Sour cream is a fermented milk product that is obtained by fermenting cream and adding specific bacteria to it. Generally, this product has been distributed for a long time only in Russia, in Europe, for example, they began to actively eat it only after the Second World War. Sour cream is an amazing product that is used in the preparation of most dishes. Can anyone imagine borscht without sour cream? But what about the famous white sauces for meat and vegetable dishes? Even desserts are not complete without this sour dairy product- creams, dough, fillings ... In general, sour cream is considered a frequent "guest" on the table, but how useful is it and can it be used by everyone without exception?

Sour cream - composition and calorie content

The composition of the product in question is quite rich - there are vitamins, and trace elements, and sugar substances (natural), and organic acids. The composition of sour cream also contains biotin, a microelement that is necessary to maintain the efficiency of the whole organism and preserve the youthfulness of the skin. In addition, sour cream is rich in animal protein, which makes it indispensable for body cells.

Ingredients of sour cream:

• Ash 0.5 g
• Mono- and disaccharides 3.4 g
• Cholesterol 87 mg
• EFA - Saturated fatty acid 11.9 g
• Water 72.8 g
• Organic acids 0.8 g

vitamins

• Vitamin PP 0.6 mg
• Vitamin H 3.6 mcg
• Vitamin E 0.4 mg
• Vitamin D 0.1 mcg
• Vitamin C 0.3 mg
• Vitamin B12 4 mcg
• Vitamin B9 8.5 mcg
• Vitamin B6 0.07 mg
• Vitamin B2 0.11 mg
• Vitamin B1 0.03 mg
• Vitamin A 160 mcg
• Beta carotene 0.06 mg

Minerals

• Cobalt (Co) 0.3 mcg
• Molybdenum (Mo) 5 mcg
• Fluorine (F) 14 mcg
• Selenium (Se) 0.3 mcg
• Manganese (Mn) 0.003 mg
• Copper (Cu) 20 mg
• Iodine (I) 7 mcg
• Zinc (Zn) 0.24 mg
• Iron (Fe) 0.2 mg
• Sulfur (S) 25 mg
• Chlorine (Cl) 61 mg
• Phosphorus (P) 60 mg
• Potassium (K) 109 mg
• Sodium (Na) 35 mg
• Magnesium (Mg) 8 mg
• Calcium (Ca) 86 mg

Separately, it is worth discussing the calorie content of the product in question - it has a variable character and depends only on the level of fat content of sour cream. The least calories in 10% sour cream are only 159 Kcal per 100 grams of the product, but in a 30% product, the calorie content will already be almost 291 Kcal.

Useful properties of sour cream

Sour cream is useful to many people - this is also confirmed by official medicine. It is needed by people who have disorders in the digestive system - for example, if appetite is reduced or completely absent, chronic ones are present, or putrefactive processes occur in the intestines (this can happen when, and the bacteria contained in sour cream simply normalize the intestinal microflora).

If you regularly eat sour cream in combination with fresh carrots, then the body's immune system will be significantly strengthened, and a combination of sour cream with will help cheer you up. The fermented milk product in question also “works” well in relation to the normalization of blood composition - it is often recommended to patients with a diagnosed, weakened after surgical interventions or a long-term illness.

Sour cream is very useful for men's health:

• maintains potency at the proper level even at the age of 50 years and older;
• provides support to the muscles, gives strength and nutrition, which allows you to maintain the tone of the body at the proper level at any age;
• nourishes the hair, which inhibits the spread of gray hair and associated with age-related changes in the body.

The product in question is also needed for the female half of humanity:

• able to normalize and stabilize the hormonal background, which is especially important during menstruation and menopause /;
• helps to restore the health of the skin of the face and décolleté - based on sour cream, even in industrial scale professional cosmetics are produced;
• necessary during diets, as it contributes normal operation intestines and prevents constipation.

Sour cream will also bring a lot of benefits to the children's body - it can be introduced into the baby's menu as early as a year old, but a low-fat product should be preferred. As for the rural product, natural, then the child’s body can easily and without consequences absorb it only at the age of three.

Despite the obvious benefits of the fermented milk product in question, it is not recommended to eat it for everyone.

Possible harm to sour cream and contraindications for use

There are clear limitations that apply to the product in question. For example, you can not enter sour cream into the menu for those people who have already been diagnosed with or / duodenal ulcer, which is caused by high content it contains organic acids. Doctors do not recommend abusing sour cream for those who have problems with the liver and / or gall bladder, although there are no categorical contraindications for this product (it is advisable to eat sour cream in this case in the morning).

Note:store-bought sour cream should be consumed in small quantities, since it always contains preservatives that are not useful elements. Doctors say that it is impossible to combine the fermented milk product in question with fried potatoes, any cereals and bakery products.

Sour cream is an extremely tasty and healthy product that should be consumed in small quantities. If there is a history of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver or gallbladder, then it is worth consulting with your doctor about the advisability of introducing sour cream into the menu.

Nov-2-2016

What is sour cream, the benefits and harms of sour cream for the human body, all this is of great interest to people who lead a healthy lifestyle, monitor their health, and are interested in folk methods treatment. So we will try to answer these questions in the following article.

Sour cream is a fermented milk product made from cow's milk.

Sour cream is made from pasteurized milk by fermenting biological cultures. After fermentation, or rather, in its final stage, aroma-forming bacteria are added to sour cream.

At home, sour cream can be prepared from cream by adding a small amount of sour cream to them and whipping the mass with a mixer.

Sour cream can be of different fat content - from 20 to 40%. This is one of the most high-calorie dairy products. The more milk fat it contains, the higher its calorie content.

It contains a lot of useful substances. In addition to milk fat, sour cream also contains proteins, milk sugar, organic acids, mineral salts, as well as vitamins of groups A, E, B, C, PP.

Of course, the first thing that comes to mind when talking about sour cream is its taste. Indeed, confectioners cannot do without it, and, in addition, sour cream is used as a necessary addition to the first and second courses. Well, judge for yourself: what are cabbage soup without sour cream?

But the possibilities of sour cream are not limited to the culinary arts: the role of this wonderful fermented milk product in the treatment is undeniable. Diet food very often includes sour cream as one of the main ingredients. However, not only diets are inconceivable without it. Some diseases can be cured at home using sour cream. About what these diseases are, we will talk a little later.

But that's not all: sour cream is a good helper for women in a difficult, painstaking, but certainly very necessary business - beauty. Masks, baths and compresses with its use will help relieve stress after have a hard day and restore the skin to its former elasticity.

What is the fat content of sour cream?

Sour cream can have different fat content, that is, the presence of fat in the composition. Manufacturers of this product indicate the fat content of sour cream as a percentage. She may be:

• lean (10, 12 or 14% fat);
• low fat (15, 17 or 19% fat);
• classic (from 20 to 34% fat);
• fatty (from 35 to 48%);
• high-fat (from 50 to 58%).

The fat content of sour cream should be chosen depending on the purpose of its use. If you want to cook light vegetable salad - low-fat sour cream is useful to you, and if you want to make air cream for the cake, then buy at least the classic one.

Useful properties of sour cream:

So what is sour cream good for?

This is a natural high-quality product that contributes to the normalization of metabolic processes. It has a beneficial effect on the digestive system. There are even special diets developed by experts, which are based on sour cream. Naturally, such diets use low-calorie product- no more than 10-15% per 100 grams. The secret is that it is enough to taste one spoonful of food to provide the body with valuable and nutritious substances, vitamins and microelements.

Sour cream is also rich in calcium, so it is used by the elderly and children to strengthen the weakened skeletal system. At the same time, it is recommended that the product be included in the daily diet of pregnant women, because a lot of calcium is needed to grow the fetus.

1-2 spoons of the product contains a balanced unique vitamin composition that helps to solve the problem of depression, stress, bad mood and insomnia. The product is also indicated for severe physical exertion.

If the metabolic process is disturbed, you also need to replenish your menu delicious product. It has a beneficial effect on the condition of teeth, hair and nails due to the fact that sour cream contains a rich vitamin composition, in particular B vitamins are contained in sufficient quantities.

Sour cream consists of natural animal protein (of which there is a lot in it), carbohydrates (sugars), organic acids, and also clean water. It contains a lot of macro- and microelements, vitamins. Just a few tablespoons of sour cream a day - and our body has received all the necessary components useful for its life.

Potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and iodine, which it contains, contribute to maintaining good health and at the same time they are well absorbed.

Sour cream, like milk, contains B vitamins, vitamins C, PP and E.

Sour cream contains the vitamin of youth - biotin.

Isn't that why many of our women love to use sour cream in the form of various masks, baths and compresses in their struggle for beauty?!

Useful properties of sour cream:

Promotes the growth and strengthening of bones, teeth and hair (a lot of calcium and vitamin D);

Improves human reproductive function (contains vitamin E and a lot of protein);

It has a positive effect on the hormonal background;

Calms the nerves - a spoonful of sour cream with honey will help relieve stress, improve mood and get rid of depression (a lot of vitamin B5).

Sour cream bought in a store has a different degree of fat content - from 10 to 40%. The lower the fat content, the more dietary it is. Doctors recommend dietary sour cream for poor digestion.

The daily dose of sour cream for an adult is no more than 100–200 g.

What is useful sour cream for men?

It has long been believed that this dairy product is good for men's health and has a particularly positive effect on potency.

First of all, sour cream is a source of protein, and they are actively involved in the metabolism of the male body. Proteins help the body produce amino acids, which are active ingredient metabolism of muscle tissue. Special nutrition for athletes is made from dairy products in order to maintain muscles in working condition. Milk proteins and proteins directly affect the formation of muscles. The development of male muscles is influenced by the hormone testosterone, so it must be maintained in the right amount in organism. With the correct use of sour cream and muscle training, the male hormonal background will also improve, and this has a good effect on potency. Sperm is also made up of protein, which is why it's so important to get enough of it. building material.

Among other things, dairy products are also excreted from the body. harmful substances. Sour cream contains live lactic acid bacteria; during production, it is enriched with live cultures of bifidus and lactobacilli. They have a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract and increase human immunity.

Despite the fact that sour cream is very high in calories, you can lose weight on it. It is worth completely replacing the butter with sour cream, so you will reduce the number of calories consumed per day. Also, this product can be used in many dietary salads.

It should also be noted that sour cream is a strong aphrodisiac for men and improves sexual desire.

Sour cream contraindications:

The product is undesirable to include in the diet of people with liver disease, obesity and hypertension. These diseases are direct contraindications for regular use.

The benefits and harms of sour cream, as in any other product, are closely combined with each other. Many believe that it is the harm from this dairy product that prevails, the use of which can harm not only the figure, but also health. Indeed, there is some truth in this: the high fat content and calorie content of sour cream can cause harm. With the systematic use of such a product with a high percentage of fat content, there may be problems with fat metabolism, and, as a result, there will be a load on the liver and gallbladder.

Many from the use of sour cream refrains from its calorie content. But people who are prone to fullness, knowing how many calories are in sour cream of a particular fat content, can easily control their diet and not get better by eating a tasty and healthy product.

The opinion that this product contains a lot of cholesterol is also not justified. Even in the fattest sour cream, there is less cholesterol than in butter. It is absorbed by the body faster than milk.

So, to summarize - excessive consumption of this dairy product can be fraught with consequences for people who have a diseased liver, as well as heart disease and pressure problems.

And one more thing worth repeating and noting:

Sour cream is a very high-calorie product and contains a lot of fat. Therefore, it is not recommended to eat it for people who watch their figure.

The issue of proper storage of sour cream and its period, which is usually no more than 72 hours, is very important.

If it is stored at elevated temperatures and with access to air from external environment, sour cream spoils quickly. Milk fats are oxidized, various bacteria begin to actively multiply in it. As a result of these processes, its taste deteriorates, mold appears, and sour cream becomes unfit for food.

Eating such sour cream can harm the human body.

Sour cream contains a fairly large amount of cholesterol. Of course, it is less in it than in butter, and therefore it is more preferable, but its excessive consumption can lead to violations of fat metabolism.

You should know that: sour cream is not combined with bread, any cereals and potatoes.

Therefore, you should not eat it at the same time with them!

Sour cream is undesirable for:

Diseases of the gallbladder and liver (due to the large amount of fat contained in it);

Overweight, obesity, as it is very high in calories;

Various cardiovascular diseases, in particular in the presence of problems with blood pressure (cholesterol constricts blood vessels).

What is useful sour cream for women?

Many people know about the benefits of sour cream for men. But I would like to talk about the benefits of this fermented milk product for women in more detail.

Sour cream, in fact, is not only a concentrate of milk fat, but also all the fat-soluble vitamins found in milk. One of these biologically active substances, namely vitamin B4 or choline, should be given Special attention: it is necessary for expectant mothers, as well as for women who are just planning a pregnancy, since this vitamin is needed for proper development baby's brain. Young women who use oral contraceptives should also increase their choline intake in order to avoid the depression that these drugs can cause.

In addition to vitamins, sour cream also contains some minerals, in particular calcium, which is necessary for women, especially during menopause.

Sour cream perfectly regulates the hormonal background. This is especially important for ladies, as they are the most likely to suffer from such “fluctuations”.

This food product is widely used in cosmetology. On the basis of sour cream, multiple masks for skin and hair are made.

Sour cream, despite the high fat content, is useful for the female body during periods of diets. After all, it has a great effect on bowel function, preventing constipation.

Sour cream for the face:

What is useful sour cream for facial skin?

• Sour cream helps protect skin cells from the aging process. Sour cream masks have a pronounced rejuvenating effect.
• Vitamin E contained in sour cream normalizes metabolic processes occurring in skin cells.
• Vitamin C improves blood circulation in skin cells, is a natural antioxidant.
• Vitamin A restores skin cells, participates in the processes of regeneration of the skin, prevents the aging of skin cells.
• Sour cream masks perfectly whiten the skin, making freckles and age spots on the face less noticeable. And the skin around the eyes sour cream helps to remove dark circles, make them less visible.
• Various minerals and organic acids found in sour cream nourish, saturate, moisturize the skin, improve cellular metabolism.

All fermented milk products such as kefir, spoiled milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, etc. contain lactic acid, which has a very beneficial effect on the skin and its appearance. Lactic acid, like fruit acids, is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that is used in many lines of anti-aging skin care products. famous brands. This is precisely why sour cream for facial skin is so popular in homemade natural cosmetics.

An interesting video about what you did not know about sour cream:

How to treat sunburn with sour cream?

In pursuit of a fashionable beautiful tan, many girls, not calculating their strengths and capabilities, get sunburn. Peeled skin has never been in fashion, and the sensations during burns are such that you don’t even think about beauty.

Sunburn occurs as a result of excessive exposure to UV rays on the skin, so you can get burned not only on the beach, but also get burned in the solarium.

In folk medicine, it is a very popular remedy for sunburn, as dairy products soften, cool the skin and soothe the burning sensation. Just lubricate the burns with chilled sour cream or kefir several times a day. When the sour cream begins to dry on the skin and you feel tightness, wash it off with a damp cotton swab and apply fresh.

Attention: if your skin is severely damaged, there are large blisters, this method of treatment should not be used, the result may be reversed.

Supporters traditional medicine They say that sunburn can be treated with sour cream. But official medicine believes that it would be much more correct to treat burns with special medical ointments and creams. And if there are none at hand, then use a cool compress.

Sour cream is a popular dairy product, which from time immemorial has occupied one of the main places on the table of almost every inhabitant of our country. It is made from cream followed by lactic acid fermentation. She is loved for her pleasant mild taste, many useful qualities and absolute versatility of application, and use it in cooking, cosmetology and traditional medicine.

Sour cream production

Every skilled housewife knows that sour cream can be prepared at home. It is very easy and simple, it is enough to remove the cream from the settled whole milk and leave it in the cold to ripen for a couple of days. It is also possible to pass whole milk through a separator, which degreases it, separating the cream, and at the same time cleans the milk from contamination.

Lactic acid streptococci contained in cream give sour cream the necessary acidity, aroma, color and taste.

"Shop" sour cream is made at dairy plants from a special starter culture and pasteurized milk. Unscrupulous manufacturers make this dairy product using vegetable fats, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and more instead of cream.

Qualitative fresh product should have a uniform texture, be fat and thick without the presence of grains, the taste is slightly sour. The fatter it is, the thicker it is. Therefore, the thick consistency of sour cream with low fat content indicates that the product is not natural, a lot of “chemistry” has been added to it.

The classic look and taste can only be achieved by using natural heavy cream. Sour cream made in a different way is not only useful, but perhaps even harmful to our body.

It is imperative to comply temperature regime during storage of sour cream, otherwise the process of oxidation of milk fats and, as a result, the active reproduction of harmful microorganisms may begin in it.

Main characteristics and properties

high-quality sour cream improves appetite and even improves mood

High-quality sour cream is very useful for our body. The benefit of sour cream is that it is well absorbed, satiates, does not burden the stomach, increases appetite, perfectly stimulates digestion, and even improves mood. This dairy product contains a whole range of useful substances and vitamins, in particular vitamins A, C, E, group B, PP, organic acids. It is very rich in calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, biotin, lecithin and other micro and macro elements. Sour cream also contains carbohydrates, animal proteins, acids and sugars.

Sour cream can have different fat content, that is, the presence of fat in the composition. Manufacturers of this product indicate the fat content of sour cream as a percentage. She may be:

• lean (10, 12 or 14% fat);
• low fat (15, 17 or 19% fat);
• classic (from 20 to 34% fat);
• fatty (from 35 to 48%).
• high-fat (from 50 to 58%).

Interestingly, low-fat fifteen percent sour cream has a calorie content of 162 kcal per 100 g. product. Accordingly, the calorie content of a glass of a product of this fat content will be 405 kcal.

Dietary Properties

this product is a dietary product that improves digestion

Nutritionists like no one know about the benefits of sour cream. They mark her beneficial features as a product, first of all, having a beneficial effect on the secretory activity of the stomach. This fermented milk product is well absorbed by the body and helps in the fight against intestinal colitis, peptic ulcer. When ripening and ripening, it is saturated with substances that are quickly and well absorbed by the body.

In order to reduce excess weight, many leading nutritionists in the world recommend a sour cream diet. In addition to losing weight, it helps to normalize metabolism, improve the functioning of the digestive system and remove excess fluid from the body.

This diet should be followed for 2-3 days, during which the following diet should be observed: consume 400 gr. sour cream with a fat content of 20-30%. There should be five doses every three hours. It is better to eat with a dessert spoon, so the feeling of fullness will come faster. In between meals, drink rosehip infusion, and no more than 2 glasses a day.

Such a diet helps to lose up to 3 kilograms in two days. But it has contraindications. In particular, it is undesirable for professional athletes and people who have serious problems with health.

Low-fat sour cream is a dietary product that is useful for both children and the elderly. It is also useful for sick people, because it can speed up rehabilitation after an illness, improve hormonal levels.

In order to preserve the beneficial properties of sour cream, it is recommended to add it to ready-made dishes, in particular, to first courses: soups, saltwort, cabbage soup, borscht. It is also used for cooking second courses. Fish, meat, mushrooms, vegetables are stewed and baked in sour cream, various desserts are made with it: jellies, creams, casseroles, it is added to the dough.

Many traditional Russian dishes are hard to imagine without sour cream. After all, it is an excellent dressing for pancakes, cheesecakes, pancakes, dumplings, vegetable salads etc.

Sour cream in folk medicine and cosmetology

regular consumption of sour cream has a beneficial effect on male potency

Sour cream has found its wide use in folk medicine.

So, eating it together with raw carrots increases the body's resistance to infections, improves eyesight.

Sour cream for men who regularly consume it is an excellent means of maintaining and increasing potency.

Everyone knows that fatty sour cream for sunburn helps relieve burning, redness and soothe the skin. For any other light burn, when the skin is not blistered, it is recommended to immediately apply the following mixture liberally on it: mix 2 tbsp. l. sour cream with egg yolk and 1 tbsp. l. sunflower oil. Cover with a gauze bandage, change it once a day.

Among the people, sour cream is considered an excellent antidepressant, helps to endure stress, and improves mood. To cheer up, just eat a glass of fresh sour cream, whipped with sugar.

Regular consumption of sour cream helps to improve a person's memory. In particular, only 100 gr. of this dairy product contains a quarter daily allowance choline. Choline is a good brain stimulant, it sharpens memory and increases intellectual abilities. Also, choline has a positive effect on the development of the brain of a child in the womb, so it is especially useful for pregnant women to eat this product.

In women after thirty-five years of age, who consume sour cream daily, menopause occurs later, because this product contains copper, which plays an important role in the production of female sex hormones.

This fatty product perfectly helps to absorb many vitamins that enter the body.

Since ancient times, women have chosen sour cream as an excellent cosmetic product that can soothe the skin, saturate it with useful nutrients, smooth wrinkles, narrow pores, and even whiten. It is used as the basis for various cosmetic masks, creams for all skin types.

Sour cream is also used when taking baths: it nourishes the body, makes it soft and velvety.

Fermented milk products should be present in the diet of every person, because they are a source of a huge amount of useful substances. Such food saturates our body with proteins and fats, has a positive effect on the state of everything. digestive tract and contributes to the optimization of the activity of many organs and systems. One of the most popular fermented milk products is considered to be sour cream. On the shelves of supermarkets and simpler stores, it is offered to us by many manufacturers, of various fat content and in a variety of packaging. Why is sour cream useful to the human body, what are the benefits and harms of it, how many calories are in it. All of this will be discussed further.

Sour cream is one of the original Russian products. It is prepared on the basis of cream, subjected to lactic acid fermentation. This product is loved by many, thanks to its mild taste, a lot of useful qualities and absolute versatility of use. After all, sour cream is used in cooking, and in cosmetology, and even in traditional medicine recipes.

How nutritious is sour cream, what is its calorie content?

On the shelves of stores you can see sour cream of different fat content. 10% sour cream has a calorie content of 115 kcal. 100 g of a product similar in composition to milk, with 15% fat content, contains 158 kcal. Sour cream of 20% fat content, corresponding in composition to milk, contains 206 kcal.

Homemade sour cream usually has forty percent fat, one hundred grams of such a product is a source of three hundred and eighty calories.

Why is sour cream valued by us, what properties does it have?

Sour cream is a natural quality product, its consumption helps to optimize metabolic processes. She digests better than milk. Eating it positively affects the condition of the entire digestive tract. This product is often included in many diets, both for weight loss and medicinal, which were developed by specialists. So sour cream is strongly recommended to consume with intestinal colitis, as well as with ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract and anemia.

High-quality sour cream is perfectly digested and gives a feeling of fullness. In addition, it does not burden the stomach, activates the appetite and stimulates the digestion process. It is believed that the consumption of such a product can improve mood. This dairy product is a source of a whole complex of various useful substances. Among them there are quite a lot of vitamins represented by provitamin A, ascorbic acid, tocopherol, B vitamins, vitamin PP. Sour cream also contains a number of organic acids. It is especially rich in calcium, magnesium and sodium, it contains some phosphorus, biotin, lecithin and others. minerals. In addition, such a fermented milk product saturates the body with carbohydrates, animal proteins, acids and sugars.

The consumption of sour cream in combination with raw carrots helps to increase the body's resistance to various infectious diseases and improve the quality of vision. Such a product will be especially useful for men, because with systematic consumption it effectively maintains and increases potency.

Sour cream is actively used by the people to treat sunburn, in which case a couple of tablespoons of such a product should be combined with egg yolk, as well as a tablespoon of sunflower oil. Apply this composition to the affected area, cover with gauze and change once a day.

Also, eating this fermented milk product can play the role of a good antidepressant. Sour cream helps to cope with stress and irritability.

The systematic intake of it in food contributes to a significant improvement in human memory. After all, only one hundred grams of such a product contains about a quarter of the daily requirement of choline. This substance is an excellent stimulant of brain activity, it activates memory and helps to improve intellectual abilities. Choline in the diet of a pregnant woman has a positive effect on the development of the fetal brain.

With obesity or diseases of the cardiovascular system (the same atherosclerosis), sour cream can become great alternative oil. After all, it contains very little cholesterol. However, it should be consumed in these cases only in limited quantities.

It is believed that if a woman eats sour cream every day after the age of thirty-five, then she will face menopause an order of magnitude later. This property of this product is explained by the presence of copper in its composition, which is important for the synthesis of female sex hormones.

Sour cream has long been used by the fair sex as an excellent cosmetic product that can soothe the skin, saturate them with mass. nutrients, eliminate wrinkles, minimize pores and slightly whiten. Such a fermented milk product serves as an excellent basis for many masks, in addition, it can be added to baths.

Can sour cream be dangerous, can there be harm from it?

Excessive consumption of sour cream can really harm your health. If there is a particularly fatty product, over time, such an additive to the diet can provoke disturbances in fat metabolism and cause problems with the liver and gallbladder. Also, excessive intake of sour cream in food can harm the figure. Such a hobby is also contraindicated for people who have problems with the liver, heart and pressure.

Among other things, low-quality sour cream can also harm, for example, one that was not stored correctly during delivery or in the store itself. Such sour cream is contraindicated for consumption. Try to identify it by a slightly swollen appearance packaging.

Sour cream is an easily digestible fermented milk product that can be added to soup or borscht, consumed with pancakes and cheesecakes, and seasoned with salads. The question of whether it is possible to give sour cream to babies, whether it is useful for the child's body, is of interest to many parents.

The fat content of sour cream is different - from 10% to 40%, although there is less cholesterol in it than in butter: 1 tsp. butter contains 9.5 g of cholesterol, while 10% sour cream contains only 3.4 g.

When and what kind of sour cream can you give your baby

Fatty (above 48%) sour cream is allowed to be consumed only by adolescent children who are not inclined to be overweight.

Pediatricians advise starting to introduce sour cream into a child’s diet no earlier than 2 years old and with a small amount. For this, dietary, that is, 10% sour cream, is suitable to reduce the load on the pancreas, the enzymatic activity of which has not yet been fully formed.

From 2.5 to 3.5 years old, you can give your child 15% sour cream. From the age of 4, the use of sour cream with a fat content of 15-25% is allowed. It is not recommended to give a fatter product to babies.

Fatty (48%) and high-fat (up to 58%) sour cream, with its excellent creamy taste, can be consumed by adolescents (not prone to obesity) in limited quantities due to the risk of indigestion and high calorie content of the product. The higher the fat content of sour cream, the less protein it contains.

To start, 1 tsp. sour cream can be added to cottage cheese, grated, vegetable puree. In the absence of intolerance, you can gradually increase the dose to 2-3 tsp. Unlike other fermented milk products, which must be included in the diet daily, sour cream and cream can be given 2-3 times a week.

If the baby is prone to allergies, it is better to postpone the use of sour cream until 3 years old, replacing it with low-fat yogurt or baby cream 5-10 g per day as part of various dishes.

What are the benefits of sour cream

Useful properties of the original Russian product are associated with the composition of sour cream:

• easily digestible proteins and valuable amino acids are necessary for the child's body as a building material for new cells;
• sour cream is a storehouse of trace elements necessary for the body (copper, sodium, sulfur, phosphorus, selenium, molybdenum, etc.): phosphorus and calcium are used to form bone tissue, potassium will ensure normal cardiac activity, magnesium will strengthen the nervous system;
• fatty acids promote the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, increase the synthesis of digestive enzymes, improve appetite;
• saturated fats in the form of conjugated linoleic acids in sour cream reduce the risk of heart disease, increase the body's defenses, and prevent;
• carbohydrates serve to provide the child's body with energy;
• sour cream contains a lot of vitamins (, E, H, D, choline, folic acid), involved in metabolic processes, the formation of immunity, ensuring the health of hair, skin, nails;
• choline normalizes lipid metabolism and central nervous system function;
• lecithin promotes the development of intelligence and improves memory;
• the lactose contained in sour cream is necessary for the vital activity of lactobacilli (useful), this prevents development;
• the use of sour cream stimulates bowel movements, which prevents the development of fermentation and putrefactive processes in the intestines;
• in the process of fermentation, the structure of milk proteins changes, which contributes to their complete assimilation and rapid recovery in case of fatigue.

Sour cream gives dishes a special flavor that can improve a child's appetite.

Is it possible harm from sour cream

Due to the functional immaturity of the enzymatic apparatus of the digestive system, the use of sour cream (even low-fat) by a child under 2 years of age will lead to bloating, pain and stool disorders (diarrhea).

The use of sour cream can adverse effect per child in the following cases:

• if the baby is intolerant to lactose (milk sugar), an allergic reaction may occur;
• when introduced into the diet of a child under 2 years old: the digestion of sour cream will be difficult due to the presence of saturated fats in its composition and the imperfection of the enzymatic capabilities of the digestive tract, which will cause diarrhea and;
• the use of high-fat sour cream by a child can lead to metabolic disorders, malfunction of the endocrine glands, pathology of the liver and gallbladder;
• excess sour cream in a child's diet can lead to (overweight);
• sour cream purchased in a store may contain preservatives, thickeners, etc., harmful to the child's body;
• the use of expired sour cream by a child is fraught with the occurrence of food poisoning, the manifestations of which will be nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

How to choose sour cream for a child

The choice of sour cream for a child should be based on 2 requirements:

• freshness;
• naturalness of the product.

When buying in a store, you should carefully read the expiration date and composition: the product for baby food must be natural, do not contain stabilizers, preservatives, vegetable fats or other additives.

Sour cream should have a short implementation period - no more than 3-7 days. This will confirm the naturalness of the product. If the quality guarantee period is longer, it means that there are preservatives in the composition.

In natural sour cream there are only 2 components - cream and sourdough. The presence of normalized cream in the composition indicates that the cream was diluted with skim milk to the required fat content.

The abbreviation "GOST" on the label confirms the naturalness and quality of the product, while the marking "TU" entitles manufacturers, depending on specifications introduce additives without adhering to the standard.

The density of sour cream has long ceased to be a guarantee of its quality, since manufacturers can use thickeners and stabilizers, replace milk fat with vegetable fat, and milk proteins with soy.

You should also pay attention to the integrity of the packaging. Opening the jar, you need to spend visual assessment product.

Quality and naturalness are evidenced by:

• homogeneity of the product without any lumps and separated liquid;
• white color (let's say a slight yellowish tint);
• absence of extraneous unpleasant odors;
• sour-milk pleasant taste.

If these requirements are not met, sour cream should not be given to a child, because this may indicate violations in the process of manufacturing, transportation, storage of the product, contamination of it with pathogenic (pathogenic) microorganisms.

Homemade sour cream

It is not at all difficult to cook sour cream for a child for a mother at home. This will give confidence in the naturalness and freshness of the product, the absence of harmful additives. The initial product for its manufacture is baby cream of the required fat content.

For their fermentation, special ferments are used (Evitalia, Yogurtel, Genesis, Vivo, Lactina), which can be purchased at a pharmacy.

For manufacturing, you can use a yogurt maker, a slow cooker or even a thermos. The lactic acid sourdough culture works at a temperature of 30 to 36 ° C, so you should warm up the pasteurized or sterilized cream a little and add the sourdough in the appropriate dosage instructions. After 8-9 hours of content in a yogurt maker (slow cooker), the product acquires density and taste. Closed glass container it is placed in the refrigerator for a day. The term of use of such sour cream is no more than 3 days.

In what form to give the child sour cream

In the diet of a child, sour cream can be:

• add to borscht or soup;
• serve with casseroles, cheesecakes;
• mix it with cottage cheese;
• dressing a salad of fruits and vegetables;
• stew vegetables, meat and fish in sour cream - they will acquire a soft texture and a delicate taste;
• prepare sauce for meatballs;
• bake cookies with sour cream.

Summary for parents

Until the age of 2, sour cream should not be introduced into the baby's diet, it is better to give him low-fat kefir or yogurt, baby cream. After 2 years, sour cream will be useful if you follow all the recommended rules without abusing the amount of the product. Being engaged in the manufacture of homemade sour cream, the mother will be sure of its quality and safety for the health of the child.

On the benefits and harms of sour cream in the NTV program "Food alive and dead" (see from 24:00 min.):

https://youtu.be/oOH5e4EHUYw