Difference between yogurt and curd

Yogurt and curd! It is the most familiar word that you have heard in daily life. Many of us think of them as the same dairy product. However, they are not synonyms of each other. You will be surprised to read that how different they are from each other. Let’s look into depth for their differences that a typical person won’t know.

What is yogurt?

Yogurt is a type of dairy product that is prepared by fermenting milk with the help of bacteria. Such bacteria are also known as yogurt cultures or lactobacillus. The bacteria ferment the lactose in yogurt to lactic acid that tastes tangy. The consumption of yogurt is dated back to 500 BC.

What is curd?

The coagulating or curdling of milk forms the curd. It is also a popular dairy product. Edible acidic substances such as lemon juice or vinegar are added to milk for this process. Curd was accidentally discovered about 4000 years ago.

Let’s compare its content:

Protein content

Three grams of protein is available in 100 grams of yogurt, and 11 grams of protein is available in 100 grams of curd.

Fat content

One hundred grams of yogurt consist of 3gram of fats, and 100 grams of curd contains 4 grams of fat.

Calorie content

The total calories in 100 grams of yogurt are 61, consisting of 29 calories from fat only. Surprisingly 100 grams of yogurt consist of 98 calories which comprise 38 calories from fats only.

Carbohydrates

Five grams of carbohydrates are found in 100 grams of yogurt. And three grams of carbohydrates are found in 100 grams of yogurt.

Vitamins and minerals

One hundred grams of yogurt consist of 8% DV of riboflavin,6% DV of vitamins B12,4% DV of Pantothenic acid,2% DV of vitamin A, thiamin, folate, and vitamin B6Vitamin C,12% DV of calcium,9% DV of phosphorous,4% DV of potassium and Zinc,3% DV of selenium and magnesium,2% DV of sodium.

One hundred grams of curd contain 10% DV of riboflavin,7% DV of vitamins B12,6% DV of Pantothenic acid,3% DV of vitamin A,2% DV of thiamin and vitamin B,68% DV of calcium,16% DV of phosphorous,3% DV of potassium and Zinc,14% DV of selenium,2% DV of magnesium,15% DV of sodium,1% DV of Copper.

What do they taste like?

Usually, both curd and yogurt taste tangy. However, the curd is tangier and sourer than yogurt. Your teeth might squeak while eating a curd. On the other hand, yogurt tastes a bit acidic and tangy because of the lactic acid produced by bacteria.

Are there any health benefits?

Yes, you enjoy several health benefits by consuming yogurt or curd.

Yogurt typically contains pantothenic acid or vitamin B5, protein, molybdenum, and potassium. As yogurt is a high source of protein, it becomes a weight loss-friendly meal. If you are suffering from high blood pressure, then you must consume yogurt. The potassium content in yogurt will help in its regulation. Yogurt facilitates healthy gut flora.

The probiotics present in it give healthy bacteria to the gut, which means improved digestion. A sound digestive system leads to a more fantastic and healthy body. Intake of yogurt helps to neutralize the heat produced by spicy foods.

On the other hand, the curd is also great for digestion. As the nutrients in curd are easily digested, it helps in improving digestion. Medical researches proof that consuming curd can decrease the risk of peptic ulcers. The curd cures H. Pylori infections that lead to such ulcers. The immune system also boosts when a person is healthy.

The teeth and bones of the body become stronger by consuming curd. It’s because of the high content of calcium and phosphorus in it. Curd is incorporated with high-density lipoprotein (HDL), known as good cholesterol helps regulate high blood pressure.

Beauty-conscious people can take a great benefit from curd. Make a face mask out of curd by mixing gram flour and lemon juice in it. The lactic acid present in curd is an excellent antibacterial. You can get rid of dandruff by applying it to affected areas. Whip it and use it as a hair mask. Let it stay for an hour, and clean your hair with a mild shampoo.

How are they prepared?

Yogurt has been prepared with either milk from nuts or milk from the animals. Coconut milk, soymilk, almond milk is a few of them. Animal milk is obtained mainly from cows, buffaloes, goats, yaks, and camels.

On the contrary, the curd only prepared with milk obtained from animals. The animals are usually cows, buffaloes, goats, llama, camel, and reindeer.

How are they processed?

YOGHURT: It processed by adding bacteria to the milk. Bacteria known as lactobacillus converts lactose into lactic acid. This lactic acid acidifies the milk causing it to thicken with time. The acidic taste of yogurt comes from this process known as the cuddling technique.

CURD: It processed by heating pasteurized homogenous milk to 30-to-40-degree Celsius. Then the milk cooled down till it warm enough to dip a finger. Leftover curd added to this milk for lactobacillus to grow. This process known as fermentation.

Do we have any alternative to yogurt and curd?

May find some alternatives for yogurt and curd in your kitchen. We can take Swiss-style yogurt or fruit-flavored yogurt instead of plain yogurt. You can alternate buttermilk, lassi, and chaos for curd.

Where can I use Yoghurt and curd?

Yogurt mostly consumed raw. But for a change, you can add sweet or salt to it. Apart from that, it used to make certain beverages like lassi and chaos in Indian households. Yogurt also replaces heavy creams in specific recipes.

Curd if not consumed in its raw form usually served in sandwiches and salads. However, you can also add salt or sugar to it too.

What do the experts say about it?

Nmami Agarwal on Instagram is a nutritionist that raised awareness for the difference between yogurt and curd. She writes in her post, “Curd is an important part of the Indian diet. It is a rich source of calcium and a good option for lactose-intolerant people. Yogurt a dairy product created by fermenting milk using bacteria. The bacterium that used to ferment milk known as yogurt culture. This bacterium ferments lactose in milk, thus resulting in the production of lactic acid, which gives yogurt its tangy and acidic taste,”.

However, if you are trying to lose weight then you must avoid homemade yogurt and curd. It because homemade yogurt and curd usually prepared from whole cream milk; hence they will not aid in weight loss. It would help if you talked to your nutritionist before taking any meal.

Also read: How long butterflies live.