SIBO Friendly 24 Hour Yogurt Recipe

Source: Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, Raman Prasad, 2008, Fair Winds Press

Thanks to its natural acidophilus and other inherent probiotic organisms, homemade yogurt is considered an important part of intestinal healing on the SIBO diet, as well as those suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

This recipe for homemade yogurt has been fermented for 24 hours, which is how long it takes for lactose to completely ferment out, rendering it SIBO-friendly. In contrast, store bought yogurts are usually only cultured for 12 hours, which is not long enough to break down all the lactose.

Yogurt must be maintained at a constant temperature between 100°F and 110°F (38°C to 43°C) for fermentation. Using a yogurt maker or your InstaPot™ will ensure this process is easy and safe; the following recipe is adapted for a yogurt maker:

Ingredients:

2 quarts whole milk or half and half (goatʼs milk may also be used)
10 grams Yogourmet freeze-dried yogurt starter

Pour the milk into a large saucepan and place on a stovetop burner over medium heat. Stir the milk frequently to prevent it from sticking to the sides and bottom of the pan. As soon as the milk begins to simmer (around 180°F), remove it from the heat.

Be careful—if the pan is too small, you run the risk of the milk boiling over. If using goatʼs milk, be careful not to let the temperature exceed 185°F (85 C).

Allow the milk to cool to 100-110°F. Putting the pan in a container of ice water or in the refrigerator can help speed this up. Skim off any milk that has solidified on top.

Remove the inner container from the yogurt maker and add one cup (235 ml) of milk from the saucepan to the container. Thoroughly mix in the yogurt starter. Add the remaining cooled milk and mix again.

Fill the outer container of the yogurt maker with warm water to the appropriate mark. Place the inner container back into the yogurt maker, turn it on, and allow the yogurt to ferment for a minimum of 24 hours (donʼt leave it in for more than 34 hours).

Remove the inner container and refrigerate.