There has always been a trend of milk products among people, in whatever form it is. Today in this article we will understand the difference between two different products of milk.
Buttermilk and yogurt are very different from each other but both are products of milk. The way of making both is different.
These two names are very common in our diet and they play an important role in food. In this article, we will know about its different aspects.
Key Takeaways
- Buttermilk is the liquid left after churning butter, while yogurt is produced by fermenting milk using specific bacteria.
- Buttermilk has a thinner consistency and tangier taste than yogurt.
- Yogurt contains more probiotics and higher protein content than buttermilk, making it more beneficial for gut health and nutrition.
Buttermilk vs Yogurt
Buttermilk is simply fermented milk that is left behind after churning butter out of cultured cream. It has fewer calories than yogurt and higher sodium, calcium, and vitamins A and C amount. Yogurt is produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. It is richer in proteins, phosphorus, and vitamins B2 and B12.
Buttermilk is said to be a by-product of milk and it is separated while extracting butter. There are mainly 2 types of this.
In the first type, in which buttermilk is extracted during the churning process at home, and in the second type, commercial buttermilk is prepared from the acidic compounds produced by bacteria, due to which the buttermilk obtained is creamy and buttery in taste and texture.
Yogurt is a by-product produced by milk. There are two types to see, out of which the first is sweet and the second type is sour.
Both types have their importance. Yogurt is produced by the process of fermentation and processing. Yogurt is commonly used in every household. The nutrient value is more in yogurt.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of comparison | Buttermilk | Yogurt |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Buttermilk is a byproduct of milk which is made by churning process. | Yogurt is a dairy product made with the help of bacteria. |
| Nutrition | Buttermilk is low in energy, fat, protein, and calcium. | Yogurt is high in energy, fat, protein, and calcium. |
| Consistency | Buttermilk is not very thick. | Yogurt is thick. |
| Downsides | Buttermilk is considered digestible, it can be easily digested. | Yogurt is not easy to digest. |
| Temperature | Buttermilk needs to be kept at a cool temperature while made. | Yogurt needs to be kept at a less cool temperature while made. |
What is Buttermilk?
Buttermilk is mainly a dairy product that is separated in different ways. This liquid is mainly used in the form of a drink.
Cream and buttermilk are separated by the process of churning. Most of today’s butter is produced from uncultured sweet cream and the buttermilk obtained from it is extracted separately.
It is mostly made in hot climates.
Buttermilk is a beverage that can be consumed independently. Apart from this, it is also used during the preparation of food.
Buttermilk is also used in the preparation of soda bread as the acid present in it reacts with carbon dioxide which later acts as a leavening agent.
Along with this, it is also used during marination, in which chicken and pork are more popular.
The tradition of making buttermilk is common in many countries like India, Nepal, Pakistan, Arabia, Finnish, Dutch, etc. Its trend is not seen on the western side.
It is taken as a common drink. Apart from this, it is used more during Ramadan because people consume it during Istihar and Suhur.
Other variants include the name of cultured buttermilk, which was first made commercially available in the United States in the 1920s.
In addition, cultured buttermilk also comes with invariants that are more viscous than conventional buttermilk. Cultured buttermilk has a slight pungency and is due to lactic acid.
What is Yogurt?
Yogurt is known by many names like curd or yoghurt. It is made with the help of bacteria.
The bacteria with which they are made are called yogurt cultures. These bacteria produce lactic acid in milk which gives it the shape of curd.
Yogurt from cow’s milk is most useful.
Apart from this, the curd is also made from the milk of buffalo, sheep, goats, camel, etc. The yogurt of different animals’ milk is also different.
The bacteria required for the production of yogurt is Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. Apart from this, there are other bacteria whose names are added to its production like Bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus bacteria, Bifidobacteria, etc.
In some countries, yogurt is used only for the production of bacteria. Their colony is made and kept in it.
Not much is known about the invention of curd. Some people believe that it dates back to 5000 BC and it started from a place called Mesopotamia.
It is known from ancient records that the combination of curd and honey is said to be the god of food, that is, even the gods could have received it.
In keeping with Persian tradition, Abraham said that curd curd “brings fertility and longevity.
Main Differences Between Buttermilk and Yogurt
The distinguishing factor between Buttermilk and yogurt relations can be summed up on the following grounds:
- Buttermilk takes time to make while yogurt does not take much time to make.
- Buttermilk is made by churning process whereas yogurt is made by a fermentation process by bacteria.
- Buttermilk requires a cold temperature to make it whereas the temperature is not as cold as when making yogurt.
- Buttermilk does not contain much energy, fat, protein, while yogurt contains more energy, fat, protein, and calcium.
- Buttermilk is a liquid drink that is not very thick whereas yogurt is also a liquid but it is thick.
- Buttermilk is easy to digest whereas yogurt cannot be digested that easily i.e. it takes some time.
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1471-0307.1999.tb02854.x
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030219305922
- https://www.mdpi.com/1208832
Last Updated : 12 July, 2023
I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️
Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
