More than 7,000 years ago, people in Central Asia discovered that milk left to ferment naturally turned into a tangy, creamy food we now call yogurt. Since then, yogurt has been part of many traditional diets and is still valued for its health benefits.
In the early 1900s, Russian scientist Élie Metchnikoff noticed something unusual: Many peasants in Bulgaria lived past 100 years. He linked this to their daily habit of eating yogurt made from sheep’s milk, fermented with a special bacterium later named Lactobacillus bulgaricus. This discovery helped popularize yogurt around the world as a “longevity food.”
Traditional Bulgarian yogurt was simple: Warm milk was cooled and mixed with a spoonful of yogurt from the previous batch, allowing the bacteria to multiply. The result was a thick, sour product eaten with bread, vegetables, or diluted into a refreshing drink.
Fast forward to today, yogurt has taken new forms—including soy yogurt, made from fermented soy milk. Originally developed in East Asia and popularised in the 1970s among vegetarians and the lactose-intolerant, soy yogurt has grown into a global alternative.
How do the two compare? Dairy yogurt provides calcium, probiotics, and protein, but also contains saturated fat and lactose. Soy yogurt, on the other hand, is naturally lactose-free, lower in saturated fat, and rich in plant compounds called isoflavones, which may protect the heart and reduce cancer risks.
So which is healthier? Both have benefits. Dairy yogurt shines for bone health and gut bacteria, while soy yogurt offers heart-friendly, plant-based nutrition. For many people—especially those avoiding animal products or dairy intolerance—soy yogurt may be the smarter choice.
From the villages of Bulgaria to today’s supermarket shelves, yogurt remains more than just food—it’s part of the human search for health and long life.
