CHICAGO (CBS) — American spent $1 billion buying Greek yogurt last year. Many think it’s a healthier choice, but is it?

CBS 2’s Kate Sullivan reports.

When Rachel Wells found out she was pregnant, her diet became even more important.

“I ended up eating a ton of walnuts and a ton of Greek yogurt,” she says.

Dietitian Holly Herrington of Northwestern Memorial Hospital agrees that Greek can be healthier than regular varieties.

“Greek yogurt is strained differently, so it removes a lot of the whey, a lot of the lactose, a lot of the sugar that’s found in yogurt, leaving Greek yogurt higher in protein, a little bit lower in carbohydrates,” she says.

Because of the extra protein it may keep you fuller longer, helping you eat less and lose weight.

But Herrington says watch out for added sugars.

“You have to choose the plain, low-fat types of yogurt,” she says.

Also, Greek yogurt is more expensive. A 6-ounce container can cost up to twice as much as the regular kind.

“Greek yogurt does have a higher cost of ingredients, it has more milk. And that’s what gets you a lot of the protein,” Yoplait marketing director Michael Harad says.

Some people are avoiding the expense by making their own. You can strain regular yogurt through cheesecloth to remove whey and water.

So far, for Rachel, buying Greek has been worth the added cost.

All yogurts can also help keep your intestines healthy and build strong bones.

One more tip: To make sure your Greek yogurt has the least amount of fat, look for skimmed or nonfat milk on the ingredient list.