Yogurt and Kefir - probiotics, health and why we get back to the basics?
1. We started out as yogurt consumers, just like you may be, knowing the benefits yogurt can bring to our health. But, knowing that most yogurts on the market are processed, not providing the health benefits we sought, we tried to see if we could find at least one assortment of yogurt available on the market that was unprocessed.
We were utterly disappointed we couldn’t find any. A yogurt consumer cannot buy unprocessed yogurt from the supermarket because it won’t find such a variety. What we did find was a wide range of yogurts that had different flavors, yogurts with fruits, granola, or jam, but we did not find a type of yogurt that could enrich our diet with the health benefits brought by probiotics.
We were surprised to see that the yogurts we check out contained plenty of additives (such as flavours, thickeners, and others), which means that the yogurt goes through a lot of processing before reaching the stores. Still, we did find some yogurts that were sufficiently balanced, but those varieties were much more expensive than the average yogurt you can find. This means that most people will choose not to pay for it, even though the probiotic value of the expensive yogurt is far better. But, then we thought, why spend more on yogurt when everybody can enjoy great yogurt with probiotic properties at the smallest price? The findings previously mentioned made us come up with one simple idea.
So, we decided to do something to fix the problem of processed yogurts and develop a selection of yogurt and kefir starters anyone could use at home for the making of yogurt and kefir.
This idea started from our craving of yogurt and kefir the way our grandparents used to do it, plain, simple, clean, and extremely delicious. That type of homemade yogurt was the best we could get, providing pure probiotics that help maintain a healthy body. Unfortunately, due to the invasion of processed yogurts, people stopped making yogurt the old fashioned way. So our mission is to remind people of this simple yogurt and to encourage everybody to prepare it at home, through a very simple process.
The knowledge we used for this is not forbidden, as it risks only to be forgotten. The tools we use and detailed explainers are meant to keep this knowledge alive, transforming this ancient yogurt making practice into a modern one, driven by technology. By simply using whole milk and a batch of probiotic bacteria, you can enjoy yogurt and kefir at home in no time. The best part about the foods made at home is that they are entirely clean, do not contain additives and preservatives, and you can consume them as you please. You can add fruits, nuts, honey, or just eat it plain, your imagination being enough to create the perfect breakfast or snack.
Just don’t forget to re-culture the initial batch each time, so you can continue enjoying pure probiotic yogurt and kefir as much as you’d like.
Do you know what helps you prepare perfect yogurt and kefir at home? It is all about the starters. But, what are yoghurt and kefir starters more precisely? For yoghurt, the starter is a blend of Lactobacteria (which is a word derived from Latin meaning “milk-loving bacteria” because it simply devours milk), while the addition of yeast to the bacteria does the same but for kefir.
While there are many technologies to select and preserve these starters, we chose to use the freeze-dried technology to concentrate the bacterial cultures in milk and protein-rich juices, for vegan starters only. Once the bacteria are gathered in a compact manner, we extract and convert them into a powder that still contains traces of sugar from the milk or juices. Did you know that one single gram of starter is able to provide a few billions of microorganisms, ready to turn milk or vegan milk into yoghurt and kefir? That’s right; you don’t need a lot of starters to make the magic happen.
When these microorganisms find themselves in the right environment, which is whole milk, natural and with no preservatives, at the right temperature and the right time, they will start multiplying at an astonishing speed. They will have to eat something while multiplying, so they start breaking down the lactose found in milk into simpler sugars. These simplified sugars are absorbed much easier by our body, if we are to compare it with consuming whole milk, not to mention that the lactose content disappears this way, making the final product suitable for people that suffer from lactose intolerance. Getting back to the action of the microorganisms, besides breaking down the lactose in whole milk, they will also thicken the solids in it, turning it into the creamy yogurt we all love. Thus, one of the most balanced dairy foods on the planet becomes yours, just like that, in less than a day, with no additives, thickeners, flavours, without any pasteurization and processing. All these processes and additives will reduce the number of bacteria and the probiotic properties of the product, which creates a product that may be nourishing but lacking health benefits.
The truth is that we need the bacteria found in yogurt and kefir because there are similar processes taking place in our digestive system as well. Our digestive system is also filled with amazing microorganisms that break down nutrients and make sure that the intestines are getting the most out of the food we eat. Thus, a healthy digestive tract and a strong immune system are two main benefits of having sufficient microorganisms. When we consume the heavily processed yogurts and kefirs found in supermarkets, the intake of healthy bacteria is much reduced. So, what we eat may keep us full, but will not help us improve our health and wellbeing. The yogurt and kefir prepared at home with the starters we provide are extremely delicious and will be a great addition to a balanced and healthy diet. It really takes just a few minutes to mix the starter with milk and a bit of patience to enjoy dairy products that will immediately make you feel better and improve your health. Just take a look at the tables here to see the selection of starters that will provide all-natural and high-quality yogurt and kefir in no time.
