I tried something new with making yogurt.
I made the Super-Duper High-Fat Wheat Belly Yogurt starting with organic half-and-half for richer fat content. This generally yields an end-product with great creamy mouthfeel, thicker than most store-bought full-fat yogurt, certainly far thicker, tastier, and more filling than the low- or non-fat garbage that fills most supermarket refrigerators.
Recall that, while dairy products undoubtedly have their problems, the process of lactate fermentation yielding yogurt reduces many of these problems. The lactose sugar is converted to lactic acid, reducing carb content, and potential for lactose intolerance. It also reduces pH (making is mildly acidic) and thereby denatures (breaks down) milk proteins such as casein beta A1 that is potentially immunogenic.
For this little experience, I reasoned that 1) given the presence of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria and other species of probiotic organisms in yogurt that, when residing in the human gut, 2) feed on prebiotic fibers and proliferate and “outmuscle” undesirable species while 3) producing metabolites that yield health benefits (e.g., butyrate that reduces blood pressure, improves insulin sensitivity, reduces blood sugar, has mental/emotional benefits, and nourishes the intestinal lining and protects against colon cancer), what if I added prebiotic fibers to the yogurt mixture prior to fermentation, thereby providing nutrition to the microorganisms? It would conceivably increase bacterial counts, while perhaps also yield microbial metabolites like butyrate, maybe even reduce lactose further, given the presumed invigorated proliferation and metabolism made possible.
On preparing the half-and-half for fermentation, in addition to the live culture-containing couple of tablespoons of yogurt I added to “seed” the mixture, I also added one tablespoon of inulin powder and mixed. I then fermented at around 110 degrees F for 48 hours.
The end-result was interesting: A yogurt so thick that it stood up, as shown in the photograph. It almost had the consistency of whipped butter and was especially thick and creamy. The taste was slightly different, also, a bit tangier, perhaps from greater lactic acid content.
I don’t have a laboratory in my house, else I would have also run bacterial counts and an analysis of species, lactic acid and lactose. Nonetheless, if you are looking for an especially thick yogurt, give this little trick a try.
Jan
October 19, 2017 at 1:39 pmI make coconut milk yogurt from culinary coconut milk. It has about 4 g of fiber per serving. Is that considered prebiotic fiber?
Bob Niland
October 19, 2017 at 5:12 pmJan wrote: «I make coconut milk yogurt from culinary coconut milk.»
What does the culture ferment in that case?
re: «t has about 4 g of fiber per serving. Is that considered prebiotic fiber?»
What exact product are you using? There’s a sad chance that the “fiber” is an emulsifier, like guar gum, which we need to be avoiding.
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DLM
October 19, 2017 at 2:01 pmFound this article today: https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/weightloss/the-top-25-reasons-you-arent-losing-weight/ss-AAtI47P?li=AAggNb9&ocid=mailsignout#image=8
More nonsense about portion control and calorie counting. Except for the 2 article recommendations against low-fat food and diet soda, how are we expected to turn around the obesity epidemic with more ridiculous advice and trying to trick your body with various techniques like in this article?
Michelle Peterson
October 21, 2017 at 8:36 amWould you recommend adding the contents of a probiotic capsule to this or any other fermented food recipe? I have read a few recipes with that suggestion but have been unsure.
Bob Niland
October 21, 2017 at 10:46 amMichelle Peterson wrote: «Would you recommend adding the contents of a probiotic capsule to this or any other fermented food recipe?»
With what objective in mind, and at what point in the preparation?
If the goal is to get the microbes to the lower GI intact, removing them from the capsule is going to interfere with that (esp. if the capsule is enteric coated).
If the goal is to enhance the fermentation of the dish, that really requires a complete inventory of the strains in the probiotic product, consideration of what byproducts they produce, plus cooking adjustment for optimum temperature and time for the key strains. The results could be a culinary or nutritional win, but the risk of an unpalatable mess strikes me as being pretty high.
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Ceithlenn
October 22, 2017 at 7:09 pmAccording to this article, it is not a good idea to try to add extra probiotics to the mix.. http://www.probiotics-lovethatbug.com/how-to-make-probiotic.html
Particularly the following is noted:
“But as soon as you start adding probiotic bacteria, the very qualities that make them beneficial to your health, make them bad companions for the yogurt starters.
Probiotic bacteria produce things like bacteriocins which have an antibiotic effect – this means they start to kill the yogurt starter bacteria1. Add in the hydrogen peroxide, benzoic acid (produced from the minor milk constituent hippuric acid), biogenic amines (formed by decarboxylation of amino acids), and lactic acid and those starter bacteria take a real beating.
your yogurt cup becomes a battle ground!
So whilst bacteriocins are good for your health in that they help stop bad bacteria from multiplying, you don’t want them doing that before your yogurt has had a chance to ferment.”
Carolyn Kostopoulos
October 21, 2017 at 11:32 ami make yogurt with raw heavy cream from amish farms and warm it to 100 degrees. then i whisk in 1/8 teaspoon of a 5 strain culture from Custom Probiotics. 24 hrs later VERY thick, rich yogurt
MJ in Vermont
October 23, 2017 at 7:17 amWhere do you get powdered inulin?
Bob Niland
October 23, 2017 at 8:16 amMJ in Vermont wrote: «Where do you get powdered inulin?»
On the web, you can get it anywhere. Here’s the NOW Foods product on Vitacost.
Retail stores with pretensions to health also carry it, like Whole Foods, Sprouts, Natural Grocer, Wild Oats, etc., as well as deep-stocked general chains.
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Mary
October 23, 2017 at 2:56 pmIn 2002 had surgery for stage 4 Vivian cancer.I have developed borderline diabetics. Psoriasis arthritis autoimmune disease I’m gluten intolerant have leaky gut Only have 1/4 of Thyroid left.Been sick last week everything I eat goes through me.I started taking 2 gelatin Apple cider vinegar pills which seems to have settled stomachs have been unable to lose weight need to drop 85 lbs.Everything I eat gives me has and a bloated stomache.Any suggestions
Bob Niland
October 23, 2017 at 3:54 pmMary wrote: «In 2002 had surgery for stage 4 Vivian cancer.»
Is there an error in that description? I can’t find any cancer of that name. Are you on any medications?
re: « have developed borderline diabetics.»
What diet have you been on, and for how long?
re: «Psoriasis arthritis autoimmune disease I’m gluten intolerant have leaky gut…»
The Wheat Belly / Undoctored program can help with those. What have you been doing about the gluten intolerance?
re: «Only have 1/4 of Thyroid left.»
And chances are it’s not meeting your needs. What treatment, if any, is in use for it? And have you any lab results for free T3, free T4, reverse T3, thyroid antibodies and TSH? (If you post them, be sure to include units of measure and lab Reference Ranges.)
re: «…everything I eat goes through me. … Everything I eat gives me has and a bloated stomach»
How is intestinal function generally (aside from the recent ailment)?
re: «…Apple cider vinegar pills which seems to have settled stomachs…»
Chances are there’s some dysbiosis afoot. The program here has a lot of emphasis on cultivating bowel flora (and that’s a key part of reversing damage from leaky gut).
re: «have been unable to lose weight»
There are any number of suspects for that (including thyroid), but no speculation is possible without further information on the whole context.
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