Often we wonder which is better, curd or yoghurt? Truth be told, there’s not much of a difference except that curd is set at home by curdling milk with lemon juice, while yoghurt is prepared in a conditioned environment, where it is fermented with artificial acids in a standardised set-up, so that it tastes the same everyday and has the same amount of good bacteria. The bacteria in home-made curd varies on a day-to-day basis. “Yoghurt is formed as there is a chemical reaction between lactic acid bacteria and casein. When you add active bacteria strains of lactobacillus bulgaris or streptococcus thermophilus to milk fermentation, the process starts,” explains Dr Charu Dua, Chief Clinical Nutritionist, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad. “The key benefit comes from probiotics or good bacteria. Now certain strands of this bacteria need to be present in sufficient amounts in your curd for it to be an effective metabolism booster. Home-made curd does not have it in required concentration. A probiotic curd or yoghurt comes packed with good bacteria, be it Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Bifidus. They improve digestion and eliminate waste from the body faster, flushing out toxins,” says Ritika Samaddar, Regional head, Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Max Healthcare. “We do not know how much of the good bacteria in home-made curd reach our intestines alive and survive the stomach juices and bile. Yogurt has these live strains,” adds Dr Dua. All curd/yoghurts are not healthy. “Watch out for flavoured varieties with added sugar and excessive processing. They could be high on calories,” she warns. Probiotic curd/yogurt is a must inclusion in your daily diet because it is rich in protein, which lends satiety, besides being a storehouse of calcium, Vitamin B12, riboflavin, phosphorus and magnesium. “Calcium restricts the creation of cortisol, which stops the body from gaining weight. So, in that sense curd can help in fighting cortisol. Besides, curd is a great addition for the lactose-intolerant,” says Samaddar. Lactobacillus bulgaricus converts the lactose present in milk into lactic acid, so no stressors remain. Probiotic curd is rich in minerals such as potassium and magnesium, which make it easier for the excess water in the cells to escape and reach the bladder with ease, maintaining blood pressure levels. “Calcium is good for bone health. The protein is good for vegetarians. Overall, it manages gut health, relieving symptoms of irritable bowel disease and healing ulcerative colitis,” says Dr Dua. How should probiotic infused curd/yogurt be had? “It can be had at any time of the day and night, possibly after meals. People fear having it after sunset, thinking the curd may sour or that they may catch a cold. But none of this is true. It is a great digestive aid and can easily be had thrice a day. It keeps you fit,” adds Samaddar. But Dr Dua argues that “curd by default is warm, hence adding water is advised in summers.” There are creative ways of including it in your diet. “Greek yoghurt, basically hung yoghurt, is made after straining whey water from regular curd. It is thicker and creamier. Can be used as dips and healthy bread spreads and as an alternative to butter/ mayonnaise. Then there is kefir or fermented milk. Kefir requires multiple fermentation processes unlike curd which is fermented at one go. The texture of kefir is liquid, more like our buttermilk. Choose frozen yogurts as a replacement for ice cream,” adds Dr Dua.
