Every day, you use a lot of dairy products in your cooking recipes, right?
Well, it’s a yes from everyone out there. For starters, you need milk to make coffee or tea. You make dishes with cottage cheese. You use butter and cheese to make sandwiches, pasta, and so on. Another most essential dairy product that you use often is curd. You use this product in making desserts, curd rice, juices, and so on. Now, you often wonder about the different constituents of this dairy product for instance which vitamins are found in curd, the carbohydrates present in the element, and other relevant aspects.
However, every time you come up with this question, you simply end up either with a very vague answer or no answer at all. Since curd is one of the vital dairy elements to be consumed by many people, this article is going to talk about curd in detail, starting from how it is prepared to its benefits and also side effects. Furthermore, the article also covers the details on the vitamins and minerals in curd. So, without wasting any more time, let’s begin.
Also Read: Best Packaged Dahi To Buy – Mishry Reviews
Table of Contents
How Curd Is Made?
If you are eating curd daily, it will be beneficial for you if you knew the process in which this dairy product is manufactured. Now, the main ingredient of curd is milk. Milk has many natural emulsifier fats in it, which are broken down into abundant compounds of various compositions through a physicochemical process known as curdling.
When milk is boiled, the heat energy loses the bond between various compounds present in the product. This weakening of the bond allows the curdling once some edible citrus product is added. After adding the acidic element, the milk starts coagulating in a way where the fats and the milk protein, casein, accumulate into large compounds that ultimately form the curd. This way, the vitamins in curd and other nutrients are concentrated from its parent raw material, i.e., milk.
Also Read: How To Set Dahi (Curd) The Right Way
What Are The Main Constituents Of Curd?
Since curd is obtained from milk, this dairy product is high in protein, carbohydrates, and other nutrients. The minerals and vitamins in curd closely resemble the nutrition content of the milk. Here is a brief description of the nutritional content of the dairy product that you all love so much. Is vitamin C present in curd? Let’s find out.
- Curd contains fewer carbohydrates than milk, which makes it an excellent element for a keto diet. Usually, the carbohydrates constitute only three percent of the calorific value of curd, making it an excellent food for people who are on a diet.
- Around eighty percent of this dairy product is water. This is why curd is often eaten during summers where there are high chances of suffering from dehydration.
- The major vitamins in curd are riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and pantothenic acid. These vitamins enrich the dairy product with essential micronutrients and help your body to remain healthy.
- Another essential component of curd is lactic acid. When you add the acidic element in milk, two different species of bacteria named lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus act on the fats and proteins, and break them down. During the curdling process, the milk lactose is converted into a more digestible form known as lactic acid.
- Around ten to twelve percent of the curd’s nutritional content is protein. The milk protein, casein, is found in curd in the percentage mentioned above. It is due to this particular variety of protein your curd looks as white as milk.
- Three major types of monosaturated fatty acids are present in curd, namely oleic acid, stearic acid, and palmitic acid. The presence of these fats makes the curd nutrition best for everyone, starting from children to elderlies.
- Amongst the mineral content of curd, the two major mineral groups that will benefit you are potassium and calcium. However, the proportion of these two minerals is less in curd as compared to that of milk.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Having Curd?
Because of the lactic acid, the minerals, the fatty acids, and the vitamins in curd, this particular dairy product tops the list of useful food items for everyday diet regimes. So, here are the benefits of curd for your health.
It helps in digestion
One of the major benefits of curd is that it improves the digestive system in many people. Now, some of you have lactose intolerance, which means that your stomach won’t be able to digest the lactose present in milk and related dairy products. But, since in curd, you will have lactic acid, it won’t cause you any digestive problems because lactic acid is easily digestible.
It is a wonderful fat burner
Curd is rich in calcium and other vitamins. Due to these elements, you can easily lose weight if you include curd in your daily diet. The dairy product facilitates the burning of fat faster, thereby making sure that your BMI ratio is maintained within normal levels.
It is perfect for skin’s health
The vitamins in curd and the fatty acids help improve the health of your skin. It is said that people who include the curd in their daily diet end up having radiant skin with fewer chances of dermal diseases after a couple of weeks.
It is good for your bones
Calcium and potassium present in the dairy product and other yogurt vitamins help maintain the health of your bones. They prevent the bones from becoming prone to damages like sprains, fractures, and so on. Also, surveys have shown that curd helps in preventing osteoporosis- a degenerative disease where your bones stop accepting the calcium and rather loses the mineral content at a rapid rate.
Helps in improving the immune system
The curd vitamins and minerals help in strengthening the immune response system of your body to an extent where your body becomes able to fight bacterial and fungal infections easily.
It is good for your heart
The fatty acids present in the curd are monosaturated fatty acids. These do not undergo oxidation, thereby ensuring that your heart stays healthy and out of danger.
What Are The Famous Brands Of Curd In The Market?
When you want to enjoy the impeccable sour curd benefits, you have to make sure you are buying the best curd in the market. Since you find yourself in a dilemma most of the time, here’s a small guide about the largest and the most trustworthy brands selling curd in India.
Amul
This is perhaps one of the biggest Indian-based dairy companies whose curd is famous, thanks to the delicious taste and the original nutrient content. After the popularity of their sour curd, the company started a chain of flavored yogurts that soon picked up the trail and became famous.
Nestle
This is one of the most affordable dairy product companies in India. The curd from this company does not contain any harmful fat content because it has become famous amongst diet lovers.
Mother Dairy
If you are looking for a company that has made sure to preserve all the vitamins in curd and other nutrients, Mother Dairy is your best shot. Their sour curd lacks any sort of cream fat or the original milk fat, making the product perfect for weight loss or heart patient diet.
Cocoberry
Another dairy product brand that has managed to preserve all the original nutrients, including the case in protein and the vitamins in yogurt, is Cocoberry. Apart from the sour curd, this particular brand has listed many other products with the yogurt as the star ingredient.
Red Mango
Despite being a US-based dairy product company, the brand has become one of the famous companies in India. They have sour curd in their product list and have included flavored yogurts like vanilla, kiwi, and so on.
How Can You Make Curd At Home?
Lastly, here is a brief detailing about correctly preparing curd at home. So, let’s start!
- Pour the milk in a clean vessel and boil it under medium flame. Once the milk will come to boil, reduce the flame further, and stir it often to prevent the charring of the liquid.
- Simmering of the milk should be done for at least ten to fifteen minutes since this will reduce the water content and helps to thicken the milk.
- Switch off the flame and allow the milk to cool down to a lukewarm temperature.
- In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of sour card properly till it becomes creamy and smooth.
- Add this whisked curd to the warm milk and stir occasionally to avoid frothing and the formation of lumps.
- Pour the mixture in small bowls or cups and keep it in a warm place. Make sure to cover the cups with warmer objects like blankets. The warm temperature will fasten the curdling process.
Conclusion
Even though the sour curd can seem to be sour for some of you, you cannot ignore the benefits of all the nutrients and the vitamins in curd. This is why you need to include this dairy product in your daily diet without delay. The different vitamins present in curd makes them an essential element of your daily diet.