Traditionally buttermilk used to be a naturally fermented beverage, the leftover product of the churning of cream to make butter.
Now you can find buttermilk made commercially by milk processors (like MILKCO that supplies our Laura Lynn brand) by adding probiotic cultures to milk (of any level of fat from whole to skim/fat-free) to “culture” it and create lactic acid. The result is a slightly thick, sour-tasting beverage that is “cultured” with good bacteria (probiotics) much like yogurt.
Fun facts:
• If you have never tried buttermilk but like plain Greek yogurt of kefir, you will probably like buttermilk.
• You will get probiotics (good bacteria) from drinking buttermilk and much like drinking milk, you’ll get calcium and vitamin D from buttermilk as well. The calories for the buttermilk will depend on the type of milk used.
• The sodium amount for buttermilk is higher (about 2x as much) as in milk so if you are on a sodium restricted diet, please pay attention to this.
• Buttermilk can be used in place of milk to make biscuits, waffles, pancakes and even smoothies. You can also use buttermilk to make salad dressings and when making fried chicken.
• Because of the probiotics, some individuals with lactose intolerance may tolerate buttermilk better than regular milk. (Please note: lactose intolerance is NOT the same thing as an allergy to cow’s milk protein. If you are allergic to cow’s milk protein you should NOT drink buttermilk!)
• Need some buttermilk for a recipe but don’t have any? Put 1 TBSP vinegar or 1 TBSP lemon juice into a 1 cup measuring cup and fill remaining with milk. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Sources: https://slate.com/human-interest/2012/05/history-of-buttermilk-whats-the-difference-between-cultured-buttermilk-and-traditional-buttermilk.html https://www.foodrepublic.com/2013/01/03/what-is-buttermilk-and-how-do-i-make-it-using-regular-milk/#:~:text=Simply%20put%2C%20it’s%20the%20liquid,enzymes%20into%20low%2Dfat%20milk. https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/how-to-make-buttermilk/
Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN
Ingles Markets Corporate Dietitian