Every country and culture has its own special traditions and beliefs when it comes to cuisine and its benefits on health. I grew up at a time when Iceland was the home of the world’s strongest men and we also had two Miss World contest winners that came from Iceland. All of this strength and beauty was contributed to several factors; the purity of the food we ate — fish (4-5 days of the week), and Skyr most days — and most importantly everyone did a shot of Lýsi (cod liver oil) in the morning. This combination was, in our culture, to ensure that you would be strong and healthy.
Skyr is a unique dairy product. The recipe came to Iceland with settlers in the 9th century and has been preserved, unchanged, by the women of Iceland for over 1000 years. Skyr is a cultured dairy product (usually cow’s milk) that has the consistency of strained yogurt. It can also be classified as fresh sour milk cheese, similar to curd cheese.
"Skyr has a mild flavor, and is low in calories, fat and carbs, yet is very high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. A 6oz (170g) serving of unflavored Skyr usually contains around 110 calories and 19g of protein."
I grew up on Skyr, and until this day, still have Skyr almost daily. When I founded just björn, my idea was to help everyone experience the benefits and the healing process I had witnessed in myself. The amino acids in collagen are perfect to strengthen your ligaments and tendons, good for bone, to tighten skin, strengthen nails and support your hair, but it is not a protein that is specifically for building muscle. That is where the Skyr comes in strong.
I usually workout in the mornings and have a collagen protein smoothie at noon. I always add Skyr in my smoothie both for consistency and to make it as protein-packed as possible. For anyone that can handle lactose and is looking for that extra healthy protein punch, I truly recommend trying Skyr. You can find it in your local supermarket, plain or blended with different flavors. Please, just make sure if it is blended that it has a low sugar count, and avoid any Skyr with artificial sweeteners which can be bad for gut health or affect hormonal balance, especially with women.
Here are a few of my favorite recipes that use Skyr that are perfect for summer:
Try using Skyr instead of your go-to for a healthier option and extra protein:
- Swap out Greek yogurt for Skyr in overnight oats
- Use Skyr instead of sour cream on your baked potato
- Replace mayonnaise with Skyr in your favorite dip recipe or marinade, like my Grilled Summer Chicken
Please reach out to me at bjorn@justbjorn.com if you want more information on my collagen, Skyr or anything food and supplement related.
Happy summer!
