Vitamin B12, probiotics and calcium: Why yogurt can be better than home-made curd?

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.