Procal Greek yoghurt review
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review of Procal Greek yoghurt. We’ll look into the benefits, ingredients, nutrition and flavour of this traditional-style yoghurt.
This yoghurt is available widely in Australian supermarkets, including Coles and Woolworths.
Ingredients of Procal Greek yoghurt
Procal Greek yoghurt has simple, clean ingredients - only milk, cream, milk solids and live cultures.
So this is a natural, authentic product without thickeners, sweeteners or flavourings.
Benefits of Procal Greek yoghurt
This yoghurt comes with various health benefits. For context, we’ll compare a few key factors against Tamar Valley yoghurt and Farmers Union Greek style yoghurt - which are similar, natural yoghurts.
Probiotics
Procal Greek yoghurt - like a lot of yoghurts - has two strains of live cultures - Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. This is the same as Farmers Union.
In contrast, Tamar Valley gives no information on the strains of bacteria present and Chobani contains five strains.
Like all these brands, Procal gives no information on the amount of bacteria present (ie colony forming units).
Read more about the benefits of probiotic foods.
Postbiotics
Postbiotics are essentially things probiotics produce during fermentation. These include healthy short-chain fatty acids which nourish our gut lining and may help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Protein
Procal has high levels of protein at 6.8% - which is more than both Tamer Valley (5%) and Farmers Union (4.2%), but less than the protein-focused Chobani (8.6%).
Calcium
Procal has slightly lower levels of calcium than Farmers Union and Tamar Valley.
It has has 140 mg per 100g, while Farmers Union has 162mg and Tamar Valley has 148mg.
Other health measures
Procal has less fat than Farmers Union and Tamar Valley - but its levels are still quite high. It is 8% fat, while Farmers Union is 9.4% and Tamar Valley is 9.6%.
Procal also has less sodium than Farmers Union and Tamar Valley. It has 44mg per 100g, while Farmers Union has 57mg and Tamar Valley has 76mg.
Appearance
It appears very thick and retains a highly irregular shape in the bowl, rather than sinking to an even level.
Texture
The texture is very thick and creamy - a gift from the high fat content!
Flavour
It has a normal soured milk aroma.
The taste is a little different to other yoghurts we have reviewed. The sourness is low to moderate and there is a slight cottage cheese taste to it - and I don’t mean that in a bad way. This gives it a nice savoury characteristic.
Overall, the taste is very good with a lovely thick texture. It does feel like you are eating a natural, authentic product.
Cost of Procal Greek yoghurt
The normal retail price for a 900g tub from Coles or Woolworths is $7 - which makes it more expensive than Farmers Union and about on par with Tamar Valley on a per gram basis.
Summary
4.5 stars out of 5.
An authentic, natural yoghurt with a unique taste and a good amount of protein.
Pros
delicious, unique taste
high in protein
simple, traditional ingredients with no additives
Cons
fairly high in fat, but below competitors
more information needed on the amount of probiotics
just the two strains of probiotics (as is common in authentic, traditional yoghurts)
Health benefits of yoghurt
Aside from the specific benefits listed above, especially related to probiotics and postbiotics, yoghurt has some other important health benefits.
Vitamins and minerals
Yoghurt is a source of various vitamins and minerals including::
calcium - which helps digestion and supports bone and teeth health
magnesium - which supports bone health, muscle function and energy production
phosphorus - which is important for bone and teeth health and energy metabolism
potassium - which supports heart, muscle, nerve and kidney health
vitamins B2 and B12 - which support immunity, energy production and cell and nerve function
vitamin A - supports vision, immune function, cell growth and healthy skin
Satiety and weight management
The high protein and low carbohydrate content in yogurt, especially Greek-style yogurt, helps you feel fuller for longer which can help control your appetite. Greek yoghurt is often recommended by dietitians for this reason.
Reduced lactose
Compared to unfermented dairy products such as milk, yoghurt has lower levels of lactose as this is partially consumed during the fermentation process by the bacteria. This makes it more digestible for people who have some degree of lactose intolerance.
Your reviewer
This article was reviewed by Travis, the founder of this website, long-time gut enthusiast and passionate kombucha maker!
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