Sour-milk bulgarian stick - good and bad

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Bulgarians have always been famous for their excellent he alth. As they themselves believe, all this is due to natural fermented milk products, in the preparation of which Bulgarian sticks are traditionally used. However, in the production of classic yogurt using this bacterium as a starter, there are a number of features that will be useful for those who want to learn how to cook this he althy product on their own.

What is a Bulgarian stick? Origin story

The bacterium Lactobacterium bulgaricum (Lactobacterium bulgaricum), which has been used for more than 100 years to ferment milk and make yogurt, is called the Bulgarian stick. Residents of Bulgaria are proud that it was discovered in their country and treat the process of preparing natural products based on it with special trepidation.

The Bulgarian microbiologist Stamen Grigorov discovered the stick in 1905. However, the bacterium received its name Lactobacterium bulgaricum onlyafter 2 years. Translated from Latin, it means "Bulgarian stick".

The young student was fully supported and repeated his discovery by the Soviet immunologist I. Mechnikov. In his research, he paid special attention to the issues of aging and longevity. The scientist noticed that among the inhabitants of different countries, the Bulgarians live the longest, in whose diet fermented milk products were necessarily present. The immunologist himself regularly ate natural yoghurts and pure Bulgarian sticks.

Bulgarian stick and thermophilic streptococcus

When conducting his research, I. Mechnikov noticed that for the fermentation of milk, one more pure culture is needed - thermophilic streptococcus (Streptococcus thermophilus). It is already present in the human body and helps in the absorption of dairy products by the body. Using it in production makes it possible for milk to curdle before the formation of a clot. Unlike the rod-shaped Bulgarian bacterium, it has a spherical shape.

It is a mixture of pure cultures of Lactobacterium bulgaricum and Streptococcus thermophilus that gives a positive result when fermenting milk. In describing his research, S. Grigorov considered these two types of lactic acid bacteria to be Bulgarian bacillus, and only I. Mechnikov singled it out in a separate row.

Composition of Bulgarian sourdough

Bulgarians believe that real he althy yogurt is produced only in their native country. All other dairy productswhich are imported from other countries, they do not take seriously, consider them useless and refuse to eat.

The composition of natural yogurt contains cow's milk and sourdough, which contains thermophilic streptococcus and bulgarian stick. And nothing more. No stabilizers, flavors or preservatives. Please note that there is no sugar in Bulgarian yogurt. If desired, it can be made sweet or s alty to your taste. If any additional ingredient is added to a fermented milk product, then it will no longer be Bulgarian yogurt, and it will not bring benefits to the body.

Scope of use. Natural yoghurt

The bacterial bacillus discovered in Bulgaria was used to ferment milk. The product that was formed as a result of this process was called yogurt (from the Bulgarian "yogurt"). In many countries, in the production of this fermented milk product, they have learned to use a different microflora. And only in Bulgaria, yogurt is still sour milk with the addition of bacteria Lactobacterium bulgaricum and Streptococcus thermophilus. That is, real natural yogurt can only be obtained from sourdough with a Bulgarian stick. Otherwise, it will be a different product.

In addition to yogurt, Bulgarian sticks are used in the manufacture of Mechnikov's curdled milk. It was this product that the immunologist I. Mechnikov recommended for daily use. It differs from ordinary sour milk in that it contains a Bulgarian stick. To taste, Mechnikov's curdled milk is more sour, he althy and has a number of medicinal properties, therefore it is sold in a pharmacy as a medicine.

All dairy products containing live bacteria have one thing in common: they have a limited shelf life.

How to make your own yogurt at home

To make yogurt at home, you need a sourdough starter, Bulgarian bacterium and thermophilic streptococcus, which, at a certain temperature, will make the prepared milk thick and sour in a few hours.

So, to make natural yogurt at home, you need 1-3 liters of milk, a starter culture, a yogurt maker or a sterilized glass jar with a lid.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. Ultra-pasteurized milk (not requiring boiling) is heated to a temperature of 40 degrees. Boil fresh homemade or pasteurized milk and cool to the indicated temperature.
2. Next, follow the starter manufacturer's instructions. It can be sold in special sealed bags or in bottles. In the first case, the contents of the package must be completely poured into milk. In the second case, add a little milk to the bottle, mix thoroughly and only then send it to the container with the rest.
3. Pour milk into glasses if using a yoghurt maker, or cover the jar with a lid, wrap and place in a place where it will stay warm.
4. After 6-10 hours the productwill become thick. This indicates the readiness of the yogurt.
5. Send it to the refrigerator for 2 hours - and you can enjoy the amazing taste of natural yogurt. Keep the finished product no more than 5 days.

Benefits for the body

The benefits of natural yogurt, which is made using Bulgarian lactic acid stick, have long been known. According to I. Mechnikov, its main advantage is the fight against aging and self-poisoning of the body. But the Bulgarian stick in yogurt has other useful properties.

Firstly, regular consumption of natural yogurt helps cleanse the body of pathogenic microflora, get rid of toxins and toxins.

Secondly, the well-established work of the gastrointestinal tract has a positive effect on the immunity of a person as a whole. It has been proven that the presence of beneficial bacteria in the intestines can delay the aging process, while their absence is the main cause of atherosclerosis.

Thirdly, natural Bulgarian yogurt is perfect for those people who have lactose intolerance. Fermented milk protein is digested much better than that contained in milk.

Fourth, weight loss for those who want to lose weight also contributes to the Bulgarian stick. The benefit of yogurt in this case is to cleanse the body of toxins. Yogurt can be eaten neat, added as a dressing to salads, and served as a sauce for meat or fish.

He althy Bulgarian yogurt has a mild, delicate taste, sochildren eat it with pleasure even in its pure form, without the addition of sugar. It can be fed to the baby's table as a complementary food from 8 months.

Is Bulgarian sour milk stick harmful?

When pronouncing "bacterial bacillus" immediately there are associations with some harmful pathogen. But the sour-milk Bulgarian stick does not have bad qualities. Its benefits and harms to the body are constantly being studied by microbiologists and immunologists.

To date, only the beneficial qualities of the bacterium Lactobacterium bulgaricum have been recorded. This is especially true for issues of aging and strengthening the immune system.

Bulgarian yogurt reviews

Unlike sweet yogurts with preservatives and stabilizers, Bulgarian yogurt has no artificial taste. Its texture is thick, soft and tender. This is a great alternative to sour cream. According to customer reviews, it makes delicious and he althy cake creams. And by adding greens, yogurt can be used to make a spicy sauce for the main course.

Among those people who have tried natural Bulgarian yogurt, there is not a single person who would leave a negative review about its taste or useful qualities. In the form of a medicine, in cooking, for feeding children, in the manufacture of nourishing face and hair masks - the scope of its application is quite wide.

How to choose?

Yogurts in bright beautiful jars are presented on store shelves. In such a variety it is easy to get confused andchoose an inferior product.

First of all, you need to pay attention to the expiration date. It is desirable that it be no more than a week. If the shelf life is longer, but the composition on the label is indicated as meeting the requirements, it is better to choose a jar made earlier. Otherwise, instead of a he althy product, you can buy yogurt with non-living bacteria.

In addition, the composition of the product is important. Only milk, bulgarian sticks and thermophilic streptococcus should be contained in quality yogurt.

To get a truly he althy product, it is better to purchase a starter at a pharmacy and prepare yogurt yourself. And then good he alth, strong immunity and he althy digestion will not be long in coming.