Whereas scrolling by means of TikTok, the most recent recipe promising to be high-protein (however nonetheless tasty!) caught my eye: fluffy yogurt. Developed by the health influencer @llexliftz (who now identifies herself in her bio as “fluffy yogurt woman”), this no-cook dish is mainly Greek yogurt reworked into one thing candy, gentle, and ethereal through the magic of meals chemistry. And I wasn’t the one one intrigued: The TikTok I watched has racked up greater than 4 million views (and spawned a complete slew of stitches).

As somebody who’s at all times all the way down to attempt a brand new recipe, I made a decision to try it out. I scooped about 3/4 cup of plain Fage Greek yogurt right into a bowl, drizzled some agave syrup on high, added a couple of tablespoon every of vanilla Jell-O combine and baking powder, and began stirring.

With a bit of arm work, the combination started to tackle the promised fluffiness—a texture much like mousse. To this point, so good. Once I took a chunk, although, I observed an odd tingling sensation on my lips and tongue, form of like a swig of fizzy soda or glowing water. I undoubtedly wouldn’t say it was disgusting, but it surely wasn’t nice, both. (Although to be truthful, I’m not the most important fan of glowing meals or beverage merchandise in any case.) Postpone by that bizarre mouthfeel, I didn’t even make it so far as including the peanut butter and chocolate chips I purchased for toppings.

Shocked and a bit of upset, I later reached out to Lauren Butler, PhD, RD, an assistant professor within the vitamin and meals program at Texas State College, to speak about what may need been occurring. She defined one ingredient may’ve been guilty: the baking powder (which can be answerable for the fluffiness). Lengthy story brief, the stuff is potent. If overused, Dr. Butler mentioned, it could actually generally infuse the entire dish with a “metallic style.”

For what it’s value, @llexliftz has cautioned towards overdoing it with the baking powder in a number of fluffy yogurt movies, so I figured the recipe was value one other shot. With Dr. Butler’s phrases of warning in thoughts, I attempted once more a number of days later, cautious to maintain the powder to a minimal. (Severely, the quantity took up lower than a 3rd of a spoon.) This time, there was no bizarre fizzy feeling—solely the slightest trace of a tang. What’s extra, the ultimate product was really fairly tasty, extra paying homage to a dessert than a possible pre-workout snack. Cowl with graham cracker crumbs and raspberries? Congratulations, you’ve gotten your self a convincing cheesecake dupe. Layer on vanilla wafers and banana slices? Banana pudding. Stir in some peanut butter and chocolate chips? You’ve mainly acquired cookie dough.

Plus, as Dr. Butler defined, fluffy yogurt can be “an effective way to get in that protein that our our bodies have to construct muscle” as a result of Greek yogurt packs a ton of the stuff—about 20 grams per seven-ounce container, in response to the USDA. Not solely does protein assist with muscle restore and restoration, but it surely additionally helps maintain you glad, which is vital for those who’re selecting fluffy yogurt as a breakfast or a snack. (One factor to remember, although: Utilizing a synthetic sweetener that accommodates sugar alcohols may cause GI signs like bloating and diarrhea, Dr. Butler defined—so in case you have a delicate abdomen, you may wish to choose an alternative choice.)