One of the most common questions that anyone starting to make their own yogurt is what kind of yogurt starter cultures should I use? Which yogurt starters are the best?

When it comes to choosing a yogurt starter there are many different options to choose from. Many companies that make yogurt makers also sell the cultures such as companies like YoGourmet or you can use the varieties that are available in the grocery store. For the most part there are two types to choose from: using already prepared yogurt or using a prepared dried powder with live cultures.

If you decide you want to try using plain already made yogurt as a starter then here are some things to consider when choosing a brand and type:

Live Cultures: It must have live active cultures in order to work. Some companies pasteurize their product after it is done and this essentially kills off the bacteria necessary to transform the milk. Common strains of bacteria that you will see include L. Bulgaricus, S. Thermophilus and L. Acidophilus. Ideally the product you use should list the specific bacteria so you know exactly what you are getting, as it is believed some bacteria are better than others. Looking for the National Yogurt Association’s Live & Active Seal can help assure that you are getting a yogurt with live bacteria.

Example of the Seal:

No Additives: The yogurt must be plain and free of unnecessary additives.  When you read the ingredient label you should see milk and either the word live cultures or a list of the particular bacteria used. If you see words like pectin (a thickener) or sugar or other ingredients it is likely not going to make a good starter.

Fresh: The bacteria are only their most active and potent when the yogurts are at their freshest – so be sure you take into consideration when the expiration date is on the package. It would be nice if more companies offered the “day made” information, but you’ll have to instead go with the expiration date. Choosing one that expires a long time from now will likely mean that it is fresher. For example, if you had to pick between one that expires October 5th and October 25th, you would more than likely get the better results with the one expiring October 25th.

Try Different Brands: Sometimes yogurt making is a bit of a trial and error process in which you have to be willing to experiment a little. The starter you use and the amount of time you let it sit in the electric yogurt maker make all the difference in taste and consistency. Some bacteria turn milk into lactic acid very quickly, others not so much. If you get good results with one brand, keep note of it, but don’t be afraid to try others. Same goes with if you get a bad experience the first time – you’ll get the hang of it eventually, we promise!

Tips for Choosing a Starter When Using a Powder:

Research the Different Bacteria: There are many different types of good bacteria that cause milk to form lactic acid. This is probably the largest advantage for using a powder form because you have complete control over what bacteria you use and many more options than the kinds available in most grocery stores. It is believed that some bacteria have better health benefits than others – the bacteria used can also reduce or lengthen the setting time.

Bacteria Count: There are many things to consider about the bacteria count in starters and its relationship to how it will make your product work. In most cases, the higher the content the better. This will increase your probiotic benefits and also speed up the process in making it as well.

Read the Directions: Freeze Dried yogurt starters can vary in how they should be mixed into the milk, the temperature of the milk, and other factors depending on the type of cultures used. For this reason, make sure you read the labels and the directions before purchasing. You don’t want to get a powder that requires 14 hours of incubation time if you want to make it in 6!

Hopefully this will help clear up the confusion about choosing a yogurt starter culture. If you have any questions or comments feel free to ask them in our comments section below.

Probiotic yogurt is something you’ve probably been hearing more and more about through the news and health channels. You may ever have heard about it from your doctor or your pharmacist.

Yogurt is made by combining live active bacteria cultures with milk. It is these live bacteria cultures that make yogurt have so many of it’s health benefits. Not all yogurt has these live cultures in them, but the ones who do are the type that will give you benefit from eating it.

What Are Probiotics?

When we think of bacteria, we often think of it being bad, such as in the case of most bacterial infections. “Yuck! Germs!” You might think. But there are actually very good bacteria that can help us resist infections from these bad bacteria as well as yeast. They can work to breakdown other foods in our stomach better which can help with aiding in digestion.

Our bodies naturally contain good bacteria. The good bacteria helps ward off the bad bacteria and it also helps predominately with digestion, as it helps break down food so it can be processed and eliminated.

Probiotics are these good bacteria that are often found in dietary supplements and foods such as yogurt. You can get them often in capsule form or you can also get them in other methods such as eating probiotic foods.

Because yogurt is a cultured, or fermented, milk product, it is made by adding live bacteria to the milk. Common ones you will see include Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. These are the “good guys” and when you buy yogurt or yogurt starters in the store you’ll want to make sure that it contains live and active cultures of these. Not all yogurts have live cultures, as some of them are heated to the point where the bacteria cannot withstand the heat.

It is not a new process to add microorganisms to a food and have a result from it. For example, most beers are made by the fermentation of yeast, another live substance.

Why Do You Need Probiotics?

There are many different people who in different circumstances can benefit from eating probiotics. For example, someone who has had a bacterial infection that required antibiotics would benefit from eating pro-biotic foods. Antibacterial ointments and antibiotic medicines work in killing not only the bad type that cause infection, but also the good ones. If you are taking antibiotic medication for any extended period of time, your pharmacist or doctor may advise you to eat yogurt in order to help restore the natural balance in your body.

Others may benefit from taking it if they have common digestive problems, as an imbalance of good bacteria can cause quite a lot of problems. There are many products in the stores marketed specifically for this.

What Kind of Yogurt Should I Eat?
There are a lot of yogurt companies that market themselves specifically as being “ProBiotic”. These types of yogurt claim to have specially researched and trademarked bacteria strains. However, it is unknown if these actually do have more health benefits than the other types or not, since no conclusive studies have been performed that I am aware of to date.

If you are planning on buying yogurt from the store, you’re going to want to read the labels carefully. Most companies and manufacturers now put exactly what types of cultures they use to make their product, though some might still not put it on the label as to the exact strains. If you do not see the words “contains live and active cultures” on the container or label, it’s a good chance that it doesn’t have any benefits to eating it at all. This is because certain manufacturers will heat the product up to extreme temperatures in order to pasteurize it – unfortunately this also kills the cultures found in the food.

This is one more great reason why you should make your own yogurt. When you are making it you have complete control of the ingredients you use, as well as what strains you choose to make it with. You can start with some commercially available prepared yogurt to start off as a base, or you can use a starter kit instead. Making it yourself can help you get the exact type you want to use.

It is truly fascinating to learn about how probiotics may have substantial medical impact as they continue to develop and research its uses and effects. Knowing that you can have these benefits from a naturally occurring food you eat is promising for those who continue to seek more natural remedies and alternative medical treatments.