What is Buttermilk and Why it's a Wholesome Ingredient

 

Buttermilk is one of those ingredients that you look at and think “oh no.” Mostly because, either, it’s not a staple of your kitchen and you have to go out and buy it or because it takes on the misconception of being an unhealthy milk product.

Buttermilk is in fact, lower in fat than milk, which may be surprising based on its misleading name. Where one cup of whole milk contains 8.9 grams of fat, buttermilk only contains 2.2 Buttermilk is the slightly sour tasting liquid leftover after whole milk is churned into butter, hence the name buttermilk. Good for both drinking on its own or used in baking, buttermilk is packed with nutrients such as potassium and calcium and provides many health benefits. Here are just three of the reasons buttermilk is a wholesome ingredient to include in your diet.

 

1) Helps with Digestion

Buttermilk is a rich source of probiotics just like yoghurt, this means the active cultures in buttermilk can help create healthy bacteria in your stomach. If you suffer from digestive problems, you may find that the buttermilk is a great substitute that helps soothe your stomach and enhances digestion.

2) Calcium Builds Bone Density

It is suggested that we should have 1000 milligrams of calcium a day as part of a healthy diet. One cup of low-fat buttermilk contains 284 milligrams of calcium which is about a quarter of that daily goal! Calcium helps support bone growth as well as slows the process of bone loss as you age.

3) Reduces Blood Pressure

A study from the Nutrition Journal found that short-term consumption of buttermilk significantly reduced systolic blood pressure in some individuals. The study concluded that with more research buttermilk may be considered a new safe food supplement to manage blood cholesterol.


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