fruit mousses if we like their thicker versions. Is skyr worth eating?
So what do I think about Skyr as a dietitian? I consider it a valuable product that can successfully replace “regular” yoghurt. The market offers a natural version and a flavored version – e.g. fruit or vanilla. Of course, I encourage you to choose the natural one and possibly add fresh fruit. Thanks to this, we will be sure what is in our meal, because the fruit filling most often contains less fruit and more sugar, which is of course less healthy. So if you haven’t tried this traditional Icelandic delicacy yet, I can safely recommend it. Bon Appetit!
And what do Vitalijki think about Skyr? What form do you eat skyr? Join the discussion on our forum.
References
1. https://www.icelandicprovisions.com/what-is-skyr/h…
2. https://www.wiadomoscihandlowe.pl/artykuly/biedron…
List of photos used in the text
1. https://unsplash.com/photos/P7MkoYvSnLI
Other: own photos