History of yogurt and current patterns of consumption

Yogurt has been a part of the human diet for several millennia and goes by many names throughout the world. The word “yogurt” is believed to have come from the Turkish word “yoğurmak,” which means to thicken, coagulate, or curdle. While references to the health-promoting properties of yogurt date back to 6000 BC in Indian Ayurvedic scripts, it was not until the 20th century that Stamen Grigorov, a Bulgarian medical student, attributed the benefits to lactic acid bacteria. Today, most yogurt is fermented milk that is acidified with viable and well-defined bacteria (Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles). While patterns of yogurt consumption vary greatly from country to country, consumption is generally low. In the United States and Brazil, for example, only 6% of the population consume yogurt on a daily basis. Low consumption of yogurt represents a missed opportunity to contribute to a healthy lifestyle, as yogurt provides a good to excellent source of highly bioavailable protein and an excellent source of calcium as well as a source of probiotics that may provide a range of health benefits.