A Look Back - The History of Bulgarian Yogurt

Bulgarian yogurt, or "sour milk" is recognized the world over thanks to the beneficial bacteria it contains.

According to many accounts, yogurt itself is derived principally from Bulgarian lands - territory over which a selection of special leavening microflora formed over multiple centuries. Not by chance, Greek sources claim sour milk as a gift from the Thracians. The Bulgars, on the other hand, inhabiting the lower course of the Volga River and raising large herds of horses, used the milk of mares as an important source of nutrition.

At a time in which regional lands were in a period of transition, the precious commodity was stored in skins which were then hung from the horses. Fermentation ensued and, as a result, a beverage - known as Kumis - which became a main source of nourishment for the ancestors of present-day Bulgarians.

Mare’s milk was later replaced by that of sheep, which turned out to be even more nutritious. Due to its higher fat content and the presence of higher-quality protein, the milk thickened upon germination and was called "sour milk."

While little by little the milk made its way into neighboring territories, its roots remained Bulgarian. Or more precisely, the Bulgars contributed directly to it through the traditions of the ancient Thracians and Slavs.

You can buy traditional Bulgarian yogurt from an Eastern Grocery store like https://www.serdikabg.com/yogurt.

Known as yogurt in much of the rest of the world, sour milk - according to experts - is a completely separate product. Regardless, the product became popular and from Asia Minor spread to Syria, Egypt, and over the years to faraway lands like India, Tibet, and Mongolia. Sour milk’s health benefits were already well-known by people at the time, despite it primarily being preferred for its long-lasting capabilities and simple preparation.

The distinct nutrients in and healing properties of sour milk began to be discussed more emphatically after its discovery by Dr. Stamen Grigorov. Ilya Mechniknov, meanwhile, theorized that the life expectancy of Bulgarians owed itself namely to sour milk’s qualities.

It’s been well-established that Lactobacillus bulgaricus has a pronounced anti-microbial effect, acting similarly to antibiotics. Moreover, Bulgarian sour milk even contributes to lower cholesterol levels.

In the 1950s, news that strains of Lactobacillus bulgaricus, "LB 51," could attack tumor cells landed with a bang. Today, researchers are of the consensus that it lends itself to an antagonistic effect toward some of the most common forms of bacteria creating illness in humans - among them salmonella, pseudomonas, E. coli, and mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Bulgarian sour milk’s distinct character comes from its microflora, while its type is strain-dependent, rather than a result of the milk itself - cow, buffalo, or a mixture, for example.

While the culture presumably proliferated during antiquity, in all likelihood, a few factors furthered its proliferation:

• The local lactic acid and microflora as a primary source
• Traditional ancestral activities which furthered its selection
• Sheep’s milk, which played a primary role in both lactic acid bacteria: Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus

Continuing their research to this day, scientists believe that much remains to be discovered and learned about the properties of a product from the time of antiquity - Bulgarian sour milk.