Matthew makes yogourt

Guest · Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:00 pm Post subject: Matthew makes yogourt

My sister insists on making her own yogourt. Is it safe, and are there any benefits to making yogourt yourself? What about the probiotic content?

Matthew Kadey · alive Expert Joined: 04 Jun 2007 Posts: 1

Renowned for its nutritional value, yogourt is a fermented milk product that is an excellent source of calcium, B vitamins, and high-quality protein.

Taste is often the reason people turn to making their own yogourt. Your sister may find the store-bought versions too acidic, or when it comes to the flavoured brands, too sweet. Making your own also saves money and cuts down on the number of plastic tubs that need to be recycled.

Homemade yogourt is consumed around the world, and as long as proper precautions are taken when it is made, safety is not a concern. All containers and utensils must be thoroughly cleaned before use and the milk must be heat-sterilized to eliminate unwanted bacteria.

For those with a little less kitchen-savvy, a wide range of yogourt makers are now on the market, but they all work in much the same way—you mix the milk and starter (either a small amount of plain yogourt or freeze-dried powdered culture) and add the mixture to the yogourt maker. Its main job is to keep things at an optimal incubation temperature for several hours.

An optimal temperature of approximately 45 to 55 C (110 to 130 F) ensures growth of the beneficial probiotic bacteria, Lactobacillus. These bacteria are what makes yogourt easy to digest for those with sensitive tummies.

New batches of yogourt should be made every week to keep the culture active and to maintain optimal flavour. Yogourt’s acidity helps prevent the growth of unwanted bacteria, and therefore, it can be kept safely in the refrigerator for up to one week.

The health benefits of homemade yogourt can be further enhanced by using low-fat, organic milk from grass-fed cows, which is higher in essential fatty acids.

Making yogourt at home is easy to do. Why not give it a try?

zushmoo · Joined: 20 Oct 2006 Posts: 27

yup i make my own yogurt and have been for years. it is amazing, tastes great, and is super easy.

BoltsAway · Joined: 21 Aug 2008 Posts: 12 Location: California

hmmmm i dunno if its NOT SAFE but def you should get the right recipe to make the yogurt... we're not talking frozen are we?

Monica · Guest

Making your own yogurt is a great idea, and you can add natural berry powder to it to give some flavour.
I buy them from www.thenordicspirit.com.
Their products are completely additive-free. I bought small glass jars from a dollarstore where I keep them. My kids love to make their own yogurts with the powders.

Boss · Joined: 27 Mar 2008 Posts: 96 Location: The end of a wire.

Anyone can try this.

There is a website, that lists Kefir distributors.

A lot of people grow Kefir and sell it on for free. You take the Kefir, leave it in Milk for anywhere between 12-36 hours depending on the potency you like it, and it dissolves the Lactose and turns the Milk into a yoghurty product.