Yakult vs Curd: Which One Should You Go For?

Traditionally, a bowl of curd was a must with lunch or dinner. Eating curd daily lowers cholesterol levels, reduces the risk of high blood pressure, and keeps your heart healthy. Curd is full of probiotics or gut friendly bacteria. Is it better than the popular probiotic drink yakult? Find out!

Probiotics are generally required by the body because they help in the maintenance of a healthy gut as well as help in digestion, and are also beneficial to the heart and immune system. When we think of probiotics, the first food that comes to mind is curd, which has natural probiotic properties as well as other health benefits. However, Yakult has recently gained popularity and is thought to be a better probiotic than curd.

Do you know which is more effective: Yakult or Curd? Both yakult and curd contain a high concentration of probiotics. Yakult is beneficial to health, but curd has an advantage in terms of probiotic effectiveness, nutritional value, and pricing.

Is Yakult healthier than yogurt?

While both Yakult and yogurt are fermented dairy products, Yakult is thought to be far healthier than yogurt.

The main reason is that Yakult contains a different probiotic strain than yogurt, which is acid-resistant and thus alive once it reaches the intestines, where it can confer its health benefits. On the other hand, not all yogurt brands contain live and active probiotic cultures. This means that regular yogurt may not provide you with the benefits of probiotics.

Another difference is that Yakult is thinner in consistency and intended to be consumed as a beverage, whereas yogurt is thicker. As a result, Yakult can be consumed and digested in seconds.

Is Yakult made from curd?

No. The active ingredients in the probiotic drink – Yakult are as follows: [1]

  •   Water
  •   Skimmed milk
  •   Glucose syrup
  •   Live Lactobacillus casei Shirota bacteria

Yakult is made by combining glucose and skimmed milk and heating the mixture for about 30 minutes at 90 to 95 °C. After cooling to 45 °C, the mixture is combined with the lactobacillus strain and incubated at 37 to 38 °C for 6 to 7 days. Water, sugar, gums, and lactic acid are added after fermentation.

Yakult vs Curd – The comparison

Following is the comparison of Yakult and Curd based on various factors to help you decide which probiotic to choose.

Food types

Yakult and curd are both fermented foods. The only difference is that Yakult contains water, glucose, and sugar, among other ingredients, whereas curd does not have such additional ingredients. 

Probiotic content

Each bottle of Yakult contains 10 billion bacteria, whereas curd contains approximately 240 million bacteria, which is significantly less than Yakult. The twist, however, is in the type of bacteria found in them. Yakult contains only one type of bacteria, Lactobacillus casei Shirota, whereas Curd contains 250 different types of bacteria.

The number of living bacteria that can enter your intestine

The majority of active bacteria in curd are killed on their way to your intestine. However, the bacteria found in Yakult are a special type of bacteria that can easily resist stomach enzymes and acidic conditions and reach your intestine. However, in curd, 50-60% of the bacteria get killed before they reach the intestine.

Sugar content

One bottle of Yakult (65ml) contains approximately 10g of sugar. The sugar content of Yakult is stable and acceptable. However, when comparing curd to Yakult, Yakult easily loses because curd contains no added sugar until and unless you decide to add sugar to the curd.

Additional nutrients

Yakult contains no additional nutrients other than 0.8g of protein, Vitamin D, and Vitamin E in trace amounts. Yakult contains very little vitamin content and can be ignored.

On the other hand, curd is high in calcium, micronutrients, and vitamins, in addition to being a good source of protein.

Is Yakult better than curd as a probiotic?

Each bottle of Yakult contains 10 billion bacteria, whereas curd contains approximately 240 million bacteria, which is significantly less than Yakult. The difference  is in the type of bacteria found in them. Yakult contains only one type of bacteria, Lactobacillus casei Shirota (LcS), whereas curd contains 250 different types of bacteria. 

Because your gut is made up of various types of bacteria, curd meets all of their needs. So, curd completely dominates in terms of probiotic count.

Side effects

Although Yakult is considered safe, excessive probiotic consumption can result in some side effects. The side effects include:

  •   Diarrhea
  •   Vomiting
  •   Low immunity 

Curd, on the other hand, has no negative side effects. You can never eat too much curd because one bowl will keep you full for 4-5 hours.

Which is safer: Yakult or Curd?

  •   Yakult – a probiotic drink, may not be suitable for infants under the age of two years. Curd, on the other hand, has been around since the beginning and is thought to be beneficial to infant babies by providing additional nutrition.
  •   If you have diabetes, you have to consult your doctor before drinking Yakult because it contains at least 10g of sugar. Curd, on the other hand, can be eaten with stevia or sugar-free. 
  •   If you’re trying to lose weight, even the lighter alternative of Yakult should be avoided. Nonetheless, the curd is a better choice than Yakult light.

FAQs

Does Yakult expire?

Fermented drinks containing these beneficial live microorganisms, such as Yakult, have a 45-day shelf life. Unopened yogurt drinks are said to last up to 10 days after the expiry date.

When should you avoid eating curd?

People who have acidity, acid reflux, or indigestion should avoid yogurt or curd at night because it can cause constipation when the system is sluggish and ready to sleep. If you have a weak digestive system and eat curd or yogurt at night, it can impair digestion.

Is curd beneficial to acidity?

Curd plays a significant role in acidity control. Curd, like milk and buttermilk, is a natural antacid. Curd’s natural ingredients have been shown time and again to heal gastric problems. [2]

Does curd help in the weight-loss process?

Curd is a fantastic fat burner. Curd contains a lot of calcium, which helps to keep your BMI in check. Curd contains probiotics, which regulate the digestive system and improve metabolism, facilitating the weight loss process. [3]

Can I drink Yakult on an empty stomach?

Yakult is a probiotic drink that should be consumed every day as part of your daily diet. Yakult can be enjoyed at any time of the day. It can also be taken on an empty stomach. Most people prefer to drink it after breakfast to make it a part of their daily diet.

Wrapping Up

After comparing Yakult and Curd, it is clear that Curd is the superior probiotic. Curd has the advantage in terms of probiotic effectiveness, nutritional value, and pricing.

You cannot live a healthy lifestyle solely on probiotics. Probiotics, in the grand scheme of things, play a minor role. A healthy gut requires a balanced diet, a fiber-rich diet, adequate sleep, hydration, and exercise.

 References

  1. U.S. Department of Agriculture. “FOODDATA CENTRAL: PROBIOTIC DAIRY DRINK”. Agricultural Research Service | U.S. Department of Agriculture.
  2. N. Veena. “Quality attributes of dahi prepared from milk fortified with omega-3 fatty acids, phytosterols and polydetxrose”.    J Food Sci Technol vol 54(7) (2017). 1765-1775.
  3. J Eales. “Is consuming yoghurt associated with weight management outcomes? Results from a systematic review”.   NPG Open Access vol 40(5) (2016). 731-746.
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