Difference between curd and yogurt and probiotic


Curd or Yogurt, What’s the Difference Anyway? – By Chef Kunal



For the longest time I misunderstood curd with yogurt. I can’t blame anyone but myself for over looking the difference. I was always told that curd and yogurt are the same just the names were different. Some say that curd is what we call in India and yogurt is American word. Many chefs liked to put the word yogurt on the menu because it sounded cooler.  Then again some say that yogurt is thicker than curd and that is the difference. And to complicate the matters there is now probiotic yogurt available in the market. So Curd, Yogurt or Probiotic Whats the difference anyway? Are they just names to the same product or do they differ from each other?
After a lot of research and consulting with a close friend Ms. Seema Singh, who is the Chief Nutritionist at a leading hospital in Delhi, things became very clear. 
Before I begin I have to clarify that curd generically is a word that refers to the milk solids that are left after curdling of milk by way of adding a curdling agent that is acidic. This process gives us curd that is further processed to make cheese. So paneer that we know is technically curds obtained from splitting the milk. The other curd is obtained by way of fermenting by adding a bacterial culture to boiled and cooled milk. For the sake of clarity in this article I am referring to curd as dahi. 

Curd or Dahi is made by boiling and cooling the milk to 30-40c and adding a spoonful of curd. Now curd has Lactic Acid bacteria that are called “Lactobacillus”. This bacteria multiplies itself in the ambient temperature of 30-40c and in few hours ferments the milk to form curd. Curd is a rich source of calcium and protein and is good for lactose intolerant people (though it depends on the degree of tolerance of an individual towards lactose).
In India curd is regarded as an ingredient that is very good for stomach as it aids digestion and gives a cooling relief from spicy foods. But because curd and its bacterial strength vary from one home to the other hence it is not a standardised product. So the good bacteria present in curd may or may not reach the intestines alive to give the health benefits that it is touted as.

Yogurt is same as curd with the difference that the fermentation of the milk is done by adding 2 specific strains of bacteria called Lactobacillus Bulgaris and Streptococcus Thermophilus. Other strains of lactic acid bacteria may also be added in addition to these in a yogurt. The addition of these bacteria makes the product standardised and homogenous. This ensures both quality and right quantity of bacteria in the yogurt. Also this ensures that more of the good bacteria reaches the intestines alive and provide the health benefit they are known best for.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits to the consumer when given in specific quantities. For any product to be called a probiotic like the probiotic drink or probiotic milk or probiotic yogurt the product must contain a specific strain of live bacteria that are resistant to gastric acid, bile and pancreatic juices and which reaches the intestines alive to give the correct health benefit. Hence any product that is a probiotic is a standardised product.




Comments

  1. Nice to see an article talking specifically on this.. I also seen various other Yoghurt forms such as Kefir, Greek Yoghurt and so on. Is this a variation of bacteria which are impacting into?

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  2. Informative article and clearing doubt that many may be having !

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  3. Thanks for such a nice and informative article

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  4. But can we use curd instead of yogurt in cake recipes

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  5. Hi just want to know out of these three ,curd / yoghurt/ pribiotic which product is free from casien..as iam looking for casienfree food items for my son....

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    Replies
    1. take some Lactobacillus bacteria is good and safe way for a child

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  6. Very informative blog. I was searching for something like this. your blog helped me a lot. Thank you so much for sharing. 5 hour energy

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  7. Thanks a ton . This really clarifies the confusion . Super helpful !

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  8. So from your descriptions, can I then deduce that every yogurt is inherently probiotic, and any brand which calls itself 'probiotic dahi' is just a marketing gimmick?

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  9. Probiotics are beneficial for just about everyone. They’re particularly suitable for the individuals that feel digestive distress and the ones that suffer from a compromised immune response.

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  10. Curd is ok but how to make yogurt at home

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    Replies
    1. you cant unless you have the right strain of bacteria in right quantity.

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    2. Now in some on line shop has homemade yogurt culture sold.

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  11. Very informative article hope to get more on new topics

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    Replies
    1. Yes for sure, do check out other similar topics. I recommend to read galauti kebab and Achari Gosht article.

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  12. After a long search came across this, and so frustrated I was before that it felt like I found divinity here :-)

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  13. Where to get biotic / pro-biotic strain for making home curd

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  14. Where to get biotic / pro-biotic strain for making home curd

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  15. I believe curd/ dahi and kafir has more different kind of probiotics bacteria than the company's made yogurt because companies want to reduce the cost of production of yogurt so that they grow lesser bacteria types. Dahi or kafir culture are made since ages so they have more kind of bacteria which help to improve digestion. Most of the people have inability to digest specific elements in the food means we all have tendency to have deficiency of vitamins. Best way is to have dahi everyday in diet to improve digestion and stay away from diseases. Even colon cancer can be avoided if you consume dahi (curd) or kafir. not yogurt. As you aware that ancient bacterial cultures and remedies are proven than the newly developed by science.

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  16. Wah! Kya baat hai!!, Another interesting angle, leaves us to ponder what is right, logically I agree but would had preferred the science yo support with data points

    I was so much in search of a off the shelf bacteria that I can use to make a starter whenever i want but seems it ain't that simple and everyone advised to continue the traditional was of picking some from the previous batch

    And hence we left with no choice and continue to make the curd following tradition

    The problem happens when there is a break and you want to start again

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  17. Probiotics are safe for kids but are they beneficial? Researchers haven’t done an awful lot of work when it comes to identifying the health benefits that little ones can experience from probiotic supplementation. Still, a couple of clinical studies provide positive results.

    In a 2005 study, researchers worked with 200 infants. The babies were given probiotics over the course of 12 weeks. On the average, kids that were given a probiotic supplement suffered from diarrhea much less frequently than the babies that were given a placebo.

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  18. Most people recognize the immunity boosting benefits of probiotics. The beneficial bacteria, however, can be used to accomplish a wide range of additional health goals.

    Recent research suggests that probiotics could be particularly beneficial for overweight or obese individuals, including the ones suffering from type 2 diabetes.

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  19. Was reading everywhere to clarify the confusion but it only grew.
    Thanks for the help. and I needn't go anywhere else coz i know this is the ultimate source!

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  20. Thank you soooo much.. from long time I was searching for this.. now its clear to me.. This really clarifies the confusion.. Thanks..

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  21. Sarvesh Satija, Ph.D.28 December 2016 at 08:46

    Thank you so much for clarifying such differences in a very simple and comprehensive manner. Interestingly I also had the notion that curd and yogurt are same with little difference in thickness. Great Help! Thanks. With best wishes, Ss

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  22. Good article. It is Lactobacillus Bulgaricus not Lactobacillus Bulgaris.

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  23. Probiotics are also known for secreting bacteriocins. Bacteriocins are peptides and proteins that can kill bad bacteria in the nearby area. Some probiotics are also known to produce antibiotics and hydrogen peroxide – two other crucial substances for the depletion of pathogen colonies.

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  24. considering that the packed curd, yogurt etc available in market is sterilised for shelf life , killing the bacteria, do they still have health benefits?
    2. where can i get live probiotic curd bacteria to make at home?

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    Replies
    1. Traditional yogurt only use Lactobacillus Bulgaricus and Streptococcus Thermophilic fermentation during 42℃,so for yogurt in market which is about 21days shelf life and stored in refrigerator is full of LB and ST living bacterial and metabolite,but when we eat them,still have no probiotics potency because LB AND ST will die in gastric acid before get into intestinal tract,also those yogurt product which kill living bacteria,only metabolite can be share.
      You can get live probiotic curd bacteria and make at home by using mesophilic probiotics culture and ferment during 37℃ at home.

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  25. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  26. Visweswara Rao Chakka10 January 2018 at 14:56

    Quite interesting and informative. Before some time, we found our home made curd more slimy than usual. Though we are totally blank with technicalities and not knowing why it happens and how to avoid it, we simply bought yogurt from shop and used it as a starter. And lo! It worked. Whatever, unless we can have concerned bacteria stocked at our home to prepare yogurt, like yeast, there is no use and it is better to continue with Dahi (Curd). However, thanks for information.

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  31. What is the difference between probiotics and prebiotics?

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