Tesco Finest Greek yoghurt review
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review of Tesco Finest Greek yoghurt. We’ll look into the benefits, ingredients, nutrition, use and flavour of this strained yoghurt. And we’ll also compare a few factors against other yoghurt.
This yoghurt is available in Tesco supermarkets in the UK.
It is an authentic Greek yoghurt made in Greece.
You might also be interested in reading our article on the best probiotics in the UK if you want to add more healthy microbes to your diet.
Ingredients of Tesco Finest Greek yoghurt
Because UK law allows single-ingredient products not to state ingredients, there is no listed ingredients on the tub.
This is good because it means that this yoghurt is clean and simple and only contains milk and live cultures. On the downside it means they don’t list which live cultures they have used to ferment it. More on this below.
Being authentically made in Greece, this yoghurt is strained which removes some of the liquid whey. This produces a yoghurt which is thicker and creamier, higher in protein and has a richer, more concentrated flavour.
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Read more about the best gut health products in the UK.
Benefits of Tesco Finest Greek yoghurt
This product comes with the usual health benefits of yoghurt. Unfortunately they don’t provide useful information in some areas. We’ll also compare a few factors against Lidl Milbona Authentic Greek yoghurt - which is a similar authentic, strained yoghurt made in Greece.
Live cultures
Probiotics are live, beneficial microorganisms that have been proven to support health. They are a specific type of live culture.
Unfortunately there is no indication of the strains of live cultures present in this yoghurt, so we don’t know whether the live cultures can be considered probiotic or not.
In terms of the amount of actual live cultures present (ie colony forming units), again no information is provided.
Lidl also don’t give this information on their Greek yoghurt.
Read more about the benefits of probiotic foods.
Postbiotics
Postbiotics are essentially beneficial things cultures produce during fermentation. These include healthy short-chain fatty acids which nourish our gut lining and may help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Nutrients
This yoghurt has fairly similar health measures to Lidl’s Greek yoghurt.
Fat: This yoghurt is high in fat with 10.3% fat - which is similar to Lidl’s Greek yoghurt (10%).
Protein: It has good levels of protein at 6.1% - which is again is very similar to Lidl at 6%.
Sugar: The sugar content of Tesco’s is fairly low for a yoghurt at 3.3%. This is below Lidl’s which has 4% sugar.
Calcium: Unfortunately both yoghurts don’t provide information on calcium levels.
Appearance
As the picture below shows, it holds a fairly irregular shape in the bowl, but isn’t as rigid as Lidl’s.
Texture
The texture is very thick as you would expect from strained yoghurt. It is creamy, but not as creamy as I was expecting.
Flavour
The aroma is mainly of savoury cheese, verging on cottage cheese.
The taste is interesting. It starts a bit chalky and then a rich savoury cheese taste takes over. The low sugar content seems to amplify the savoury characteristics and give it a dryness which is not common in yoghurt. And there’s a high acidity which seems out of balance to the dry, savoury taste. The aftertaste is a bit strange - chalky and too acidic.
Overall, the taste is quite unique but a bit out of balance. I have to say I prefer the very creamy characteristics of Lidl’s Authentic Greek yoghurt.
Use
This yoghurt would probably be best added to cereal, granola or put in a smoothie.
Cost of Tesco Finest Greek yoghurt
You can buy a 1kg tub from Tesco for £4 - which makes it a little more expensive than Lidl’s.
Review summary
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5.
Verdict: Tesco Finest Greek yoghurt is an authentic, strained Greek yoghurt. It has an interesting savoury taste which won’t suit everyone and is not quite in balance.
Pros
simple, natural ingredients
authentically made in Greece
thick texture
good protein levels
Cons
the taste, while not bad, is out of balance
lacks the creaminess of other similar yoghurt
high in fat
no information on the strains of live cultures included
no information on the actual amount of live cultures it contains (ie colony forming units)
no information on its calcium content
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 by bacteria during the fermentation process. This makes it more digestible for people who have some degree of lactose intolerance.
Factors we consider in our ratings
The factors we consider when doing a review (and the weightings of each of these) may vary depending on the product we are testing, but here are the key general factors we consider when we settle on a rating for a product.
Health benefits
We find out how the product will be good for your health and outline the benefits for you in simple language. This often involves doing research so you don’t have to. We often link to scientific studies or articles summarising scientific findings so you can dig deeper if you want to.
Things detrimental to health
We want to highlight where a product might include something bad for your health - even if the product might be good for you in another way. This could include such things as pointing out certain additives it contains or high sugar levels.
How it’s made
This will vary depending on the product, but we want to see a quality process for making it and quality ingredients. For example, we want to see a kombucha traditionally fermented with lots of different microbial strains and we want to see a yoghurt made with fresh milk and not milk powders.
Price
While we expect quality products to be more expensive, they still have to be priced within reason. On the other side of things, a product which is priced very competitively will get a ratings boost based on the value it provides.
Flavour
For some products flavour won’t be a factor (eg probiotic tablets), but for others, like yoghurt or kimchi, flavour is a key aspect because these products are made to be enjoyed as well as being healthy! We will try to be as subjective as possible and describe the flavour in detail so you can get an idea of whether you would like it or not.
Our favourite gut health products in the UK
YourBiology Gut+ probiotic not only offers 10 strains of probiotics, but also includes two types of prebiotics, three digestive enzymes and vitamin D for gut health support. All this means it offers a lot more benefits for gut health and general health than most probiotic supplements do
Healthpath gut health test is the UK’s most comprehensive gut health test. It tests over 100 biomarkers, checks your digestion and immune response, analyses leaky gut and provides a clear and understandable report on your microbiome
YourBiology SuperGreens+ is a superfood and greens supplement which makes it very easy to get a huge amount of nutrition - vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fibre, polyphenols and more - in one glass. Great for supporting gut health, skin health, energy, mental clarity and immunity.
Read more about the best gut health products in the UK.
Your reviewer
This article was reviewed by Travis, the founder of this website, long-time gut-health enthusiast, science nerd and passionate kombucha maker of over 10 years!
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