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Best yogurt maker: SCD and VSL yogurt

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Posted 4/3/2012 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
Which appliance is the best (or a least what is a good one) for making SCD yogurt and VSL yogurt? After two years and I've determine I royally suck at growing kefir so I want to give this a try.
Posted 4/3/2012 3:46 PM (GMT 0)
No advice on yogurt making...wondering how you are doing on SCD? How long have you been on it? I'm considering getting back on. It helped me achieve remission on my first flare. I gave it up when we took a trip to Italy and I was fine. Im currently just doing gluten free and that too has helped.
Thanks,
M
Posted 4/3/2012 3:55 PM (GMT 0)
Yogourmet is a really good brand.If you are making a scd yogurt you have to buy a light dimmer because the temperature goes a little higher when fermenting for 24 hours.If not scd,no need for the dimmer, just the appliance ,it retails for about $80 Canadian.
Posted 4/3/2012 5:38 PM (GMT 0)

From what I understand, making yogurt is much more difficult than making kefir. you have to heat to a certain temp, etc etc. 

I make kefir and its really easy, just throw the grains in a glass jar, throw milk on top, cover with a coffee filter and a rubberband, keep in cupboard for 2 days, stir once in a while and voila, done, kefir!

I want to make yogurt but i am intimidated by the process etc. 

what part of kefir making did you mess up?

Posted 4/3/2012 6:22 PM (GMT 0)
I think I'll probably buy the Yogourmet as it does seem like a good choice, thanks. I'll probably start with VSL yogurt as I have benefit greatly from VSL #3 DS and I don't have to start with a dimmer.

I am doing well on the SCD. I'm somewhat of a cafeteria SCD'er as I pick and choose. My three fallbacks are I eat sweet potatoes, I eat store bought Chobani yogurt, and I drink one Ensure per day for weight purposes. Even with these exceptions, I have pretty solid evidence that my 4-5 months on the diet have been successful. My previous attempt was even more lax and I thought it was too lax to do any good so I went off. I found out that even a little adherance helps, at least in my case.

I-love-coffee I am exactly like you. I've been intimidated by homemade yogurt for a while now. I have no idea what I do wrong with the kefir. My first attempt went well for many months and they stopped growing almost suddenly. The second time was a failure to even start multiplying. My last attempt is just atrocious. You might not even want to read it!

I always cover it with a cloth and a tight rubberband. Last night I took it off to filter the kefir and I notice something. There was an eye loupe on the counter so I looked more closey at my kefir. I screamed Holy S there are mfing MAGGOTS IN MY KEFIR. It was disgusting! The two people in the room thought it was hilarious. I swear I had it clamped down tightly. I think I just proved abiogenesis.

Needless to say if I even think about kefir for at least a year I'll probably gag a little, so I'm giving the yougurt a try.
Posted 4/3/2012 6:47 PM (GMT 0)
The yogurt is really easy to make.The thermometer comes with the yogourmet ,You just boil the milk until it reaches 180 and let it cool until 40 degrees and mix either store bought yogurt or I buy yogurt starter from my local health food store it does contain sucralose but elaine said it is such a small amount that gets eaten up by the yogurt bacteria that its okay to use ,then pop it in your yogourmet for 24 hours or more and then fridge for 8 hours and done.SIMPLE

Its Keifer that intimidates me! where do you get Keifer grains? 

Posted 4/3/2012 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
You don't need a yogurt maker to make your own yogurt, all you need is a thermometer and an oven with a light that stays on.
Couldn't be any simpler. I make between a quart and a half-gallon at a time in a glass pyrex bowl.

1.I microwave the milk to 180-190 degrees in a 1/2 gallon or quart-sized pyrex measuring glass (high heat to kill bad biotics). Saves cleaning up a pot.

2.Then put it on the counter to cool down to 90-100 degrees (temperature is not critical but too hot and you'll kill the probiotics)

3. Add yogurt starter and mix well (VSL#3 packet or your choice of starter, you can also open several probiotic pills and mix in well)

4. Put in oven that is turned OFF but oven light is on

5. Wait 24 hours, then put yogurt in the fridge where it will harden up more. Done.


Some tips:

Ultrapasteurized milk may not work. I use organic whole milk from the grocery store (nothing more exotic), plain old milk should be fine too.

I've heard that using VSL#3 starter does not mean you get all the different strains of probiotics listed. Apparently the stronger probiotics can outgrow the weaker ones. I still use VSL#3 however.

Don't use some of your first batch as starter for your second batch. Not good hygiene.

Don't jiggle the milk while it's in the oven or your yogurt may not "gel" as well. Probiotics are tender things :-)

I've heard you can use a crockpot for the 24 hour part but haven't done it, probably need to test the temp so it doesn't get too hot.

Some people don't use an oven at all, just wrap their bowl in towel and put on the countertop for 24 hours. Done.
Think about it, yogurt was (and is) made by people in primitive no-electric homes in distant countries.

The hardest part of the whole process is heating it to 180-190 without boiling over and then waiting (yawn) for it to cool down enough to add the probiotics.

After my yogurt has rested in the fridge and set I like to turn it into thicker Greek yogurt by draining it through cheesecloth (removes the whey). Some people think the whey is good for UC however. Your decision.

There's nothing wrong with using a yogurt-maker but I do not need another appliance in my kitchen lol.
Posted 4/3/2012 9:41 PM (GMT 0)
I also have Yogourmet and it works great!

I agree with Zdenka and had the best luck using a light dimmer to make sure the temp stays in the desired range for the 24 hours.

I use the Yogourmet starter for the yogurt and then add a packet of VSL#3DS and it turns out great.

I have even used Lactose free milk and it turns out well. You can order the starter from Amazon too!

Enjoy!!!

Oh also, if you want to go through the extra step at the end of straining the yogurt it comes out really thick and

is very yummy!

Posted 4/4/2012 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all the detailed responses everyone. Reading the instructions makes me want to try it tonight; I wish there were time! Unfortunately the only organic milk in my town is ultra pasteurized so I'll go with regular milk
Posted 4/4/2012 4:23 AM (GMT 0)
I use a tribest. I liked this one because it came with 6 small glass jars and 2 tops, one low and one high. This way you can make the small jars or a combo of tall and small jars. It wasn't expensive but I haven't been making yogurt lately. Sometimes I use cream if I want a heavy consistency. I don't like it runny. The other key is to buy the right starter. Bulgarian and Greek are thicker than Piima or some of the others.
Posted 4/4/2012 10:07 AM (GMT 0)
I got one st Williams Sonoma, the reviews were great and I loved it
Posted 4/4/2012 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
Hi folks.

I make yogurt constantly for my son. I adapted a yogurt maker to ensure it does not go over 40c and I cook it for 24hrs to remove the lactose.

If you use UHT milk then you do not need to go through the heating/killing stage, it's already been done.

It does taste quite bitter/tart due to the lactose having being eaten away by the expanding colonies of bacterium. Stevia took care of the taste.

I moved onto using VSL 3 sachets as my starter as I thought this was a good idea. However, another member on the UK Healing Well forum did some more research and discovered that I was wasting my VSL3, as the dominant strains will out compete the less dominant strains. Apparently the VSL 3 chaps do their strains seperately and then mix them up when freeze dried.

So by the time I had cooked it for 24hrs I was basically being left with a couple of the big boys only.

And we all know that VSL 3 is too expensive to waste.

I had a question, if  the dominant strains out compete the lesser strains in the making process, does that also happen in the bowel, or is there enough room and food down their for them all to get along?

Posted 4/9/2012 1:30 AM (GMT 0)
Well... I made the yogurt Thursday night-Friday night in my first attempt.

Method: One packet VSL #3 DS into a 1/2 gallon of Pasteurized milk, put into stove with light on after heated milk cooled to 87 degrees

Observations: It was not significantly harder than making kefir and it tasted much less sour. I swear it made my stool looser the next day and today. The most annoying part for me was heating the milk to 180-190.

Follow up questions:
How long will the yogurt keep?
Is this the right amt of VSL DS? One pack for a 1/2 gallon of milk?

Post Edited (Levi) : 4/9/2012 8:14:14 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/12/2012 12:11 PM (GMT 0)
Bump. I thought of another question also, now I have three

1) Is one VSL DS pack/one gallon a good mixture?
2) How long will the yogurt last?
3) Can I use whole milk? I would prefer this to add some fat!

Anybody? Bueller?

PS It's a lot easier to make than I thought it would be, and I think I'll make some more tonight. The softer stool only laster the first two days.
Posted 4/12/2012 12:59 PM (GMT 0)
2) the yogurt keeps for 3 weeks     3)I make mine with whole milk,some make it with half and half cream or cream,but I can't find cream without illegal scd ingredience(someone suggested local dairy farm)
Posted 4/13/2012 1:16 AM (GMT 0)
I do have to agree that kefir is much easier than yogurt. It is a lot more work to heat milk, etc.
I do love some of the responses with easy-make recipes, like microwave heating and using the oven light.

I have had two yogourmet makers over the years and I always ended up selling them because it was just a pain in the can to make the yogurt on a regular basis.

I have always ended up selling my makers on craigslist. Poof!

I am inspired to give it a try again, though, using the simpler oven light method. Whoever reminded us that yogurt was made by people who didn't have benefit of special appliances was really right on.

I don't have VSL and there isn't any in my future. I would love to know what people use for starter. Thanks
Also, oven light and 24 hours is really all it takes?
Thanks--
JayGuitar
Posted 4/13/2012 1:29 AM (GMT 0)
probably will make your stools looser at first I would say this is OK, but in a couple of days you should see improvement, like solid logs come the afternoon :)
Posted 4/13/2012 1:26 PM (GMT 0)

JayGuitar said...
I don't have VSL and there isn't any in my future. I would love to know what people use for starter. Thanks
Also, oven light and 24 hours is really all it takes?

That is really all it takes. I was surprised too. I had a solid pot of yogurt after only 12 hours. Those thing multiply faster than bunny rabbits. :)

Posted 4/13/2012 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Levi

1) Is one VSL DS pack/one gallon a good mixture?
2) How long will the yogurt last?
3) Can I use whole milk? I would prefer this to add some fat!

1) I've always used more than 1 VSL#3 packet per half-gallon. I'm too cheap to use (2) VSL's unless necessary so I add whatever other probiotic I have around, last time it was Jarrow-Dophilus capsules. I like to experiment. Nothing has ever really failed but for me (1) VSL doesn't make the yogurt firm enough to make Greek yogurt.

2)Dunno. I always eat it in under a week. :-)

3) I always use whole milk. Under SCD the higher fat content the better. Don't be afraid of fats, our bodies need good fats and oils.

Ima
Posted 4/13/2012 4:29 PM (GMT 0)
I dont make yogurt anymore, sadly, because I simply do better off dairy (and I looooooved ScD yogurt, as well as greek Fage yogurt) ... But when I made it, the Yogourmet (sp) was my model of choice- buy a couple extra containers, ideally the big glass ones. I also strongly recommend buying a plug-in lamp dimmer switch online so that you can adjust the power output to maintain the optimum 107F or so- I drill a hole in the top of the lid and put the yogurt thermometer down throu the middle. i found that all yogurt making machines just put out constant power, without regard for the actual yogurt temperature, and can end up 10 or even 20 degrees above the optimal temperature, killing too much of the probiotic bacteria- it turns out fine in terms of consistency even then, but the whole reason we UCers want it is for max. Probiotic content.
Posted 4/13/2012 5:49 PM (GMT 0)
What about using kefir grains as yogurt starter?

Aside from VSL, what is a good starter?
Thanks,
Jay
Posted 4/13/2012 6:40 PM (GMT 0)
Aside from VSL, what is a good starter?

Yogourmet sells a starter but I suggest a good probiotic instead because that's the reason we're making it although who knows how many live (good) bacteria survive the trip through Gut-ville. You might want to try different probiotics, lots are available in almost any grocery store or drug store nowadays. Each probiotic lists what strain(s) are in it in the small print and how many millions, the more the better.

I'm not a scientist but there's been discussion that some probiotics reproduce stronger than others. That doesn't mean the weaker ones are bad for you, just that they don't replicate as fast as others.

I just open up the capsules and mix them into the 90-100 degree milk (and I also use VSL#3 too).

I don't know anything about kefir and whether it has probiotics in the grains.
Posted 4/14/2012 1:46 PM (GMT 0)

Levi said...
Bump. I thought of another question also, now I have three
1) Is one VSL DS pack/one gallon a good mixture?
2) How long will the yogurt last?
3) Can I use whole milk? I would prefer this to add some fat!


1) I started using VSL#3 to make my yogurt back in February 2011 and I just completed using my first packet so it took 14 months to go through one packet and I consume 2/3 cup of yogurt every morning. When I make yogurt I sprinkle just the tiniest amount on top of the cooled milk and mix it in. The bacteria multiply like crazy and after 24 hours the yogurt is a nice solid consistency.
2) I usually eat mine within a week of making it but I have gone on vacation and it was perfectly fine after two weeks. I have never had any go bad.
3) I now only use whole milk. I eliminated most sugars from my diet a couple of months ago and my weight has been dropping rather dramatically so I wanted a means to add a few extra calories back into my diet.
Posted 4/14/2012 1:50 PM (GMT 0)

JayGuitar said...
What about using kefir grains as yogurt starter?

Aside from VSL, what is a good starter?
Thanks,
Jay


I had used the Custom Probiotics yogurt starter in the past. It worked fine but I decided to try VSL#3 to see if I could get any additional benefit from my yogurt.

www.customprobiotics.com/yogurt_starter.htm
Posted 4/14/2012 2:07 PM (GMT 0)
tap said:
1) I started using VSL#3 to make my yogurt back in February 2011 and I just completed using my first packet so it took 14 months to go through one packet and I consume 2/3 cup of yogurt every morning.

That is amazing! I assume you mean a box of 30 VSL#3 from February 2011 (14 months=60 weeks)? And here I've been using (1) sachet for each batch that lasts less than a week and you've used one packet every 2 weeks. Well done!
Thanks for reporting your results.
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