What Is Buttermilk?

Buttermilk is a beverage common to South East Asians. It is the white liquid left during the buttering of milk. It is packed with minerals and vitamins, and it`s even suitable for people who are lactose intolerant to consume. Let`s discuss some of the health benefits of consuming buttermilk.

21 Benefits of Buttermilk

Aids Digestion

Drinking some buttermilk after consuming oily foods is quite helpful. Also, people who are lactose intolerant find buttermilk harmless. This drink contains antimicrobial properties that make it effective at defeating infectious diarrhea and other bacteria-caused digestion issues. Buttermilk also combats colon cancer and a number of stomach infections.

Prevents Dehydration

Buttermilk is packed with electrolytes, making it a perfect way to deal with dehydration. It cools the body and eliminates uneasiness. Now you have a go-to drink during summer.

Rich in Calcium

Buttermilk is bursting with calcium which helps you maintain a healthy skeletal system, ensures contraction of muscles, cell communication, and the avoidance of arthritis, osteoporosis, and other bone issues.

Lowers Blood Pressure

Maintaining healthy blood pressure is vital to heart health. Buttermilk lowers blood pressure. It also contains bioactive proteins that lower cholesterol levels.

Nourishes the Body

Buttermilk is enriched with minerals and vitamins that keep the body strong. It is rich in calcium, iron, protein, potassium, zinc, sodium, phosphorus, and vitamins A, B, D, and E. It`s a natural supplement that ensures you remain healthy.

Reduces Body Heat

Buttermilk cools the body, particularly the digestive tract. It soothes the lining of the stomach and relieves hot flashes. A cold glass of buttermilk sorts out a number of digestion issues.

Enhances Weight Loss

Buttermilk`s low-fat content enhances weight loss. The drink particularly satisfies hunger, hence helps you avoid unhealthy cravings. You might want to include buttermilk in your diet to achieve your weight loss goals.

Detoxifies the Body

In the process of breaking down beneficial elements, the body produces harmful elements that it needs to eliminate in order not to cause health problems. Buttermilk contains riboflavin which enables the liver function properly and ensures detoxification in the body.

Healthy for Pregnant Women

The proteins and probiotics in buttermilk improve the health of pregnant women and enhance the healthy development of unborn children. Buttermilk also prevents diseases and improves brain and organ development of the fetus, due to its folate content. Pregnant women are advised to take buttermilk once a day to enjoy its benefits, except told otherwise by their doctor.

Prevents Yeast Infections

Maintaining urogenital health helps prevent yeast infections. Buttermilk contains probiotics which prevent harmful microorganisms, including those which cause yeast infections. Simply add buttermilk to your diet to enjoy its benefit for your urogenital health.

Improves the Skeletal System

Buttermilk is packed with calcium which makes the bones strong. It also prevents osteoporosis, and it is particularly healthy for those who are lactose intolerant, hence can`t obtain calcium from the everyday dairy products. Calcium also nourishes the body`s organs.

Boosts Immunity

Buttermilk contains bacteria that strengthen the immune system, hence prevents various diseases. People who consume buttermilk often can boast of good health with rare cases of illness. To boost your immunity and stay healthy, incorporate buttermilk in your diet.

Improves Skin Health

When you eliminate toxins and stay healthy, it gets evident in your skin, as it`ll glow and get smoother. Buttermilk effectively deals with the effects of sunlight, and combats signs of early aging; little wonder it is used in making beauty products.

Moisturizes Hair

If you apply buttermilk on your hair and leave it for some minutes before rinsing off, its nutrients will nourish your hair, and particularly make dry hair supple. So to have that attractive hair you desire, get some buttermilk into it. Some hair products actually contain buttermilk in them.

Prevents Cancer

Buttermilk contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that prevent cancer cells from developing. People who consume buttermilk, in addition to other health measures, can rest assured that they can live cancer-free.

Enhances Metabolism

Buttermilk contains B vitamins which are required for metabolism to take place. Regular consumption of the drink produces healthy levels of energy for maintaining processes involving body cells.

Treats Insomnia

Buttermilk contains magnesium which enables the body to combat certain sleep disorders. Magnesium is required to relax the nervous system, hence improve sleep. You may have some buttermilk each time before sleeping to deal with insomnia.

Improves Vision

Buttermilk contains vitamin A which is required for the healthy functioning of the eyes. Regular consumption of buttermilk wards off eye disorders.

Treats Haemorrhoids

Did you know that adding buttermilk to a mixture of rice and banana can treat hemorrhoids? Simply consume it twice a day to deal with the condition.

Combats Colds

Are you battling a common cold and/or a runny nose? Consider having some buttermilk. To use it for this purpose, simply mix some crushed garlic and ginger with buttermilk, and consume it at different times of the day, then watch the condition heal.

Prevents Anemia

Buttermilk contains iron which plays an important role in the formation of red blood cells, and also ensures the prevention of anemia.

How to Make Buttermilk

We`ll discuss two easy ways to make buttermilk at home. You can make it from curd, or just make some acidified buttermilk.

How to Make Buttermilk from Curd

First, make some curd, and then follow these steps:

• Put the curd into a container and add some water to it.
• Use a hand blender to churn the mixture. Some butter will float on the surface while you do this.
• Remove the butter that floats on the surface, and get the liquid, which is your buttermilk. It`s that easy.

How to Make Acidified Buttermilk

• Add a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of milk.
• Keep it at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
• Your acidified buttermilk is ready! You can use it in recipes to make pancakes, biscuits, etc. The acid content will activate the baking soda and baking powder as expected.

Some Buttermilk Facts

• Buttermilk contains more calcium than milk itself.
• Adding buttermilk to cake batters makes cakes fluffy and airy.
• You may combine buttermilk with mashed potatoes, basil, honey, black pepper, parsley, and salt to prepare some homemade organic dip.
• Buttermilk contains some bacteria such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus lactis which may cause nausea and diarrhea in cases of excess consumption.
• People who suffer eczema are advised to avoid buttermilk because it`s not safe for them.
• You can use buttermilk in making biscuits, pancakes, ranch dressing, and scones.
• Buttermilk is good for tenderizing meats.
• Freezing buttermilk prolongs its shelf life.
• Freezing your buttermilk in ice cube trays makes it easier to make buttermilk pancakes.
• You can substitute buttermilk with yogurt or regular milk with an acidic substance (for the same tanginess you get from buttermilk).
• To know if buttermilk has gone bad, check if it has a grainy flavor and a foul smell. Those are major signs of spoilt buttermilk.
• Buttermilk loses its buttery flavor after expiration.

Now That You Know…

Wouldn`t you rather have a regular drink of this highly nutritious treat? However, note that as much as its regular consumption is highly nutritious, it is safe to take it in moderation, to avoid negative effects.