Oikos Organic 0% Fat Greek Yogurt

A creamy and satisfying yogurt that belies its zero-fat status. Perfect in dips, cooked dishes and baking, or as an accompaniment to fresh fruit and berries. Oikos Organic 0% Greek yogurt is a great fat-free substitute for mayonnaise, sour cream and other high-fat dairy products.

Plain nonfat yogurt doesn't sound terribly exciting, does it? It's often watery on top, artificially thickened, and tastes pretty tart. While you can use it in cooking, nonfat yogurt curdles easily, so in many ways it isn't necessarily the fabulous low-fat/no-fat substitute it's made out to be. Unless you use nonfat Greek Yogurt.

Greek yogurt fans will be familiar with Trader Joe's fat-free version or the much-loved Fage Total brand, which is imported from Greece. Joining their esteemed ranks is Oikos Organic 0% Fat Greek Yogurt. Oikos is made by Stonyfield Farms, in partnership with a master Greek yogurt maker, ensuring that American-made Oikos is not only organic but authentic.

Sure enough, Oikos 0% Greek yogurt, like Fage, is wonderfully rich and creamy. The secret? Well, it's hardly a secret, but Greek yogurt is naturally thickened by straining away the whey, or liquids, rather than adding thickeners. The end result is a satisfyingly thick and tangy yogurt that's perfect with just a drizzle of honey or fresh fruit. It's also great for thick, creamy dips, and, because strained yogurt is more heat stable, a safer bet for cooking than regular nonfat yogurt.

This left me with one more thing to consider: a taste test. Given Fage's loyal following, I decided to taste the two brands side by side. There's not much to choose between the two. Oikos is little more tart than Fage, but it has a smoother mouth feel, which gives it the edge in my view.

For those who don't care for plain yogurt, try the vanilla flavor, which is fabulous and filling on its own, and a great accompaniment to fresh berries, figs or any fruit, really.

Oikos also has blueberry, strawberry, and honey varieties, too.