Friday, March 27, 2009

My Evolution of Yogurt

When I started this journey, the only yogurt I would eat was Yoplait Light - Harvest Peach and Very Cherry were my favorites. At the time, I was only paying attention to calorie totals, not WHAT was in those calories. And that was fine for me - let's face it: going from all that crap I was eating to Yoplait yogurt was a huge improvement. I even added in a tablespoon of Grape Nuts and felt positively virtuous in what I was eating!

Then, as I read more and more blogs, I started seeing the words "Greek yogurt" and more specifically, "Fage" bandied about. But it was plain...as in that sour, yucky taste that I tried once a looooong time ago and instantly disliked. So I figured that I would just have to miss out on the Greek yogurt revolution. However, hearing that so many people absolutely LOVED the stuff, and getting a little more interested in the actual content of my calories, I finally decided to give Fage a try.

And I did not fall instantly in love with it.

But I made it tolerable with a tablespoon of strawberry jam. I rationalized that I was getting more bang for my caloric buck this way because of the high protein and low carbohydrate count in the Fage. So even though I was adding some sugar via the jam, it was still better for me because it was just sugar as opposed to the high fructose corn syrup that I discovered Yoplait was using (reading more than just the calorie count...it's a good thing).

Then I discovered Kashi Golean Crunch cereals - yummy crunchy goodness with some good fiber and protein - added that to my yogurt and I was in heaven! Man, I was eating good! The plain Fage was growing on me, although I was still adding the jam at this point.

Of course, in my reading, I began to hear about the "super foods" - and blueberries were at the top of the list (possibly because it was alphabetical, but stay with me, folks). So I bit the bullet and actually bought a little container of blueberries one day. After it sat in the fridge for a few days, mocking me each time I reached for a Fage and the jam, I finally got brave enough to throw them in the yogurt AND I LIKED IT! What?!? I was eating plain non-fat yogurt with fresh fruit?!? Who was this person?!?

Now I've been dipping sliced strawberries into my Fage and then dipping the yogurt-coated berries into my Kashi cereal. AND I LOVE IT! If you would have told me last summer that I would be eating plain yogurt I would have laughed in your face. But apparently tastes CAN change, and through that, a healthier, cleaner way of eating is slowly evolving for me.

I wonder what will be next?

12 comments:

  1. it is SO AMAZING once we strip away the processed foods (not!all! --not if youre me any way :)) how much better the plain tastes huh?

    that it really TASTES now!

    have a great weekend.

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  2. You're ahead of me on the yogurt evolution. I find plain Fage still too sour and need to add fruit, vanilla, and some sort of sweetener--either honey or (gasp) splenda. Then it's delicious.

    I know tastes can change yet I get lazy about challenging myself. However, I at least have gotten to the point that pre-sweetened yogurts taste WAY too sweet.

    This is a good reminder that if I continue to cut down on sweeteners, I may eventually get to plain yogurt like you have!

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  3. That's amazing! Good job. We recently discovered greek gods' yogurt but i haven't tried the plain yet. someone there that day suggested the honey yogurt and i got completely hooked. got some plain to use as sour cream for potatoes. might take a taste just by itself. Vee at www.veegettinghealthy.blogspot.com

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  4. You continue to inspire me with your progress.....not just weight loss progress but how you are really eating clean. I am still new and the thought of plain yogurt makes me want to hurl. But who knows, this time next year, I'll be eating the plain yogurt too. Keep up the good wrok!

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  5. And the evolution continues :o)

    Isn't it amazing when we discover new and healthier things.

    Me, I won't go the blueberry route because I can't stand the texture or taste of them. My dog groomer even uses blueberry cologne on the doggies when she grooms them and I rush home and spray them with the stuff I keep on hand because I can't even stand the smell. I'm gonna have to tell her I don't like it, I guess.

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  6. Yay for Greek Yogurt! I made the transition recently but I'm going to have to try it as a dip for strawberries. GREAT idea! I add a handful of frozen fruit to mine and by the time I get to work it's un-frozen. Dr. Oz eats it every day for breakfast so obviously it's the best :)

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  7. I love hearing your evolution of yogurt! Isn't it fun to reflect on how we got to where we are? Baby step by baby step, it all adds up! Who would have thought we'd be where we are!

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  8. Glad you made the switch!

    okay - now here is a great snack - i haven't had it in a long time!

    Roll a peeled frozen banana in greek yogurt and then roll in kashi go lean crunch for an amazing frozen banana!!

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  9. You made me a believer! I'm going to add Fage to my grocery list.

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  10. That's exactly how my yogurt evolution transpired, too! Who knew clean eating could be so much fun? And I don't mean the actual eating it part. I mean the learning part. I feel like I'm enrolled in some kind of non-stop college course in food as I read about and learn about and try all these foods people keep talking about.

    Hmm...wonder if we could get a degree or something?

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  11. our tastes for sweet really change after we throw out the crap. I get my dessert cravings on these days with fruit and milk. I love to eat my plain yogurt with fruit too or I mix in 1/2 cup dry oats and 1/2 cup applesauce with it.....chewy and satisfying ;)

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  12. I LOVE Fage also . . . I can't believe I used to eat the other stuff with the paragraph-long ingredient list. My fav way to eat it is for breakfast - with sliced bananas & cherries and some Back to Nature cherry vanilla granola. Yum!

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