Matsoni is a fermented milk drink of Caucasian cuisine made from fermentative milk of buffaloes, goats, cows and sheep. Widely distributed in the Middle East and Asia Minor. The name of the drink comes from the verbs "Matsuts'anel" and "Matsnul", which in translation from the Armenian language mean "Ferment" and "Roll up", respectively.

In appearance and taste, yogurt resembles liquid yogurt, kefir and yogurt. The main microflora of the drink is represented by thermophilic lactic acid streptococci and Bulgarian bacillus, which endow it with healing properties. Beneficial bacterial cultures help transform milk components into an easily digestible form that does not burden the digestive tract. In addition, they create an acidic environment in the intestine, which suppresses the pathogenic and supports the development, vital activity of normal microflora.

The history of the drink

For the first time, a fermented milk product was obtained in the Caucasus. Legend has it that 200 years ago, the hostess poured milk into a yogurt jug and forgot to put it in a cold place. Under the influence of high temperatures, it was hot outside, after a while the woman discovered that a thick sour drink had formed in the container, which tasted like yogurt. The story of the amazing transformation of milk into a refreshing fermented product quickly spread throughout the area and found its followers. For a long time, the recipe for making yogurt was kept secret and only 15-20 years ago it was declassified, and the drink began to be produced on an industrial scale.

The composition of the fermented milk product

The nutritional qualities of the drink are due to its rich chemical composition, which contains essential amino acids, vitamins A, B, D, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, unique bacteria - streptococci, Bulgarian bacillus.

100 g of the product contains 65 kcal, 1 g of carbohydrates, 4 g of proteins and 16 g of fats (of which 12 g are saturated triglycerides and 2 g are mono- and polyunsaturated).

The energy ratio B: W: Y is 18%: 52%: 29%.

Matsoni is a dietary low-calorie product that is completely processed by the human body within 45 minutes, detoxifies the body, copes with constipation, and resists the development of putrefactive processes in the intestines. The drink serves as an excellent alternative to kefir and is recommended for use for fasting days.

Beneficial features

Matsoni is a source of valuable lactobacilli, which facilitate the body's ability to break down and assimilate nutrients, and heals the intestinal microbiocenosis. In this connection, the drink is recommended for people with digestive disorders: with colitis, dysbiosis. The pleasant sour taste of the clot promotes the secretion of digestive juices and saliva, stimulates the appetite.

The benefits of yogurt:

• reduces gas formation, eliminates constipation, improves peristalsis;
• normalizes metabolism, cleanses the liver;
• strengthens bone tissue, reduces the likelihood of caries, osteoporosis;
• stimulates the production of interferon and the activity of macrophages - protective cells;
• improves blood circulation by increasing the tone of blood vessels;
• stabilizes the activity of the liver, kidneys;
• calms the nerves, fights insomnia, helps to cope with stress;
• maintains visual acuity;
• removes toxins, "bad" cholesterol, dissolves plaques, increases vitality;
• improves hair condition, strengthens nails, promotes skin regeneration.

Matsoni is recommended for athletes, since the drink has an anabolic effect, satisfies hunger and thirst well, and promotes muscle formation. In addition, it is indicated for obesity, hypertension, atherosclerosis. The product has a beneficial effect on the nervous, digestive, cardiovascular systems. Used externally as a pain reliever and healing agent for burns.

The unique biocenosis of the traditional Caucasian drink has a powerful attacking effect on pathogenic bacteria in the intestine (pathogenic microflora), fights free radicals. As a result, the cells are healed, the causes of premature aging of the body disappear. Because of what yogurt has acquired an unspoken name among the inhabitants of the East - "the drink of longevity."

How to use

In the Armenian cuisine, in the food system, the laurels of primacy belong to grain and dairy products. Matsoni is usually prepared from sheep's milk, from which dry buttermilk chortan, cottage cheese zhazhik, and ghee karagh are obtained. Dairy products in Armenia are revered food products that stand alongside bread products. A fresh drink is stored for 3 days, and in a "canned" salted, well-filtered form - up to two months (kamats matsoni).

Sour milk is used for the preparation of cereal-sour milk, chicken, vegetable soups like tarkhan, spas and sarnapur. Matsoni with crushed garlic is served as a seasoning for the traditional Armenian dish - dolma, made from zucchini and grape leaves.

Interestingly, the national drink made from sheep's fermentative milk is an indispensable attribute in the celebration of Shrovetide (the so-called Bun Barekendan). Matsoni is usually served for dinner along with katnov (milk rice porridge) on Sunday night.

In Georgian cuisine, the product is used for the preparation of spices, dough for khachapuri, sour national borani and shechamanda soups. In addition, it is customary to use it as an independent dish along with red pepper. It is believed that the drink is able to weaken the burning effect of the spice.

What do they eat with

Perhaps the most common way of eating strained matson is dipping lavash in a fermented milk mixture or spreading on bread, depending on the chosen consistency. A sandwich with salted curd mass is a favorite snack among all mountain peoples. In addition, natural Fast Food is prepared from it: thick with matsona, basturma and chopped greens (basil, tarragon, cilantro) are wrapped in pita bread.

A fermented milk drink or curd flakes, separated from the whey, harmoniously complements the sweet table. Matsoni is served as a light sour addition to pastries: jam, honey, gingerbread, baked goods.

Cooking principle

Matsoni differs from sour milk in that it contains lactic acid bacteria that are beneficial to the human body. The process of preparing a Caucasian drink lasts from 3 to 10 days. The technology for the production of matson consists of the following stages: the introduction of sourdough into fresh (pasteurized) milk for its primary oxidation, the formation of a clot, the growth of fungal flora followed by fermentation, decantation.

The amount of starter culture is taken on the basis of 15 ml per 200 ml of boiled, warm milk. It gradually degenerates. The previous yogurt or live biokefir ("Actimelya", "Lactoni") is used as the yogurt sourdough. For 5-10 liters of milk, 200 ml of enzymatic raw materials is enough.

Remember, yogurt should not stretch like sour cream. If this happens, the cause of this phenomenon is the presence of "long" Bulgarian sticks or mucus-forming bacteria, indicating the use of low-quality starting components.

The ripening temperature depends on the purpose of the final product. First of all, milk is brought to 95 degrees, tightly closed with a lid, cooled naturally to 40 degrees. Before adding the starter culture, carefully remove the creamy film from the surface. The pan with the milk mixture is placed in an electric oven, where the temperature is maintained at 50 degrees. To avoid overheating, the stove door is slightly opened. The leavened milk is left for 12-24 hours. The residence time of the raw materials in the oven depends on the preferred acidity of the final product.

The lower the temperature, the more intensively yeast bacteria grow, the stronger the lactic acid bacteria. At the same time, milk fungi develop and form colonies.

Poor fermentation indicates the introduction of an insufficient amount of starter culture. To eliminate the trouble, this period is extended for another 4 hours, followed by keeping in the refrigerator. If the fermentation process has not even begun, you should think about the quality of the milk, most likely it contains an antibiotic.

The next stage is the maturation of the matsona. At the end of the primary fermentation of milk, a useful sour milk is formed at the outlet, which is recommended to be consumed after 12 hours of aging in a chilled form.

The main purpose of the maturation of the kefir mixture is to prepare it for whey decantation. To do this, it is necessary to wait for the complete breakdown of milk sugar by means of yeast, lactic acid fermentation. At the stage of ripening and intensive reproduction of fungal, yeast cultures, the drink is intensively enriched with vitamin B. After fermentation, it is placed in a cellar for 3 days at a temperature of 8-12 degrees. During this time, the yogurt continues to thicken. The finished drink should not be overly sour, while it is obliged to "pinch the tongue" (due to fermentation).

In the process of making a drink at home, one should take into account the fact that the yeast culture introduced simultaneously with the sourdough dies at high temperatures. To restore it, a handful of raisins are added to the product or placed in a warm place for 2 days until “bubbles” appear on the surface.

The ripened yogurt is separated from the whey by filtration through a dense, undyed linen cloth or tarpaulin. The curd is squeezed out until the liquid ceases to drain, placed in a refrigerator, where the acidity of the product stops growing at a low temperature. At the same time, the development of a beneficial fungal environment continues.

Store in a glass container with a lid for no more than 3 days. After this period, beneficial bacteria will turn into pathogenic cultures - molds that are dangerous to human health.

The curd yield is one fifth of the original milk volume.

Harm and contraindications

Homemade yogurt is prohibited for people with cholelithiasis, gastritis with high acidity, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, hepatitis, stomach ulcers, and allergies to dairy products.

In order not to harm your health, before drinking a fermented milk drink, you should consult with a nutritionist.

In addition, an excessive amount of yogurt can provoke the development of diarrhea. The maximum allowable daily intake is 400 ml.

You should not introduce yogurt into the diet of babies under one year of age, since their digestive system has not yet strengthened, which means it may not accept the product.

Output

Matsoni is a fermented milk drink recommended for use for medicinal, prophylactic purposes to normalize microflora, suppress pathogenic bacteria in the intestines, improve the functioning of the heart, digestive organs, and strengthen immunity. It is used in cosmetology in the form of masks for hair, hands, face, milk for make-up remover, washing, body wraps for cellulite. Treatments with yogurt nourish, moisturize the skin, help restore acid-base balance.

In terms of taste, the fermented milk clot resembles sour cream or yogurt. On its basis, they create sauces for fish and meat dishes, piquant marinades, dressings for vegetable vegetarian salads. Matsoni is an indispensable ingredient of the Georgian national khachapuri. Okroshka and cold soups are prepared with it. The fermented milk product is harmoniously combined with hot spices, fruits, honey, vegetables. Interestingly, it is a dietary low-calorie drink (65 kcal to 100 ml) that cleanses the body of toxins, normalizes metabolism and helps to reduce body weight. In this connection, it is recommended to arrange a fasting day once a week, during which you drink 1.5 liters of yogurt, which will temporarily relieve the digestive system.

Fermented milk products are products obtained by fermentation of milk, butter dish, cream, whey with special ferments (lactobacilli, bifidobacteria). Different nations make fermented milk products according to their taste preferences and age-old traditions.

In this article we will tell you about the traditional Armenian milk drink - yogurt.

Matsun (yogurt)

Matsun (matsoni) is a fermented milk drink made from boiled milk of cattle, sheep, or a mixture thereof. Milk is fermented by adding sourdough to it (Bulgarian bacillus or thermophilic milk streptococci). The result is a drink with light notes of bitterness.

This product has Caucasian roots. It is a traditional component of the Armenian and Georgian national cuisines.

In general, matsun is considered a typical product of ancient peoples that inhabited not only Anatolia (Asia Minor) and Mesopotamia (Middle East), but also lived along the entire Great Silk Road from the Himalayas to Europe.

Did you know? Bulgarian bacillus, the main microflora of yogurt, Ilya Mechnikov considered the main "weapon" in the fight against aging.

A bit of history and etymology

It is believed that the yogurt came out completely by accident. Warm fresh milk was poured into a vessel, on the walls of which yogurt remained. The sour milk product combined with the fresh one, and the result is a new one with an unusual taste.
Georgians call this fermented milk drink yogurt, Armenians - matsun, Slavs - homemade. Whatever the name, all this is "sour milk": this is how "matsun" is translated from Armenian.

It is believed that the word "matsun" came from mixing two verbs: "matsnul" (to sour, turn sour) and "matsuts" anel "(to ferment).

Most likely, the name has Indo-European roots, and in related languages ​​there are single-root words. For example, in Persian māst means yoghurt, and in Sanskrit mastu means sour cream.

We study the composition

The basis of matsun is milk. Therefore, it contains all the useful elements contained in this drink.

Vitamins and minerals

Minerals:

BJU and calorie content of yogurt from cow's milk

The calorie content of yogurt from cow's milk is 54 kcal per 100 grams. It contains:

• proteins - 2.8 g;
• fat - 3.2 g;
• carbohydrates - 3.6 g

The calorie content of a low-fat product is 40 kcal per 100 grams. It contains:

• proteins - 2.9 g;
• fat - 1.5 g;
• carbohydrates - 3.6 g

What is the use of the product?

Together with the lactic acid product, beneficial bacteria enter the human intestine, which tidy up the digestive system, eliminate dysbiosis, and also increase the protective function of the body.

Also yogurt and its components have the following properties:

• calcium is the main element for the formation of bones, teeth, nails, hair;
• vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium;
• potassium improves the work of the cardiovascular system, prevents the development of atherosclerosis and heart attack;
• protein is actively involved in the formation of cells and muscle tissue;
• low calorie content allows yogurt to be a component of the dietary menu;
• vitamins and easily digestible protein tone the body;
• able to remove bad cholesterol from the body;

• has a beneficial effect on the condition of the liver, cleansing it;
• has a diuretic effect.

Is it possible

There are no data on the benefits or harms of yogurt for pregnant women, lactating women and children. Since this is a fermented milk drink, we will proceed from the recommendations for the use of this group of products.

Pregnant and lactating

Fermented milk products have always been considered the best alternative to regular milk. They are more easily absorbed by the body, have a beneficial effect on the state of the intestinal microflora and on its work.

Therefore, their use during pregnancy will avoid dysbiosis and solve problems with the administration of natural needs. The vitamins and minerals included in the composition normalize the vitamin-mineral blend in the woman's body. Also, fermented milk products can improve lactation and milk composition.

For children

Lactic acid foods can be started for children when their digestive system and kidneys are ready to process all the components of the product. This happens around the age of 8-9 months.

Important!At the beginning of taking fermented milk products, their volume should not exceed 200 milliliters.

Harm from yogurt

Contraindications to the use of matsuna:

• ulcer;

• increased acidity;
• gastritis, pancreatitis;
• urolithiasis disease.

In the presence of these diseases, drinking the drink can be harmful. Upset stomach (diarrhea) may occur if you drink more than two glasses a day.

Rules for the selection and storage of the finished product

When choosing yogurt in a store, pay attention to:

• date of manufacture and expiration date;
• packaging. If there are signs of swelling, but the product is fresh, it is better not to buy it;
• consistency - real matsun on this basis is more similar not to kefir, but to thick milk jelly.

Opened goods can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours. After three days, the beneficial bacteria turn into mold.

How to cook yogurt at home

The recipe is very simple. You will need a liter of milk and a thick tablespoon. Pour milk into a saucepan and heat it somewhere to 50-60 ° C. Next, pour warm milk into any convenient vessel (container) and add sour cream to it.
Stir a little. Cover the container with a thick cloth and put it in a warm place for 8 hours. After the time has elapsed, we take out the container.

Important!If a thick layer has formed, then the yogurt is ready.

Remove the thick layer with a spoon (it will be a new leaven) and we can drink.

How to drink yogurt properly

The lactic acid product can be drunk in any quantity you like and at any time of the day.

If you want to drink yogurt as a medicine, for example, to treat the stomach, then it should be taken 250 milliliters at night. After 10 days, positive changes will be noticeable.

Matsun can not only be drunk as a drink, but you can also prepare various dishes on its basis, such as okroshka, salad, cold soup. Some housewives add it to the dough.

Other dairy products

Consider other healthy dairy products.

Butter

Beneficial features:

• helps with problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
• reduces the risk of developing cancer;
• the main source of energy, especially in the cold season;
• actively participates in the renewal of brain cells.

It can be harmful if consumed in large quantities, as well as if it is of poor quality.

Tan

Beneficial features:

• normalizes digestion;

• helps to solve the problem of constipation;
• removes bile;
• strengthens the cardiovascular system;
• normalizes pressure;
• lowers cholesterol levels;
• improves kidney function;
• increases the protective functions of the body.

Harm from the drink is possible in case of individual intolerance to its components and improper preparation.

Did you know?In Transcaucasia, tan is made from yogurt.

Milk whey

Beneficial features:

• strengthens the immune system;
• normalizes digestion;
• normalizes water-salt balance;
• eliminates edema;
• useful for heart patients and hypertensive patients;
• fights depression;
• lowers appetite, which means it normalizes weight;
• restores hair well.

Contraindicated for people with individual intolerance to the components and those whose body does not assimilate lactose.
Having familiarized yourself with the beneficial properties of matsun, it becomes clear why mountain peoples cannot do without this drink, because it is not only a storehouse of useful substances, but also a source of energy. And in hot weather, chilled yogurt perfectly quenches thirst.

The benefits and harms of yogurt. Every kitchen in the world necessarily has its own special, signature, signature dishes. They are pride and pride.

Every resident must know the recipe for their preparation and treat their guests when they visit his house.

The secret of preparing a signature dish may even be hidden in secret in order to preserve the mystery of the meal. Or it may have a secret ingredient that only true gourmets know about.

Every nation boasts of its signature dish. It presents it as original and colorful as possible. If we know enough about the signature dish of our country and know how to cook it, then today we will talk about the traditional fermented milk product of Caucasian cuisine - yogurt.

The name is very interesting, as is the cooking recipe. In addition, it is very simple and you can try to cook this dish yourself.

Matsoni or matsun – it is a naturally fermented dairy product in Armenian and Georgian cuisine that requires little investment. According to paraphrases, this product was invented a couple of hundred years ago by the inhabitants of the Caucasian mountains.

At first, they kept the recipe for making yogurt in the strictest confidence. Since it was believed that it was thanks to this product that the Caucasians were famous for their longevity.

It was the drink of a long life, who gave youth and many years of life... Somewhat later, at the beginning of the twentieth century, our Russian scientist Ilya Mechnikov established a certain pattern: the inhabitants of the country, who reached the century-old mark or more, often used matsoni in their diet.

Therefore, it can be argued that matsun is.

The recipe for making yogurt is simple. This will require milk from a cow, sheep, goat or buffalo. But according to the stories, it is the milk of Caucasian cows that is ideal for making true matsun.

The thing is that cows from these regions are more mobile, are often outdoors and eat fresh grass almost throughout the year. It turns out that they are, how to say, more athletic prepared, and their milk turns out to be tastier and healthier.

At the moment, there are already several recipes for preparing this dish.... Although, according to legend, the first matsoni came out quite by accident. The hostess, after milking the cow, poured fresh milk into a jug. But I didn’t look that it contained yogurt.

Leaving this jug in a warm place, after a few hours she discovered something thick and sour in taste.

This is how the first yogurt was made. Now we will not exactly prove whether this retelling is true, but several variations of the preparation of yogurt are known.

So, you will need milk and yogurt. You need to heat the milk to about 50 degrees. Then cool to 35 degrees and add 300 grams of yogurt to this mixture. Wrap the pan with some kind of blanket as warm as possible and put it for 7 - 8 hours in a dark place. Here's your first recipe.

According to another variation, you will need a liter of milk, one hundred grams of sour cream and a slice of black bread. Milk needs to be cooked over low heat for two hours. Do not forget to stir periodically so as not to burn.

Then add sour cream, stir well and put a crust of bread in this mixture. After all the manipulations done, set aside the pan in a warm place for a day. Take out bread before use.

According to the true recipe, you need milk and yogurt to make yogurt. Boil the milk, cool to about 50 degrees, add yogurt, wrap in something warm and put in a dark place for about four hours.

If you want to get the finished product much faster, then you can not wrap it up and put it in a warm place, but simmer in a preheated oven. But its temperature should not exceed 50 degrees. Otherwise, you will not get yogurt, but baked sour cream or something similar to it.

Matsoni is used not only as an independent product, it is added to soups, okroshka, it is an obligatory component of the dough for khachapuri. Use this product is also used as a dressing for meat dishes, salads,base for sandwiches.

It is a good substitute for sour cream, mayonnaise, therefore, it is a good dressing for many dishes or an additional ingredient for baking, moreover, less harmful than mayonnaise.

Matsoni is very tasty and very healthy product. t. It contains vitamins, lactic acid bacteria, numerous useful microelements. Thanks to so many useful characteristics, yogurt has a beneficial effect on the human body and helps health in many ways.

• Improves immunity. Periodic use of this product in the daily diet will reduce the risk of colds and help the body fight viral bacteria;

• It is a storehouse of beneficial ingredients for our hair, nails, teeth and bones. Calcium, which is in the composition of yogurt, contributes to the rapid and strong growth of these parts of the body. Therefore, it is recommended to use it for children for healthy and strong growth;

• Matsoni very well quenches thirst and hunger, besides, it gives the body vigor, freshness and you will definitely feel a surge of strength and energy;

• An interesting fact: matsun is useful and necessary for athletes, it helps to quickly build muscle mass, as it is a kind of building material for many cells of the body;

• Frequent use of yogurt removes excess cholesterol and other unwanted substances from the body;

• This product can be used by those who follow the figure, follow a diet, since it contains only 60 calories;

• Yogurt is also useful for pregnant women: it helps to unload the kidneys well, relieves puffiness, having a mild diuretic effect;

• If your nerves are naughty, you are restless, then include this product in your diet, it calms the nervous system, helps to fight.

In addition to the huge list of useful qualities, yogurt can also harm the body..

Also, do not overuse this drink. If you exceed the norm, you can have stomach problems and sit in the toilet for a long time. It is better to drink one, maximum two glasses a day.

Do you like this Caucasian national dish? Try to make it yourself.

True, you will definitely not get milk from selected Caucasian sports cows anywhere, but the usefulness of yogurt will definitely not diminish from this.

Matsoni, according to the principle of preparation, is the closest relative of kefir. Both adults and children love this product in the Caucasus. Interest in him has increased in recent years. People are interested in the benefits and harms of yogurt, since the geography of the use of this fermented milk product has grown and covered almost all of Russia. They began to prepare it on an industrial scale.

What a drink

Given its consistency and rich composition, yogurt can hardly be called a drink. Rather, it is food. A thick fermented milk product made from boiled milk. The etymology of this word has 2 explanations. The word was introduced together with the Persians who conquered Georgia, and assimilated into the Georgian way. In ancient Persian, the product was called māst, which translates as yogurt. Georgians believe that the word matsoni is derived from the Georgian მომწონს (mamtsens) - to like.

The nomadic Türks were the first to develop it, and among different peoples this food is called gatykh, katyk, katuk. At first, the nomads accidentally noticed that milk, poured into poorly washed furs, where yesterday's milk was, was fermented, and a product was obtained that was eaten for several days.

They did not think about beneficial bacteria or Bulgarian bacillus, but simply began to add a little of the remaining gatyha to the milk so that they could take with them a ready-made fermented milk product on their hikes. For several centuries this useful and irreplaceable product has been prepared in such a primitive way. In the territories of Asia Minor, Central Asia, the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia, in the Turkic-speaking republics of Russia, katuk, or yogurt, is considered one of the most necessary and favorite food products.

For what the nomadic tribes fell in love with the fermented milk product of yogurt, what is the use of it, and why this product was and remains indispensable in the diet of these peoples, especially on hot summer days, this will be discussed below.

The chemical composition and calorie content of yogurt

The calorie content of 100 grams of yogurt made from cow's milk is 65.3 Kcal. The calorie content of buffalo katyk is higher than that of a cow - 106 Kcal. From buffalo milk, the fermented milk product is thick, like butter. If you stick a spoon in a pot with a dead end, it will stand. The fat content of buffalo milk is 7–8%, which is almost 2 times higher than that of cow milk.

The beneficial properties of yogurt are determined by its composition. Protein in cow's milk makes up about 3% of the total content. Carbohydrates - 4.7%. So low, in comparison with other foods, the carbohydrate content makes gaty useful for diabetics.

Of the vitamins in the cow's gat there is a large amount of beta-carotene - 274% of the daily value, vitamin A - 3.6%, riboflavin - 5.6%, vitamin K - 5.7%. Trace elements contain calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron. 87% of the product is water. For comparison, in the buffalo milk carton, the water content is 79.9%.

The benefits of yogurt for the human body are as follows:

• amino acids help to assimilate nutrients that are so necessary for people engaged in hard physical labor;
• vitamin B and choline stimulate the central nervous system;
• calcium is necessary for the growth and strengthening of bones;
• organic acids normalize metabolism.

Thanks to amino acids and the same bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, the fermented milk product is absorbed faster and better than milk.

In the Caucasus and Asian countries, gaty, or katuk, is also prepared from lamb's milk, and its calorie content is higher than the calorie content of cow and buffalo, since lamb's milk turned out to be the fattest of all. Its energy value is 111 kcal. The fat content is almost the same as buffalo milk - 8%. But it does not contain carbohydrates, and thus this product becomes not only useful, but invaluable for diabetics. Lamb gatykh contains the same amount of carbohydrates as cow's.

Important! Matsoni is included in the nutrition of athletes, since the anabolic substances contained in the proteins of the product strengthen the muscles.

Strengthening bones, thanks to calcium, and muscle tissue are the benefits of yogurt for men.

The benefits of yogurt for the body

It is no coincidence that yogurt was born in the south. A glass of cool product cools pleasantly, lowers the temperature. Gatykh sauce with crushed garlic lowers blood pressure, and therefore in Azerbaijan it is served with mutton dolma, the meat of which raises blood pressure.

Gatykh is useful for hypertensive patients. It is able to temporarily replace vasodilator tablets.

A fresh drink is given to drink for indigestion, intestinal poisoning and vomiting. Bifidus and lactobacilli will alleviate the condition, benefit the exhausted stomach. It can also be drunk with constipation, it softens the feces, facilitates their exit.

The fact that this drink contains useful bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, Bulgarian bacillus, or other microorganisms, people learned a couple of decades ago. And before that they did not think about it. All the beneficial properties of the product have been revealed as a result of its daily use. People who were engaged in cattle breeding ate katuk and other fermented milk products and lived for a long time. They hardly knew any problems with the stomach and intestines.

Let me reveal another small but useful secret. A glass of cool gatikh or ayran with a pinch of salt can relieve a hangover in the morning.

Is it possible to drink yogurt for pregnant and lactating women

You can, without a doubt. It will benefit the expectant mother by reducing the effect of toxicosis, relieving the feeling of nausea in a pregnant woman. The exception is women with lactose intolerance, patients with pancreatitis and ulcers. Mom will have to give up yogurt while breastfeeding if the use of this product is reflected by an allergy on her baby.

At what age can yogurt be given to children

In Azerbaijan, gaty are given to children from about 6-7 months. An important condition is that it is not overexposed and too sour. Such a product can cause indigestion in an adult. A little sugar is added to the yogurt for sweetness, bread or mashed cookies.

The benefits of yogurt for weight loss

The product is used as a weight loss diet. If the calorie or fat content of the product frightens, it is diluted with boiled cool water, in a ratio of 2 parts of yogurt to 1 part of water. Fasting days on gatykh will not let the body weaken, since this product contains essential vitamins and minerals. For one day, you need to take 1.5 liters of gatikha and divide it into 4-6 servings. This product is included in therapeutic diets instead of kefir.

How to drink yogurt properly

Gatykh is almost never eaten for breakfast. This food is mainly for lunch time. You can eat a bowl at night, an hour and a half before bedtime. It is quickly absorbed and there is no heaviness in the stomach.

As a seasoning, gatyh is added to dolma, kkuku, that is, a dish made from green beans and eggs, to khingali, or to boiled pasta.

Gatyh surprisingly evens out, softens the fat content of food, and helps fats to be better absorbed.

The salad will become much healthier if the spicy, with vinegar, mayonnaise is replaced with gaty. It is also served with borscht instead of sour cream or mayonnaise.

What can be made from yogurt

In Azerbaijan and Georgia, dovga is prepared from yogurt. This soup with rice and herbs is just a storehouse of vitamins and minerals. In hot summer, when the sun bakes over 40, it's better than cold dovga, it's hard to come up with something.

Ayran drink is prepared from gatikh. Gaty is diluted with boiled, chilled water and a little salt is added. Ayran is also obtained from whey after beating the butter. The drink is useful because in the hot summer ayran restores the water-salt balance.

If you add fruit syrup or jam to the yogurt, you get a dessert that tastes very similar to store-bought yogurt.

How to make homemade yogurt

Matsoni or gaty is made from boiled milk. This fact alone deprives the product of the majority of pathogenic bacteria. Boiled milk is poured into clean jars or an enamel pot. And leave to cool. When it becomes warm (40–50 ° C), add the leaven. Sourdough is added at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 1 liter of milk. Then the milk is thoroughly mixed, covered, wrapped with something warm and left to ripen for 8-10 hours.

A yellowish or white foam forms on the surface of the yogurt, in which most of the fat is concentrated. It is denser, thicker than the foam formed when boiling milk, sweetish and tasty. Children especially love to collect foam.

Before boiling buffalo milk, the cream is skimmed (gaymag). But even in this case, the product turns out to be rich and thick.

The use of yogurt in cosmetology

In Central Asia, in Azerbaijan, in the Russian Muslim republics, people used to wash their hair with a gatykh. Old women, out of habit, continue to wash their hair with gatykh, despite the abundance of shampoos and balms. Young people make nourishing hair masks from yogurt before shampooing. The benefits of yogurt for hair is that it strengthens and nourishes the roots, makes the hair strong.

If someone is burned on a sunny beach, and there is no burn cream at hand, you can rub the burned parts of the body with yogurt. It cools and nourishes the burned skin, and thus is beneficial. Relief will come soon. It will also knock down the temperature obtained as a result of heatstroke.

Swarthy Azerbaijani women, for whom light skin has always been the standard of beauty and prettiness, have long smeared their faces with a thick skin. The yogurt face mask has the following effects:

• brightens the skin of the face;
• cleanses pores;
• eliminates acne;
• nourishes dry skin.

The brightening effect will be stronger if freshly squeezed parsley juice is added to the yogurt in equal proportions.

Harm of yogurt and contraindications

Matsoni is practically harmless. But there are some contraindications:

• lactase deficiency; it does not produce an enzyme that assimilates milk and dairy products.
• allergy to protein of one of the types of milk (cow, goat, sheep);
• some forms of kidney disease, a tendency to stone formation.

Important! Matsoni should not be used for stomach and duodenal ulcers, for exacerbations of pancreatitis. Acids irritate the stomach and stimulate the production of pancreatic juice.

But a few days after the recession of exacerbation, kefir or yogurt is one of the first to be introduced into the diet of patients with pancreatitis.

How to choose and store yogurt

The best yogurt is the one made in the village from fresh milk. In Azerbaijan, even now, homemade gaty, brought from the nearest villages, are sold in markets, transported to city courtyards. Some buyers have their own suppliers from whom they constantly take sour-milk products.

When prepared for sale, milk is poured into glass liter, two-liter and three-liter jars. The leaven is also put there. Banks are covered with lids and wrapped in a blanket, blanket. Thus, foam is obtained in every can. Then the peasant women who sell the gatya exchange a bank of the same type with the buyer. The quality of the product is assessed by the condition of the foam. It should be white or light yellow.

If you shake the can, you can feel the degree of density of the drink. The buffalo yogurt doesn't even budge. The presence of water on top of the foam indicates flaking. This does not mean that the yogurt is stale. It is most likely made from low viscosity milk, or water has been added to the milk.

On an industrial scale, for the preparation of yogurt, milk powder is often taken, diluted and fermented. A milk powder product differs in taste and consistency. And the best way to cook the gaty is to cook it yourself. Then you can be sure of the purity, freshness, and healthiness of the product.

Homemade yogurt can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks without losing the taste of the product. This is another of its advantages over milk.

Conclusion

Thus, yogurt is a nutritious, healthy, even healthful drink, especially indispensable on hot summer days. The benefits and harms of yogurt are incomparable. The drink is useful for both children and the elderly, especially those suffering from fragility of bones. It is recommended for women of reproductive age. It returns physical strength to able-bodied men. First courses (dovga and okroshka), dessert are prepared from it, confectionery is baked. Matsoni will serve as a raw material for the preparation of secondary products (syuzma, cottage cheese, butter). In a word, yogurt is a useful product for every day that will never get bored, prolong life and improve health.

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Every day the traditional Caucasian drink called yogurt is becoming more and more popular in other countries. The product is fermented milk, it is incredibly useful - and even young children and pregnant women can use it. Let's consider what useful properties this product has, in what cases it is impossible to drink yogurt and other interesting information.

general information

Another name for the product is matsun. Its taste and texture differ from the usual fermented milk products such as fermented baked milk and kefir. In principle, it can be argued that this drink is a relative of Greek yogurt.

Matsoni is produced using a special technology - experts use several types of milk, as well as a special ferment - it is she who enriches the drink with useful elements. The product contains the so-called Bulgarian bacillus, beneficial microorganisms, vitamins, microelements. In the end, a delicious, thick drink is obtained - and it is noteworthy that for a long time the inhabitants of the Caucasus did not want to share the recipe for making the product. But Mechnikov - that was the name of one scientist, nevertheless found out the recipe for yogurt. He did it as follows. One Georgian fell very much in love with a Slavic woman - it was Mechnikov who managed to help get the Georgian to marry her, and as a reward he demanded a recipe for a fermented milk drink. Today this product is manufactured in many countries, even on an industrial scale.

What are the ingredients of the drink?

The calorie content of the drink is small - it is about 63 calories per hundred grams. The same goes for the glycemic index - about 20 units. These factors will become relevant for people who follow their figure.

Also yogurt contains proteins, carbohydrates and fats, but the composition of the product is balanced, so you can drink it without fear for your figure. In addition, it is imperative to take into account the fact that the benefits and nutritional value of the drink are very high, so its consumption will bring many benefits.

The product also contains the following components:

1. Amino acids - improve the absorption of beneficial nutrients, indispensable for people who are exposed to physical activity on a daily basis.
2. Beneficial microorganisms (fermented milk) - improve the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
3. Vitamins of group B (necessary for the activity of the nervous system), H, C.
4. Calcium is vital for young children and pregnant women for normal bone growth.
5. Ash - cleanses the body of harmful substances and toxins.
6. Choline - has a positive effect on the nervous system.
7. Organic acids - allow you to normalize the metabolism.
8. Macro and microelements.

In total, the drink contains about 17 various mineral compounds.

As you can see, if there is a desire to always feel great, to build up, while not losing efficiency, then yogurt will become a wonderful product.

What's the use?

1. The Georgian fermented milk product contains a very large number of bacteria beneficial to the intestines - they help cleanse the whole body, improve the microflora, and remove toxins that poison the body.
2. Due to the high content of vitamins, yogurt helps to increase immunity, which means that with regular consumption of this drink, a person will be much less likely to get colds and flu. Also, the drink allows faster regeneration of tissues and cells, it literally rejuvenates the body from the inside. In this regard, many call yogurt "the drink of longevity" - people whose diet includes the product look great and have no health problems.
3. Due to the fact that matsun removes toxins from the body, the complexion improves, hair, skin and nails become much healthier - due to the high content of calcium. Potassium strengthens the heart muscle and helps to normalize the cardiovascular system.
4. The product will be very useful for people who suffer from atherosclerosis, since yogurt prevents the formation of plaques on the walls of blood vessels, reduces the level of "harmful" cholesterol in the blood.
5. B vitamins help to normalize the functioning of the nervous system, so it is worth thinking about regular consumption for people who are often exposed to stressful situations, suffer from nervousness and insomnia.
6. Athletes should also not give up the product - it has anabolic properties and helps to quickly gain muscle mass, increase endurance during workouts, and also shorten the recovery period after them.

While dieting, many are faced with such a nuisance as constipation. The drink will perfectly help to get rid of it - in view of the fact that it normalizes the digestive tract. In addition, the product contains a large amount of nutrients, useful substances, and they are simply necessary for people who are on low-calorie diets. You can make a variety of cocktails on the basis of sour, and a glass of matsun at night will help satisfy your hunger. If desired, you can add dried fruits or fiber to the drink in order to enhance the effect of weight loss.

Let's take a quick look at the main benefits of consuming products while losing weight:

• promotes the destruction of fat cells;
• removes toxins;
• restores the digestive tract;
• satisfies hunger - a glass of drink can replace a full dinner;
• contributes to the saturation of the body with useful vitamins and elements.

What is the harm, are there any contraindications to use?

Due to the fact that the drink is fermented milk, experts do not recommend using it for people who have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract associated with increased acidity of gastric juice.

With some ailments, the general well-being of a person may worsen:

• hepatitis;
• stones in the kidneys;
• pancreatitis;
• ulcer.

However, here it is worth noting that all of the above diseases are not direct contraindications for use. The best option is to consult with your doctor before use, he will be able to determine exactly whether it is possible to use sour milk, and in what quantities it should be done.

Cooking applications

You can use the product not only as an independent drink, but also for preparing all kinds of dishes and sauces. An excellent solution would be okroshka prepared on the basis of matsun. You can also season salads with this product - especially if you are trying to lose weight.

Sauces with an original taste can be prepared on the basis of this drink - add herbs and various spices to it in order to eat with fish, meat dishes. Some gourmets prepare pasta for sandwiches with the addition of the product - it turns out not only low-calorie, but also very tasty.

Video: why is Armenian matsun (matsoni) so useful