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What ingredients does Greek yogurt have?

The ingredients of natural Greek yogurt, in its simplest and most traditional form, are very basic. The main difference between Greek yogurt and conventional plain yogurt lies in the production process, not necessarily in the initial ingredients.

Authentic Greek yogurt is made with only two essential ingredients, although commercial versions often add a few more to improve texture and consistency.

Essential ingredients

Milk. Traditionally, cow’s milk is used (whole milk, although skim milk can also be used).
Lactic cultures. These are the live bacteria (such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus) that ferment the lactose in the milk, turning it into lactic acid and curdling the milk.

Common ingredients in commercial versions

The versions found in supermarkets, often labeled “Greek-style,” usually contain additional ingredients to achieve the thick texture without going through the costly traditional straining process:

Cream. Added to increase fat content and achieve the incredibly creamy, dense texture characteristic of Greek yogurt.
Skimmed milk powder and/or milk proteins. Used to increase the solids and protein content in the base mixture, helping the yogurt thicken more during coagulation.

The secret of greek yogurt ingredients

The reason Greek yogurt is so dense and high in protein isn’t just in the ingredients—it’s in the straining process.

After the milk ferments, the yogurt is strained to remove most of the liquid whey. This process:

Increases the concentration of protein and fat (if whole milk or cream is used).
Reduces lactose and sugar content (since the whey contains lactose).
Requires much more milk (almost triple) to produce the same amount of yogurt.