A guide to choosing the best milk to make yogurt

How to choose the most nutritious cow's milk?

So you’ve invested in a Luvele yogurt maker and you’re super keen to make your very first batch! BUT you’re confused about all the milk varieties out there? This brief overview will help you choose the most nutritious milk for your homemade yoghurt. When you’re done, click over to any of these yogurt methods.

SCD yogurt method
A2 milk method
Extra thick method
Greek yogurt

RAW 

Raw milk is straight from an animal, is free from processing (pasteurisation and homogenisation) and therefore it comes to you with its own unique bacteria. Raw milk will naturally separate into different layers of fat density with cream on the top. 

BIODYNAMIC / ORGANIC

Biodynamic and organic farming are both free of synthetic pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, fertilisers and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Biodynamic milk is organic but organic milk is not biodynamic. To be certified biodynamic in practise, dairy farms must take a holistic approach to production and focus on the interrelationship between the soil, plants, animals & the solar system. These milks may or may not be homogenised and pasteurised.

UNHOMOGENISED

Unhomogenised milk looks closest to its natural state because it comes with a layer of cream floating on the top. Unhomogenised milk will be pasteurised. 

HOMOGENISED

Homogenisation is done for consistency and taste and doesn’t change the nutritional value of milk. When milk is homogenised the milk cream is blasted into fine particles to give the milk a more even appearance and integrate the cream with the milk. 

A2 

A2 milk is milk that contains only the A2 type of beta-casein protein rather than the more common A1 protein found in regular cow’s milk. A2 milk may be better suited to people with allergies. Milk from goats, sheep and camels are mostly made up of A2 proteins and are commonly preferred on GAPS & SCD. Commercial A2 cow’s milk will be pasteurised and homogenised. Click here for the step by step method.

CONVENTIONAL FULL CREAM

This milk has been produced on large scale dairy farms. It is homogenised and pasteurised and will have traces of pesticides and antibiotics. 

HALF AND HALF 

Half-and-half, also known as 'half cream' in the UK, is a blend of equal parts whole milk and light cream. It averages 10 to 12% fat, which is more than milk but less than light cream. Due to its lower fat content than cream, it can’t be whipped. 

LACTOSE FREE MILK

Food manufacturers have created lactose-free milk to cater to the growing number of people who experience lactose intolerance. Lactose free milk doesn’t actually have the lactose removed. Instead, a synthetic version of the enzyme ‘lactase’ is added during processing to break down the lactose. The result is similar to what would happen during digestion. Lactose-free milk has nearly the same taste, texture and nutrient profile as conventional milk and can be used to make homemade yogurt. Click here for our step by step method. 

UHT (ULTRA-HEAT TREATED) WHOLE MILK / LONG LIFE MILK

With regular store-bought milk the pasteurisation process heats milk to 72°C (161.6°F) for at least 15 seconds. The UHT process heats the milk to 135°C (275°F) for only two seconds. This flash of extreme heat kills all the pathogens in the milk, making it virtually sterile when packaged, giving it an extended shelf life. UHT / Long life milk can be stored for up to six months in the pantry, but once opened it needs to be refrigerated. Because UHT milk is highly sterile, it can be used to make homemade yogurt without heating the milk first. See our UHT yogurt recipe here.

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