Healthier Swaps: Greek Yogurt for Sour Cream (2024)

FAQs

Healthier Swaps: Greek Yogurt for Sour Cream? ›

Full-fat Greek yogurt will offer the closest approximation of sour cream's flavor and texture, and can be used as a one-to-one replacement for sour cream. If you'd like, you can stir some heavy cream into any percentage of Greek yogurt to give it a somewhat richer body and higher fat content.

Vitamin content: Both Greek yogurt and sour cream contain vitamins and minerals essential for a healthy diet. While both products contain vitamin B12 and calcium, sour cream is higher in vitamin A, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, and selenium. Conversely, Greek yogurt has more potassium and probiotics.

Go for whole-milk Greek yogurt: The yogurt closest in texture and flavor to regular sour cream is whole-milk Greek yogurt.

Low-Fat Dairy

Whole milk and half-and-half can be replaced with 1 percent milk, skim milk, evaporated skim milk, or nonfat half-and-half. Instead of grabbing sour cream, try using low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt (it's nice and tangy), buttermilk, or low-fat cottage cheese.

Made in 1-ounce servings to meet the needs of your guests, you can give them a brand they know and trust. Cultured for that classic, rich flavor and creamy texture that patrons love.

Yogurt is your best substitute for sour cream. Whether you're baking or making a dip or sauce, yogurt is a 1:1 sub. That means if your recipe calls for 1 cup of sour cream, you can replace it with 1 cup of yogurt. Full-fat Greek or natural yogurts work best, but low-fat or even nonfat can be used, too.

In one recent meta-analysis, researchers actually found that dairy had a modest anti-inflammatory effect in individuals with metabolic disorders. Much of these effects can be attributed to the fermented dairy products such as kefir, yogurt, or sour cream that can easily be incorporated into a healthy diet.

The main health benefits of sour cream come from probiotics. Probiotics are healthy live bacteria that live in the human gut. Probiotics help people with lactose intolerance break down lactose in the small intestine before it reaches the colon (large intestine).

Is sour cream healthy for weight loss? ›

Because sour cream is a calorie-dense food, it may be easy to eat too much. When eaten in moderation, sour cream is unlikely to make you gain weight. While dairy intake is tied to weight loss, keep in mind that sour cream is high in calories.

Instructions. Place 1 cup heavy cream and 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or distilled white vinegar in a clean 1 pint glass jar and stir with a clean spoon until combined. Cover with a paper towel or cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band.

Full-fat Greek yogurt will offer the closest approximation of sour cream's flavor and texture, and can be used as a one-to-one replacement for sour cream. If you'd like, you can stir some heavy cream into any percentage of Greek yogurt to give it a somewhat richer body and higher fat content.

Cream Cheese, Mascarpone, and Cottage Cheese

Fresh, spreadable cheeses like cream cheese and mascarpone generally work well as 1:1 substitutes for sour cream in baking. Be sure to let them warm up to room temperature before using, and thin them out slightly by stirring in milk or lemon juice to get a similar texture.

Yogurt is usually lower in fat and probiotics than sour cream. However, flavored yogurt may contain much more sugar. However, the unflavored kind of yogurt may actually be a healthier alternative to sour cream, if you are seeking that creamy, slightly sour flavor.

12. Regular Milk. Although not an ideal substitute due to the lack of flavor and thick texture, you can use regular milk as a substitute for sour cream when in a pinch. Regular milk, as a replacement, is best in baked goods such as cakes, cookies, and bread.