Our story is about the varieties of fermented milk products and their health benefits. We will talk about the beneficial properties of bioproducts and how to choose the right fermented milk drink. Bioproducts: what is it? Recently, fermented milk products with the prefix “bio” have appeared on store shelves: biokefir, bioyogurt, etc. This prefix means that, in addition to starter cultures, they contain probiotics and prebiotics. Probiotics are the main representatives of the normal human intestinal microflora. Some, such as bifidobacteria, are added to fermented milk products to make them even healthier. Others, such as acidophilus bacteria, also play a technological role in fermented milk drinks, helping starter organisms to ferment milk. The bulk of beneficial microbes in the intestines are bifidobacteria (85-90%). The rest is distributed among lactic acid bacteria, enterococci and other living microorganisms that are friendly to us. With dysbacteriosis, the number of bifidobacteria is most often reduced. First of all, they need to replenish the microflora of the large intestine. Probiotic foods are perfectly adapted to the bacterial environment of the human gut. Studies conducted on artificially grown intestinal cells show that probiotic bacteria attach to intestinal cells and are able to stay there for some time, helping the body fight pathogens. The role of prebiotics is different: they stimulate the growth and development of beneficial bacteria in the human intestine. For example, the prebiotics inulin and oligofructose activate the growth of bifidobacteria. These prebiotics are sweet in taste, but do not add calories because they are not absorbed by the human body. In addition, unlike sugar, they do not damage teeth. A typical representative of fermented milk products enriched with bifidobacteria is biokefir. This popular fermented milk drink combines the medicinal properties of the medical preparation bifidumbacterin and the nutritional properties of ordinary kefir, differing from the latter in taste: it is softer and less acidic, since it contains less acetic acid and more lactic acid. One glass of biokefir contains a daily norm of microflora useful for the intestines, sufficient for the prevention of dysbacteriosis. Specialists highly appreciate the therapeutic and prophylactic properties of a new generation fermented milk product called “Bifilife”. It differs from other bioproducts in that it contains all 5 main types of bifidobacteria (usually 1-2 types of these microorganisms are present in bifid-containing products). The total amount of bifidobacteria in this product is 100 times higher than in biokefir. Of the other probiotic fermented milk products, Bifilin, Bifiton and Tonus should be noted. Nutritionists recommend using them in nutrition for a number of diseases: intestinal dysbacteriosis, diseases of the digestive system, obesity. It is useful to use them and quite healthy people to maintain immunity and good physical shape. Your right choiceState standard GOST R 51917-2002 defines fermented milk products as curative and prophylactic. Unfortunately, not all of them are like that. In order not to make a mistake in choosing, take note of the tips below. When buying fermented milk products, give preference to those that are not made according to TU, but according to the above GOST. The presence of GOST on the label serves as a guarantee that the product you are buying is made according to classical technology and contains only two ingredients: milk and live cultures of bacteria. They determine the medicinal properties of drinks and give them a characteristic taste and aroma. When studying the label, pay attention to the amount of starter and probiotic bacteria contained in the purchased product. The first in each gram of the product by the end of its shelf life should be more than 10 million – this is evidenced by the inscription on the label “at least 1. 10 7 CFU / g.” And the second – 10 times less, namely more than 1 million or “at least 1. 10 6 CFU / g.” The inscription on the label “thermized product” means that it was subjected to heat treatment, in which beneficial bacteria die and the product loses its beneficial properties. In fact, these are sterile dairy desserts, devoid of beneficial living microorganisms. The inscription “thermostatic product” means that it was fermented in the container in which it is sold. Such a product has a jelly-like structure, so it can be cut with a spoon, and not scooped like a liquid. I really like this product, try it evaluate it and you. The inscription on the label “fermented product” means that it is made from a mixture of milk with non-dairy components, including vegetable oil (usually palm oil). The share of milk in such a product can be as low as 20% in terms of dry matter. Fermented milk products with live bacteria should be stored at 2 to 6°C. It is impossible to keep them not in the refrigerator, even for several hours. Therefore, they should be bought close to home and always chilled. If there are no conditions for storing them at home, such products should be eaten immediately. Homemade fermented milk productsYogurt. To make yogurt at home, you need a sourdough starter, which is sold in the health food section of large stores or at a pharmacy. For 1 liter of milk you need 1 tbsp. a spoonful of leaven. This is how yogurt is prepared. Boil the milk and cool it to 43-45°C, add the starter, mix thoroughly, cover the pan with a lid, wrap it up and put it in a warm place so that the temperature of the milk is maintained, which is necessary for the activation of bacteria. The fermentation time of yogurt is 6-8 hours. Put the finished drink in the refrigerator to stop the growth of bacteria. You can ferment milk with natural yogurt bought at the store. Boil milk and cool. Dilute 100 g of yogurt in 1 liter of milk and leave in a warm place for 4-5 hours, for example, in a slightly heated oven. You can add a little sugar and fresh (or defrosted) berries or fruits to the finished yogurt to taste. Kefir. Boil the milk, cool it to 20-25°C and add the leaven – 1-2 tbsp. spoons of ready-made kefir for 1 glass of milk. At room temperature, it turns sour in summer in 10 hours, in winter it takes about a day. Kefir, like yogurt, goes well with any berries and fruits. It is not difficult to prepare berry kefir at home. The washed berries must be crushed, rubbed through a sieve and poured with kefir in any proportion. If desired, add a teaspoon of honey or sugar. Berries improve the taste of kefir and make it even healthier. In winter, you can cook lingonberry or cranberry kefir. Lingonberries and cranberries increase the body’s defenses, protecting against colds and flu. In addition, they are useful for kidney diseases, rheumatism. If you have prepared viburnum or sea buckthorn juice for the future, you can add these juices to kefir. Viburnum and sea buckthorn kefir strengthens the immune system and saturates the body with vitamins. In addition, viburnum is a good prophylactic for hypertension, and sea buckthorn – for atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. Yogurt. Boil milk, cool to 28-32°C, add sour cream (half a glass of sour cream per 1 liter of milk), mix, cover the pan with a lid. To maintain a constant temperature, place the dish with milk in a larger saucepan or in a basin with warm water for 6-10 hours, periodically pouring hot water into the container. Cool the finished yogurt to 8-10°C. Ryazhenka is made from baked milk. Pour fresh milk into a clay pot or saucepan, cover with a lid and place in the oven over low heat for 1-2 hours. Cool baked milk to a temperature of 35-37 ° C and ferment with fresh sour cream – 1 cup of sour cream per 1 liter of milk, keep at this temperature in a water bath for 3-5 hours and cool. Remember that all fermented milk products are cooked in cleanly washed enamelware from fresh boiled milk.