Today we take a closer look at the history of yogurt. In addition to being a delicious source of nutrients, this dairy product is also a mine of interesting facts. Keep reading to learn more.
What Is Yogurt?
Yogurt, also spelled “yoghurt” or “yoghourt,” is a dairy product made from cultured milk with live bacteria.
Yogurt is a good source of calcium, phosphorous, riboflavin, and vitamin B12, among other nutrients.
With variations, yogurt is consumed all over the world. For example, in the United States and North-Central Europe yogurt is made from cow’s milk, while sheep’s and goat’s milk is used in Turkey. In Egypt and India, yogurt is made from milk of the water buffalo.
Who Invented Yogurt?
The origins of yogurt date back millennia, when herdsmen began storing milk and discovered (probably by accident) that fermented milk was safe to consume.
With such an extensive backstory, it’s impossible to know with certainty who invented yogurt. One thing is for sure: the history of yogurt and that of human civilization go hand in hand.
In fact, historians believe that yogurt played a pivotal role in the development of human societies. This is due to two main reasons. First, by allowing milk to be stored for longer, more people were able to enjoy it thanks to yogurt. Second, yogurt is more easily digested by the human body than milk, which means that yogurt also gave lactose-intolerant people a way to take advantage of the nutrients that milk provides.
The big breakthrough for yogurt came in 1905, when Bulgarian microbiologist Stamen Grigorov discovered the bacteria strain (lactobacillus bulgaricus) that ferments milk into yogurt. Grigorov’s study paved the way for the commercialization of yogurt, breathing new life into what was until then a traditional product that people made almost exclusively at home.
Satisfy Your Hunger for Interesting Food Facts!
At Chef Gourmet, we know good food, and we love sharing that knowledge with you. If we have whetted your appetite for interesting food facts, here are some previous posts you may find interesting:
- Furikake: Everything you need to know
- What is piment d’espelette?
- What is fennel?
- Salsas are the essence of Mexican food
- What Is the Difference Between Fruits and Vegetables?
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