How is Yogurt Fermented? What are the Benefits?

by Abbas Jahangir · January 2, 2022

Everything You Need To Know About Yogurt

Yogurt, which is a thick consistency product formed by the fermentation of milk, is seen as the crown of the table due to the beneficial components and flavor it contains. Being one of the classic tastes of Turkish cuisine, besides being consumed alone, it also makes it the main ingredient in many recipes. Recommended by experts as a snack, yoghurt is used as a side dish, adds flavor to many appetizers or adds the final touch of flavor to meals as a sauce.

Useful Information About Yoghurt: How Is Yoghurt Formed?

Yogurt obtained as a result of lactic acid fermentation is defined as a fermented milk product containing live lactic acid bacteria known as yogurt bacteria. An organism called the Turkish Basil carries out the process of transforming the milk into yoghurt. Yogurt bacteria, which converts lactose, known as milk sugar, to lactic acid, increases the acid level in the environment. As a result of the rising acid level, yoghurt acquires its known thick consistency.

Although it is thought to have been consumed for over 6,000 years, how was the first yogurt made by experts? cannot provide a clear answer to the question. Although it is suggested that dewdrops or ant eggs are used as yoghurt yeast, it is seen as a more plausible theory that nomadic societies used animal rumen to transport milk.

The fact that the rumen, which has a relatively acidic environment, somehow started the lactic acid fermentation may be the biggest reason why we can consume yoghurt with high nutritional value and flavor today.

The word yoghurt, which is Turkish in origin, takes place in almost all languages in the same way. As such, it leads to the theory that our ancestors found yogurt in Central Asia and spread it all over the world from Central Asia. The information obtained about Central Asia being the oldest yoghurt consumed geography strengthens this thesis. On the other hand, some Russian and Bulgarian experts claim that their ancestors first produced yogurt. The word yoghurt first found its place in Turkish sources in the 10th century. Finding a place for itself in European history is realized as a result of the submission of the Turks to the King of France, Francis I in the 16th century.

What are the Yoghurt Types?

Yogurt can be fermented from almost any milk of animal origin. For this reason, when milk varieties were mentioned, names such as sheep yogurt and buffalo yogurt came to mind. With the spread of yogurt all over the world, it has found a place on the shelves with a wide range of flavors.

Types of yogurt; It varies according to oil ratios, production methods, and aroma, and appeals to every palate with special yogurt varieties. High-fat, high-fat, semi-fat, low-fat and non-fat types of yogurt allow consumers to choose according to their diet.

For those who do not like the classic creamy yogurts, varieties without cream or homogeneously distributed yogurt oil are produced. There are thick viscous strained yoghurts produced by removing the water, soy and similar yoghurts produced for vegetarians, frozen yoghurts that can be consumed like ice cream, as well as special products such as yoghurt powder.

Yogurts with fruits, in which various fruits are added, are followed by yoghurts with flavors such as garlic and vanilla.
On the other hand, there are also regional specialties such as Kanlıca and Silivri yoghurt. In recent years, varieties that are enriched with vitamins, minerals and omega-3 nutritional values, as well as varieties offered under the name of probiotic yogurt, have started to appear on the shelves.

Contrary to the expectations of different tastes, the benefits of yogurt lie behind such diversification.

What Are the Benefits of Yogurt?

It helps regulate the digestive system, as it is among the nutrients of probiotic origin. It prevents the reduction of beneficial bacteria living on the small intestine.
Research shows that the lactic acid bacteria used in its production have a preventive effect on many diseases from cancer to asthma. Yogurt, which stimulates the immune system, also helps regenerate cells by showing an antioxidant effect.
When consumed with yogurt water, it supports the synthesis of B group vitamins in the intestine. On the other hand, it is considered a rich source of vitamins and minerals.
Although the benefits of yogurt are innumerable, it can cause problems for those who have an extremely sensitive stomach and have problems such as duodenal ulcers. For this reason, it is stated that the doctor’s recommendations should be followed and careful in its consumption.

Does Yogurt Make You Gain Weight? Does it weaken?

Yogurt, which has a gut-regulating effect, takes the lead among healthy snacks that support the weight loss process. The fact that yogurt is low in calories, rich in nutritional values and increases the feeling of satiety makes yogurt one of the favorite foods for those trying to lose weight in a healthy way. ‘Does yogurt make you lose weight?’ and ‘does yogurt burn fat?’ The clearest answer to your questions is Dr. Gives a study by Michael Zemel. Research conducted on obese individuals on a low-calorie diet reveals that the group who consumed three meals a day of nonfat yogurt lost 22% more weight and burned 61% more fat than those who did not.

For people who are in the process of losing weight, it is of great importance to maintain and increase muscle mass if they can. The fact that the weight loss seen on the scale is due to the excess fat in the body is considered as the way to lose weight in a healthy way. Abdominal fat, which is said to be responsible for cardiovascular diseases, can be prevented by regular yogurt consumption. In fact, it shows that among individuals with calorie restriction, those who give weight to yoghurt consumption burn 81% more fat from their abdomen than those who do not consume yoghurt.

Individuals who want to gain a healthy weight should not miss yogurt, which is among the nutrients that can be preferred for weight control. Because yogurt is rich in protein and healthy fats, it supports healthy weight gain. Experts say that dietitians should be consulted for healthy weight gain and loss rather than shock diet applications such as yogurt cure or yogurt diet.

What is the Nutritional Value of Yogurt?

100 grams of full-fat yogurt provides approximately 66 kcal of energy to the body. It can be preferred because it contains only 4 grams of carbohydrates. Thanks to its high protein value of 3.3 grams, it is one of the healthy protein sources. Containing 3.8 grams of healthy fat, the dairy product helps raise good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol.

Fiber-free yogurt significantly supports the digestive system because it is rich in healthy bacteria. While it is recommended that those who want to control weight consume low-fat and non-fat varieties, it is one of the foods rich in potassium, calcium, phosphorus and folic acid. It is recommended to consume it in the form of classical yogurt rather than strained yogurt, due to the abundance of vitamins and minerals in its water.

Eating yogurt before going to bed is recommended for those who want to fall asleep comfortably. Yogurt, which is extremely rich in lactic acid, helps those who have sleep problems to sleep much more comfortably. On the other hand, it is considered a healthy meal alternative for those who have an early dinner and sleep late. Those looking for a healthy alternative for their night-time hunger pangs may choose to eat plain yogurt with ingredients such as parsley and cucumber, or yoghurt fortified with spices.

Making Yogurt in a Yogurt Making Machine

Additives used in ready-made yoghurts, those who want to eat healthier and more beneficial yoghurt tend to make yoghurt at home. However, it is not always possible to make yogurt in its full consistency. Yogurt making machines, which help us to control some conditions in order to obtain the ideal yoghurt consistency and taste, are becoming more and more common.

The way to make delicious yoghurts in a yoghurt maker is to know a few tricks.

The first step to making yogurt is to boil the raw milk. After the boiling step, which kills harmful organisms, the milk must be cooled to air temperature. If you are considering using pasteurized milk for making yogurt, the boiling step can be skipped.
It is very important to pay attention to the fermentation temperature. For the ideal fermentation temperature, it is recommended to insert your little finger into the milk and measure by counting to ten. If a slight warmth is felt in the little finger when it is seven, the milk is seen as ready for the fermentation process.
To ferment yogurt, approximately one tablespoon of yogurt is required per liter of milk. In order for the yeast to be homogeneously dispersed in the milk to be fermented, it is recommended to whisk the yoghurt yeast and some milk in a separate bowl and then add it to the milk. After this stage, the milk taken into the yogurt container must be placed in the machine.
It is stated that the ideal temperature for fermenting yogurt is between 42-45 °C. After the machine temperature setting is set between these degrees, the time can be adjusted according to taste.
When yoghurt is made by machine, thick yoghurt can be obtained in about 6 hours. If the machine you are using is not digital, it is sufficient to leave the yogurt for 8 to 12 hours.

Two Different Methods for Fermenting Yogurt at Home:

There are many different ways to ferment yogurt at home, even without a yogurt machine. As you master the recipes that even those who will try to make yogurt for the first time in their lives, you can find your own recipes and learn how to make yogurt that suits your taste.

1) For the yoghurt fermentation method in the oven:

It is one of the most popular yogurt making techniques of recent times. An ideal recipe for those who do not have a yogurt machine but are looking for a practical yogurt fermentation method, yoghurt fermentation in the oven is among the ideal recipes for those who like solid yoghurts. Bottled daily milk helps to achieve the desired ideal consistency and taste in the safest way. Pasteurized milk may have a problem of consistency, and so-called street milk may cause health problems. The milk, which is recommended to be boiled in a steel pot, is boiled over low heat by stirring until a finger is reduced. The milk taken to cool down is kept aside until it reaches the ideal fermentation temperature. In order to facilitate the fermentation of the yogurt, a pinch of salt or sugar can be added to the yeast if desired. A homogeneous mixture is obtained by adding approximately one tablespoon of yogurt to one liter of milk, as in the yoghurt fermentation technique in the machine. In order to bring the oven to the ideal temperature, it should be set to 50 degrees and run for 10 to 15 minutes and prepared. If possible, the mixture, which is poured into a glass yogurt container, is placed in the oven with its mouth open. The mixture, which is kept in the oven for 4 and a half hours without opening the oven door, should be transported to the refrigerator without shaking and let it rest for 7 hours with its mouth open. Yogurt may cause problems such as watering when fermented in a closed position. After seven hours of rest, you can close the lid if you wish. In order to bring the oven to the ideal temperature, it should be set to 50 degrees and run for 10 to 15 minutes and prepared. If possible, the mixture, which is poured into a glass yogurt container, is placed in the oven with its mouth open. The mixture, which is kept in the oven for 4 and a half hours without opening the oven door, should be transported to the refrigerator without shaking and let it rest for 7 hours with its mouth open. Yogurt may cause problems such as watering when fermented in a closed position. After seven hours of rest, you can close the lid if you wish. In order to bring the oven to the ideal temperature, it should be set to 50 degrees and run for 10 to 15 minutes and prepared. If possible, the mixture, which is poured into a glass yogurt container, is placed in the oven with its mouth open. The mixture, which is kept in the oven for 4 and a half hours without opening the oven door, should be transported to the refrigerator without shaking and let it rest for 7 hours with its mouth open. Yogurt may cause problems such as watering when fermented in a closed position. After seven hours of rest, you can close the lid if you wish. The mixture, which is kept in the oven for 4 and a half hours without opening the oven door, should be transported to the refrigerator without shaking and let it rest for 7 hours with its mouth open. Yogurt may cause problems such as watering when fermented in a closed position. After seven hours of rest, you can close the lid if you wish. The mixture, which is kept in the oven for 4 and a half hours without opening the oven door, should be transported to the refrigerator without shaking and let it rest for 7 hours with its mouth open. Yogurt may cause problems such as watering when fermented in a closed position. After seven hours of rest, you can close the lid if you wish.

2) For the traditional mother-style yogurt fermentation:

After adding the yoghurt yeast into the yoghurt pot, the fermentation process should be started in an earthen pot if it begs in the pot. The mouth of the milk, which is brought to boiling and ideal temperature to steal yogurt, is tightly closed with a lid after it is fermented. The mixture, which is wrapped tightly with a table cloth and then a thick blanket to keep it warm, should ferment for about 4 hours before shaking and shaking it. At the end of 4 hours, the yoghurt is rested with its mouth open until it drops to the air temperature, then it is kept in the refrigerator for a day.

What is Probiotic Yogurt? Probiotic Yogurt Fermentation Techniques

Probiotic; They are called beneficial microorganisms in our digestive system. Probiotic, which means good for life as a word origin, covers products that balance the beneficial and harmful bacteria in the intestine when consumed. From this point of view, it is revealed that yoghurt, like everything that has undergone the fermentation process, has probiotic properties. However, today, for a product to be considered a probiotic, it must contain more than one probiotic culture. From this point of view, in order for a yoghurt to be called probiotic yoghurt, it must contain different probiotic cultures such as kefir culture along with the bacterial culture that enables the milk to turn into yoghurt. Compared to classical yoghurt yeast, probiotic yoghurt yeast cannot be obtained by conventional methods because it is enriched with different probiotic cultures.

If you want to ferment probiotic yoghurt at home, the first thing you should do is to obtain yoghurt base yeast from a reliable brand. Probiotic yeast, which contains classical yogurt bacteria, also contains lactic acid bacteria that ferment different substances. For this reason, every probiotic yogurt yeast may not contain the same bacteria and components. The probiotic yeast you buy is sized to allow you to ferment more than once. There is no difference between probiotic yoghurt fermentation and classical yoghurt fermentation, except for yeast. Probiotic yogurt can be fermented using a yogurt machine, or one of the classical mother-style or oven leavening techniques can be preferred. It is recommended to rest in the refrigerator for a day after the fermentation process to obtain a fully seated yoghurt.

Since probiotic yeast is somewhat expensive compared to conventional yogurt yeast, most people want to obtain a yeast that they can use regularly after fermenting their first probiotic yogurt. Storing the first spoonful of freshly fermented probiotic yogurt as yeast eliminates the need to buy new probiotic yeast with each brew. The yeast separation process, which is done by paying attention to cleanliness, also prevents the probiotic culture from being damaged by harmful bacteria and microbes. Yeast taken from probiotic yogurt can be stored in the refrigerator for seven days. It is recommended to keep the sample taken in a clean and closed container.