Buttermilk

For other uses, see Buttermilk (disambiguation)

File:Buttermilk-(right)-and-Milk-(left).jpg

Buttermilk (right) compared to fresh milk (left). Notice the thickness from the trails left behind on the glass.

Buttermilk, low fat

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	169 kJ (40 kcal)
Carbohydrates	4.8 g
Fat	0.9 g
Protein	3.3 g
Calcium	116 mg (12%)
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.

Buttermilk refers to a number of dairy drinks. Originally, buttermilk was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cream. It also refers to a range of fermented milk drinks, common in warm climates (e.g., Middle East, India, or the Southern United States) where fresh milk would otherwise sour quickly. It is also popular in Scandinavia and the Netherlands, despite the colder climates.

Whether traditional or cultured, the tartness of buttermilk is due to the presence of acid in the milk. The increased acidity is primarily due to lactic acid, a byproduct naturally produced by lactic acid bacteria while fermenting lactose, the primary sugar found in milk. As lactic acid is produced by the bacteria, the pH of the milk decreases and casein, the primary protein in milk, precipitates causing the curdling or clabbering of milk. This process makes buttermilk thicker than plain milk. While both traditional and cultured buttermilk contain lactic acid, traditional buttermilk tends to be thinner whereas cultured buttermilk is much thicker.

Traditional buttermilk

Originally, buttermilk was the liquid left over from churning butter from cream.

India

In India, buttermilk ((Hindi| "mattha", "chaas" or "chaach" | "lassi") (Kannada: majjige) (Telugu: మజ్జిగ) (Tamil: மோர்|more) (Marathi: ताक) (in Gujarati it is known as "chasse") is taken to be the liquid leftover after extracting butter from churned yogurt (dahi). Today, this is called traditional buttermilk. Traditional buttermilk is still common in many Indian households but rarely found in western countries. In Southern India buttermilk with added water, salt, asafoetida, and curry leaves are given at stalls in festival times to quench thirst and keep the body cool from the scorching heat of the sun.

Cultured buttermilk

The variation of buttermilk which is a fermented dairy product, is produced from cow's milk, and with a characteristically sour taste caused by lactic acid bacteria. The product is made in one of two ways: artificially made buttermilk, also known as cultured buttermilk, is made by adding lactic acid bacteria called Streptococcus lactis to milk and so-called Bulgarian buttermilk is created with a different strain of bacteria called Lactobacillus bulgaricus, which creates more tartness.