Health Benefits of Curd

What is difference between Yogurt or Curd??

If you are confusing between Curd and Yogurt than let me explain it. Generally we think that in Indians call it Curd and western people call it yogurt, but this is not really like this.The difference is method of preparation and what bacteria start it. Yogurt is created by bacterial fermentation of milk using yogurt cultures, this bacteria ferment lactose and produce lactic acid.
Curd is also dairy product like yogurt but it is obtained by curdling with an edible acidic substance i.e. lemon juice or vinegar. once the fermentation is done the liquid is removed from it. Whatever we get in market is not yogurt its curd.

Health Benefit of Curd

The health benefits of Curd had been always important to humans. Curd is a power bag of multiple vitamins and minerals. Moreover, curd is also good source of digestible proteins. Curd maintains cholesterol levels, prevent from hypertension, boost immunity, improve strength of bones and teeth, aids in digestion and is valuable in skin care.

Curd is consider as health boosting food as it contains good amount of calcium, protein and vitamins. If keeps us fit if we include in regular diet. We can use curd in many ways.

• Curd is good source of vitamin B2 and B12. Vitamin B2 is essential for healthy nerves, skin, and eyes. Vitamin B12 or cobalamin is required for maintaining health of bone and its deficiency will end with anaemia.
• Sugar Acid present in Curd improve our digestion.
• calcium of Curd, is good for improving the strength of bones and teeth
• Curd Reduce the Cholesterol level (LDL cholesterol levels) hence give good health to heart.
• The amount of protein present in curd has been higher than milk and also easily digestible than milk due to the Proteolysis or partial breakdown of proteins, likewise casein, by the fermenting bacteria.
• The probiotic strains of bacteria present in yogurt boost the immune system.

An extra advantage of curd utilization is the presence of Lactobacillus, an accommodating class of bacteria that ferments milk and produce curd and helps in the digestive procedure in the body. They also shield the gut from succumbing to contamination by harmful bacteria.

How to Create Curd?

1. Heat the milk in require quantity, just to boiling point and pour it in a container ideally made of glass.
2. Let it cool down to lukewarm (37-40C or 100 to 105 F). Eventually a skin layer of cream will start forming on top.
3. Add two tablespoons of Curd in to the lukewarm milk. We can use home made or commercial curd for this. it is better to buy if you are just starting from today. Note that mix it gently so that the skin formed doesn’t get disturbed.
4. Keep glass container in warm water for least for 8 hours or overnight for incubation. Around Eight to twelve hours are well enough to get it fermented. The longer the yogurt coagulates beyond that time, More coagulation means more sour.
5. Carefully remove liquid if excess in our curd.
6. Keep in fridge for 4 hours before using. this will slow down the process of conversion of lactose into lactic acid, which imparts the sour taste to curd.