How to make soya yoghurt
Yoghurt is one of the best sources of probiotics, the good gut bacteria, which helps establish a healthy gastrointestinal system. Many people have an imbalance of bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract that means too many unhealthy bacteria have taken over the gut. This causes a myriad of illnesses in the body, from poor digestion and lowered immune system to depression.
My clients will tell you that I am always talking about establishing a healthy gut with a high-level of good bacteria to restore and promote health.
Dairy and other animal-based yoghurts are not good for the health because they contain DNA from other creatures which initiates an immune response. Plant-based yoghurts are one of the best ways to get those probiotics inside your gut as part of your diet.
Start with a litre of soya milk, either homemade or the best and purest bought soya milk you can find; if you buy it, look on the label to avoid as many additives as possible.
Pour the milk into a bowl
Add the content of a capsule of broad spectrum probiotics (non-dairy). This will start your bacterial culture.
Whisk the two together gently
You may add three blended Medjool dates for sweetness if you wish.
Ladle or pour this mixture into a small jar with lids that would fit in the inside doors of the fridge for good storage when finished. Don’t clutter up the shelves of your fridge with larger jars.
Put the lids to one side and put the jars in a warm place for 12 hours. You may have a yoghurt maker or cookpot that has a yoghurt setting. Alternatively you may find a warm place for the jars and put some muslin over the jars to keep creatures out.
By this time the bacteria will have multiplied billions of times and the yoghurt will be thick
Take out two heaped dessert spoons of the yoghurt and put in a small glass jar. Keep this in the fringe as your starter culture for the next batch of yohgurt so you do not need to use probiotics again.
Put the lids on the jars and put it in the frige for a few hours to cool down when it is ready to eat
It will keep in the fridge for seven days
If the starter culture is over seven days old you may need to add a probiotic; however, the mother starter culture can keep being made indefinitely each time you make the yoghurt
This is a delicious, very natural yoghurt with no additives. You can eat it with fruit and it is nice to cool down spicy dishes, or you can mix it with chopped cucumber, garlic and dill to make Tzatziki. You can eat it every day to maintain a good gut, as with all ferments.
Impress your guests with your very own homemade soya yoghurt.
NOTE: The regular consumption of soya products is not recommended for people with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s disease as it can impact the effectiveness of thyroid medications.
To book a naturopathy consultation with Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH, visit http://www.healtheducationcentre.com/
