How to Make, Fresh Homemade Yogurt

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Yogurt is one of the most accessible fermented foods you can
eat, with a rich history going all the way back 6,000 years ago in Central
Asia, most likely in Turkey. During that time, herdsmen preserved the milk
harvested from their cattle in animal stomachs that contained probiotics. As a
result, the milk became fermented, which provided them a wealth of health
benefits.

Eventually, yogurt reached the United States in the 1700s through
Turkish immigrants, but it only became widespread during the 1950s when the
awareness of consuming organic and fermented foods was on the rise.[i]

Making your own yogurt is quite easy, but you need to follow
the instructions below to the letter to yield high-quality results. The only
two things you need are raw, grass fed milk and a yogurt starter culture. Once
you have these two items, you can proceed with the fermenting process:

Ingredients:

·
1 1/2 quarts of raw, grass fed milk

·
Dr. Mercola’s Kinetic Culture Starter Kit for
Yogurt

Procedure:

1.
Add the milk in a pot, then heat to 185 degrees Fahrenheit
for 30 minutes using a double boiler. Stir frequently.

2.
Cool the milk to 110 degrees while still
stirring occasionally.

3.
Once cooled, add the packet of Kinetic Culture
yogurt starter to the pot and stir well.

4.
Pour the mixture into the Kinetic Culture yogurt
maker glass jars.

5.
Place the uncovered jars into your yogurt maker
and cover the unit with clear lid. Set temperature to 110 degrees and set the
timer.

6.
Let the yogurt culture for six to eight hours.

7.
Remove the jars from the unit, cover with lids
and cool in the refrigerator overnight or at least six hours.

Here’s how to make
Greek yogurt from your yogurt, once it’s finished fermenting in the yogurt
maker:

1.
Stretch a piece of cheesecloth or clean tea
towel over the top of a bowl and secure it in place with rubber bands to form a
strainer.

2.
Open your cups of yogurt and carefully pour onto
the strainer.

3.
Place the yogurt in the refrigerator and allow
it to drain for at least two hours. The longer the draining time, the thicker
your yogurt will be.

4.
Once it reaches your desired thickness, spoon
yogurt back into individual serving jars or other storage container and
refrigerate.

Fermenting the Milk Brings Out Nutrients That Are Essential for a Healthier
Body

Throughout history, various cultures have used fermentation
to help prolong the shelf life of their food. Asian cultures fermented
vegetables such as cabbage,
eggplant, cucumbers and onions, while European
cultures consumed fermented dairy beverages such as kefir.

Interestingly, research has showed that these fermented foods can
help your health as well.

Fermented foods possess certain nutrients that are hard to
find in other food sources. One example is vitamin K2, which can help with the
proper formation of bones and lower your risk of arterial plaque buildup. These
foods are also a good source of B vitamins, which can help your body maximize
the energy it gets from the other foods you eat.[ii]

Some of the benefits you can get from consuming fermented
foods regularly include:

·
Immune system
boost — Probiotics actually play an important role in your health by
protecting you against pathogens that may overwhelm your immune system.

In one study, researchers discovered that
the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus can help protect against the
effects of toxic heavy metals in children and pregnant women.[iii]

·
Brain health
— Consuming yogurt may have a positive effect on your mental health.
According to a study conducted by UCLA researchers, they noticed that those who
consumed yogurt regularly exhibited improved emotional response in an
emotion-recognition task.[iv]

·
Diabetes management
— Evidence suggests that probiotics can help manage blood sugar levels.
According to a 2016 meta-analysis, probiotic consumption may help lower insulin
resistance in people who have type
2 diabetes, especially if the product consumed has multiple beneficial
strains.[v]

Why You Need to Use Raw, Grass Fed Milk When Making Yogurt

Undoubtedly, the star of yogurt is its probiotics, which can
provide you with numerous benefits that have been mentioned above. However,
it’s important to consider the other equation of yogurt, which is the milk.

It’s important to use high-quality grass fed milk because it
provides a good foundation for the healthy bacteria to grow and ferment.
Furthermore, it’s simply a safer, healthier choice compared to pasteurized milk
and other dairy products from cows raised in concentrated
animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

Raw milk tends to have a slightly yellow color. That’s
because it contains natural antioxidants that are found
in the grass that cows consume. These natural carotenoids are actually a
precursor to vitamin A. In addition, raw milk has the following benefits:

·
Naturally occurring probiotics

·
Various enzymes, growth factors and antibodies
that can help boost your health in numerous ways

·
Rich in healthy fats and proteins that are 100
percent digestible

·
Vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K, as well as
minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron

·
Omega-3 fatty acids

Avoid Commercially Manufactured Yogurt

Buying store-bought yogurt is one of the biggest mistakes
you can do that can endanger your health. Ironically, many yogurt manufacturers
add sugar to their products to make them more appealing and to increase sales,
but it basically negates everything that real yogurt is good for.

Again, if you want to maximize the benefits of yogurt, you
have to make it at home. It’s the best way to be sure that you’re eating a
high-quality product filled with beneficial bacteria. Don’t forget to share
this nutritious recipe with your friends and family!

Source:: Mercola Health Articles