Last reviewed: July 2026

Greek yogurt vs skyr vs kwark: the high-protein dairy showdown

Three names, one idea: dairy with the water strained out and the protein left in. On real Dietly labels, the plain low-fat versions of all three land in the same band: 47 to 72 kcal and 8.8 to 12 g of protein per 100 g. Skyr brands edge the protein table at 10 to 12 g, plain Greek yogurt sits near 10, and magere kwark and quark span 8.8 to 11.5. The differences that actually change your macros are not between the categories but within them: full-fat versus low-fat, and above all plain versus flavoured, where sugar triples.

Verdict: Nutritionally, a three-way tie in their plain low-fat forms; buy by price per kilo and the texture you will actually eat. Skyr is thickest and slightly ahead on protein, Greek yogurt is the most versatile, kwark is usually the Dutch price winner. The real decision is plain versus flavoured: that one line on the label moves sugar from about 3 g to about 15 g per 100 g.

Dietly label, per 100 g	Energy	Protein	Fat	Sugar
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat	53 kcal	10.0 g	0 g	4.1 g
Greek yogurt, regular	106 kcal	7.6 g	3.5 g	10.0 g
Skyr	61 kcal	12.0 g	0.5 g	2.9 g
Skyr, Norwegian brand	58 kcal	10.0 g	0.2 g	3.0 g
Skyr, organic	60 kcal	11.0 g	0.1 g	3.5 g
Magere kwark (0% fat)	53 kcal	8.8 g	0 g	3.2 g
Volle kwark (full fat)	124 kcal	7.6 g	8.6 g	4.0 g
Quark	66 kcal	11.5 g	0.2 g	3.5 g

Figures come from the linked product labels. Protein varies a gram or two between brands within every category, which is exactly why the brand label beats the category name.

Same trick, three kitchens

All three products concentrate milk protein. Greek yogurt is yogurt strained of whey. Skyr is technically an Icelandic fresh cheese made with skim milk and its own cultures, strained until dense. Kwark, called quark in Germany and the UK, is a fresh curd cheese that Dutch supermarkets sell in tubs next to the yogurt. Because the process is the same idea executed three ways, the plain low-fat versions converge on nearly identical labels, and all three are dominated by casein, the slow-digesting milk protein discussed in the protein timing explainer, which makes them popular evening foods. Texture is the honest tiebreaker: skyr is the thickest and most spoon-standing, Greek yogurt the creamiest, kwark the lightest and slightly tangy.

The two label lines that matter

First, fat. The volle kwark shows what full fat does to the same product: 124 kcal against 53 for the magere version, with protein slightly lower. Neither is wrong; a 5% pot is more satiating per spoon and fits maintenance calories fine, while a cut favors the 0% for protein per calorie, the logic of the satiety guide. Second, and larger: flavour. The regular Greek yogurt label above already shows 10 g sugar per 100 g; fruit-on-the-bottom skyrs and kwarks in the catalog run 12 to 15 g. A 250 g bowl of a flavoured tub delivers 30 g or more of sugar, most of it added, versus about 8 g of naturally occurring lactose in the plain equivalents. Plain tub plus your own fruit is the same dessert with a third of the sugar, the pattern covered in added vs natural sugar.

Choosing in practice

Cutting or chasing protein: whichever plain 0% version is cheapest per kilo where you shop; in Dutch supermarkets that is usually magere kwark.
Cooking and sauces: Greek yogurt; it survives heat and savory uses best.
Thickest snack, best macros: skyr, at 10 to 12 g protein with near-zero fat.
Kids and dessert replacement: plain anything plus fruit and a little honey you control, instead of the pre-sweetened tubs.
Lactose sensitivity: strained products carry less lactose than milk, and skyr the least of the three; individual tolerance varies.

Bottom line

Greek yogurt, skyr and kwark are the same nutritional move wearing three flags, and the plain low-fat versions are all excellent protein foods at 50 to 70 kcal per 100 g. Pick by texture and price, avoid the flavoured tubs, and if two specific pots are in front of you, the comparison tool settles it with the labels rather than the marketing.

Common questions

Which has the most protein: Greek yogurt, skyr or kwark?

On real labels the plain low-fat versions overlap heavily: skyr runs 10 to 12 g protein per 100 g, plain Greek yogurt about 10, and magere kwark or quark 8.8 to 11.5. The specific brand matters more than the category name.

What is the difference between skyr, kwark and Greek yogurt?

All three concentrate milk protein by straining or dense fermentation. Skyr is an Icelandic-style fresh cheese, kwark (quark) is a fresh curd cheese common in Dutch and German supermarkets, and Greek yogurt is strained yogurt. Texture and tang differ; macros barely do.

Is flavoured skyr or kwark still healthy?

Check the sugar line. Fruit-flavoured versions on real labels carry 12 to 15 g sugar per 100 g, roughly triple the plain versions, which turns a 250 g bowl into a 30-plus gram sugar dessert. Plain plus your own fruit keeps the protein without the sugar.

Sources

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