Sour milk products are called products obtained by the method of fermentation from milk or its derivatives. Fermentation of these products occurs due to the combination of the milk base with lactic acid bacteria or yeast. Sour-milk products are consumed in pure form, used for the preparation of baked goods and desserts, sauces and marinades.
What is the use of fermented milk products
All dairy products are usually divided into two categories.
1. Products derived from lactic acid fermentation when sugar is converted to lactic acidgiving these products a characteristic mild taste with sourness.
This category includes sour cream, cottage cheese, varenets, yogurt, yogurts and all that.
It is lactic acid that enters the stomach that prevents the development of putrefactive processes and fermentation in the digestive tract.
2. Products prepared by combining lactic acid and alcoholic fermentation, in which, in addition to lactic acid, alcohol and carbon dioxide are produced from sugar. This series is represented by kefir, koumiss, yogurt and bifidoc.
Bifidoc, by the way, is one of the most delicious examples of lactic acid products enriched in the manufacturing process with probiotics and prebiotics, to give them additional therapeutic and dietary properties.
Dairy products are usually made from cow's milk, less often goat's milk, and even less often from sheep’s milk, donkeys, buffalo, camels, mares and deer.
Sour-milk products are characterized by a light cream or milky white color, a mild taste with a pleasant acidity or a sweetish taste.
The nutritional and beneficial properties of fermented milk products, known since ancient times, today have received warm confirmation from scientists, doctors and nutritionists.
Calorie content, composition and nutritional characteristics of fermented milk products vary depending on the specific type of product, its fat content, the naturalness of its manufacture and many other factors, but there is also something that unites fermented milk products.
A considerable part of useful properties is provided by vitamins contained in fermented milk products (group B, A, E, PP, C and many others), micro and macrocells (sodium, phosphorus, fluorine, potassium zinc, calcium, selenium and others).
Phosphorus and calcium are invaluable for strengthening and shaping the skeletal system and teeth. That is why a variety of curds are included in the children's diet from the first feeding, and fermented milk products are recommended for pregnant and lactating mothers.
What are the benefits of fermented milk products for digestion
Due to the fact that milk proteins in fermented milk products are already present in a partially split state, the same, for example, a glass of kefir in comparison with milk will be absorbed twice as fast and 90% versus 30%. Calcium is also excellently absorbed. Both of these are vital for the functioning of the cardiovascular and nervous systems of a person.
In the treatment with antibiotics, as is known, the beneficial microflora of the gastrointestinal tract is under attack. Fermented milk products are literally neutralized within a few hours. This is also why they are indispensable in the diet of patients with influenza, acute respiratory infections and other "winter" ailments, when there is no appetite, and the body needs to spend strength primarily on its recovery, and not on digesting heavy foods.
A glass of kefir for half an hour during a meal stimulates appetite, stimulates digestion and for many hours ahead promotes the absorption of vitamins and minerals (including vitamin D and iron) from all other food consumed during the day.
The benefits of dairy products for well-being
Something fermented in the evening menu will certainly contribute to good sleep, and the same at any time of the day - will reduce body fatigue and improve mood.
Low-fat dairy products are included in the menu of diets and fasting days, arranged for weight loss, which contributes to the ability of these products (not necessarily low-fat) to speed up metabolism.
Fermented milk products of high fat content are useful for weight gain, during the recovery of the body after illness and during periods of heavy physical exertion.
Also, regular use of dairy products helps in:
· Reducing the manifestations of any allergic reactions;
· Elimination of toxins from the body;
· Improving the condition of the skin;
· Strengthening hair and nails;
Mild diuretic effect and reduction of edema;
Increased hemoglobin levels;
· Improvement of the respiratory system;
· Strengthening immunity.
In the summer heat, sour-milk drinks, even in pure form, even though the basis of cold soups, wonderfully refresh, quench your thirst and protect the body from the harmful aspects of UV radiation.
When fermented milk products are harmful, how to eat them, choose and cook
To preserve the beneficial effect and nutrition of fermented milk products without harm, it is not recommended to eat them with baked goods and chocolate.
Still, do not give in to the habit of sweetening all sour milk, because, firstly, it’s so easy to eat a lot of sugar, and secondly, it will interfere with the digestion process. If you really want to - you can add a spoonful of honey.
Despite the undeniable benefits of dairy products, their use should be limited or, at least, choose their low-fat version, with a number of diseases.
Atherosclerosis;
Hepatitis;
Hypertension
Obesity
Diseases of the liver and biliary tract.
With gastritis and an ulcer, it is not useful to drink kefir and acidophilus, but there will be no harm from sour-milk products with these diseases of the stomach if you choose sour-milk sourdough and yogurt.
It is important to remember that only high-quality and fresh sour-milk products are tasty, healthy and safe.
Therefore, caution should be taken when buying from private owners, even if the curd and sour cream are seduced by a natural village origin.
Many dairy products can be prepared at home. It is very useful to have such a device as a yogurt maker for this, but with the most ordinary utensils in your kitchen you can get the freshest, very tasty and impeccably high-quality cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, yogurt and much more.
Following industrial technology, homemade yogurts and the like should be prepared with frozen or canned fruits and berries, since acids from fresh fruits can destroy lactic acid bacteria.
Good fermented milk products from the store have two quality attributes:
· Short shelf life, indicating that they are made without assorted artificial additives. And it is better that it does not expire on the day of purchase. Sometimes the quality of the product changes significantly. For example, in one-day kefir of ethyl alcohol contains only 0.7%, while in three-day kefir - 0.88%;
· Minimum composition without an abundance of dyes and stabilizers. For many products, for example, for natural sour cream, only cream and starter should be included in the composition.
The naturalness of a number of dairy products is easy to verify. For example, if you stir a spoonful of sour cream in a glass of hot water, then the real one will dissolve completely, without sediment.
