Yogurt - A Sour Delight!

Article Written by Gloria Cabrera.

Yogurt is a dairy product produced by fermenting milk. The milk sugar lactose is fermented using live bacterial cultures, this produces lactic acid which gives the yoghurt its texture, aroma and flavor.^{2, 3} The bacteria added are not only alive but are healthy too.³ Yogurt is regarded as a health food, not only because it contains healthy bacteria but it is also a good source of calcium, protein and vitamins such as riboflavin, B6 and B12.^{2, 3} It is also suitable for those with lactose intolerance as it contains beneficial bacteria that break down lactose.³

Yogurt is likely to have been produced and consumed for at least 4500 years. The earliest variations were probably fermented by wild bacteria living in animal skin bags.² The word yogurt comes from the Turkish word yogurt and is related to yogurmak 'to knead' and yogun 'dense' or 'thick'.² Many countries claim that yogurt was their invention but there is no clear evidence linking its place of birth.²

What Varieties of Yogurt are available?

There are many different types of yogurt available including:

Natural – No flavors or sweetness added, just pure yogurt.³
Flavored – Flavors and sweetness (sugar or artificial sweetener) added.³
Fruit – Fruit and often sweetness (sugar or artificial sweetener) added.³
Probiotic - Additional probiotic healthy bacteria added to boost ‘healthy benefits’.³
Others – Some yogurts had extra calcium, plant sterols or other functional health antics added

There are also different styles of yogurt available:

Set yogurt
Stirred yogurt
Drinking yogurt

Different cultures have different varieties of yogurt for example Labneh is a strained yoghurt often used as a spread for bread in Lebanon or Ayran is a yogurt based salty drink popular in Bulgaria and Turkey.²

Can yogurt be made at home?

If you are feeling experimental, yoghurt can be made at home. There are different ways to make yoghurt including:

Using an ordinary wide mouth thermos.¹
Using yogurt starter kits (from supermarkets).¹
Using electric yogurt makers (available from department stores).¹

Making Yoghurt

Great yogurt recipes can be found on many web sites. The great thing about making your own yogurt is that you can be experimental with flavors by adding fruit, oats, honey or spices. Here is a simple method to make plain natural yogurt¹:

Before beginning, ensure all equipment used is clean and sterile.
Heat one liter of reduced fat milk in a saucepan, stir in ¼ cup of skim milk powder and bring to the boil.
Remove from heat and allow to cool until about 135°F.
Obtain a thermos and pre-warm it, then place two tablespoons of fresh commercial natural plain yogurt (provides the bacteria needed to make the yogurt) in thermos base and mix in the warm milk.
Tightly close the thermos lid and place it in a warm place (wrapping in a towel will help to keep the temperature constant).
Leave the yogurt for at least six hours untouched and at a constant warm temperature or for 12 hours for a thicker yogurt.
Once made, place the yogurt in the fridge and consume as desired.

Consuming Yogurt

Yogurt is very versatile, here are some ways to consume it:

On it’s own or with fresh fruit.¹
As a dip or part of a dip recipe.¹
To thicken sauces, give them flavor or make them more creamy.¹
As an ingredient in salad dressings.¹ Try seeded mustard and yogurt.
In cakes or sweet dishes.¹

Tips for better yogurt choices

Choose low fat, fat reduced, fat free, diet or skim yogurts as these will be lower in saturated fats.
Be mindful of the sugar and energy content, some low fat yogurts have enough added sugar to make them the same or very similar in calories to the full fat versions.
Try and consume natural set yogurts, these contain less sugar and additives than flavored types.³
Look for varieties that contain extra calcium or plant sterols if you are looking at ways to boost your calcium intake or lower cholesterol.

So with so much going for the humble yogurt, why not go and try some of the many varieties available today, you may just find one you like! And if you’re feeling brave, try making your own yogurt with your favorite add ons!

References

Government of South Australia, 2009. Making yoghurt at home [Online]. Available at http://www.wch.sa.gov.au/services/az/other/nutrition/pdfs/yoghurt.pdf [Accessed 9th March 2009].
Wikipedia – The Free Encyclopedia, February 2009, Yoghurt [Online]. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogurt [Accessed 18th February 2009].
Yogurt [Online], Available at http://www.dairy.com.au/consumers/content/view/95/106/ [Accessed 18th February 2009].

Last edited March 13th, 2009.

Last updated 17 June 2009