What is Vagina “Yogurt”?

Well, it looks like yogurt, it smells like yogurt, but it’s not yogurt, at least not according to the regulatory definition enforced by the FDA. It should therefore more properly be called “Vagina Fermented Dairy.” For the sake of shorthand here, however, if I say Vagina Yogurt, you know what I am referring to.

For something to be called “yogurt,” the FDA requires that it must start with a dairy product (pasteurized or ultra-pasteurized full-fat milk, reduced fat milk, or skim milk), be fermented with the two traditional yogurt-making microbial species, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus to yield a minimum count of 10⁷ (10 million) per gram of yogurt at time of production, and achieve an acidic pH of 4.6 or lower (acidification due to fermentation). Such qualities are typically achieved by allowing 6-12 hours of fermentation. Then manufacturers are free to add sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, xanthan gum, gellan gum, carrageenan, and other additives.

Instead, we are going to ferment with the human microbe, Lactobacillus crispatus, an important inhabitant of the normal human vagina but lost by many due to antibiotic exposure, using my method of prolonged fermentation of 36 hours at 100°F with the addition of prebiotic fiber. Our testing has shown that we achieve around 1.2 x 10⁹ (1.2 billion) per gram or more than 100-fold higher numbers than the 10⁷ per gram of conventional yogurt. And, of course, I would advise you to not add sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, thickening agents, or other potentially unhealthy additives. We therefore cannot properly call it “yogurt,” but I’m going to propose that it is something better, whether or not it conforms to regulatory definitions.

L. crispatus is a fascinating microbe that plays essential supportive roles during the important milestones in a woman’s life: during reproductive years, during menopause, and all the years before and after. It also plays an important role in supporting urinary bladder health. I’ve formulated a starter culture to get you started making this fermented dairy product combined with L. reuteri and the fiber, hyaluronic acid, to increase its supportive effects.

The original IHB post is currently found on the: ⎆Infinite Health Blog, but accessing it there can require an unnecessary separate blog membership. The copy of it above is complete, and has been re-curated and enhanced for the Inner Circle membership.