Yakult facts for kids
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A single serving of Yakult
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| Type | Drink |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Yakult Honsha |
| Distributor | Yakult Honsha |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Introduced | 1935 |
| Colour | Light peach |
| Ingredients | Water, skimmed milk, glucose-fructose syrup, sucrose, citrus, live Lacticaseibacillus casei Shirota |
Yakult (ヤクルト, Yakuruto) is a popular Japanese drink. It's a sweet, milky drink that has special good bacteria in it. This bacteria is called Lacticaseibacillus casei Shirota. People drink Yakult because they believe it helps their tummies stay healthy.
Yakult is made by a company called Yakult Honsha, which is in Tokyo, Japan. The name "Yakult" comes from an old word, "jahurto," which means "yogurt" in a language called Esperanto.
Contents
What's in Yakult?
Yakult is made from a few simple things. Its main ingredients are water, skimmed milk, and different kinds of sugar like glucose-fructose syrup and sucrose. It also has natural flavors, like citrus.
The most important ingredient is the live Lacticaseibacillus casei Shirota bacteria. This special type of bacteria is what makes Yakult a probiotic drink. It was once known as Lactobacillus casei.
How Yakult is Made
Making Yakult involves a special process. First, glucose is added to skimmed milk. This mixture is then heated to a very high temperature, about 90 to 95 degrees Celsius, for about 30 minutes. This step helps to make sure the milk is clean and ready.
After heating, the mixture cools down to about 45 degrees Celsius. Then, the special Lacticaseibacillus bacteria is added. This is called "inoculation." The mixture then sits for 6 to 7 days at a warm temperature (37 to 38 degrees Celsius). During this time, the bacteria grow and ferment the milk.
After the fermentation is complete, more water, sugar, and natural gums are added. A little lactic acid is also added to give it its unique taste.
Health Benefits of Yakult
Many people drink Yakult because they believe it helps their health. In 2006, experts in the Netherlands looked at information about Yakult. They found that drinking at least one bottle a day might help people who have trouble going to the bathroom regularly. It might also help keep the good bacteria in their gut healthy.
However, not all health claims have been supported. In 2010, a group in Europe looked at a claim that Yakult could help protect against common colds. They found that there wasn't enough proof for this claim.
In 2013, an advertising group in the UK also looked at a Yakult ad. They agreed that the good bacteria in Yakult do reach the gut. But they said the ad needed to be more specific about its health claims.
The Story of Yakult
Yakult was created in 1935 in Japan by a scientist named Minoru Shirota. He also helped start the company Yakult Honsha to sell his new drink.
How Yakult Started
In 1930, Dr. Minoru Shirota worked to make the Lactobacillus casei Shirota bacteria stronger. Five years later, in 1935, Yakult started being made in Japan. The company grew, and in 1955, Yakult Honsha was officially formed.
Yakult Around the World
In 1963, Yakult started a special home delivery service. They hired "Yakult ladies" to deliver the drink right to people's homes. This made it very popular.
The next year, in 1964, Yakult began selling its drink in other countries, starting with Taiwan. In 1968, the first Yakult factory outside Japan opened in Brazil. More international growth happened in 1969, with new companies starting in Hong Kong and South Korea.
By 1981, Yakult was sold in Mexico. Later, in 1994, it became available in Australia, Great Britain, and the United States. In 2004, Yakult also started selling in New Zealand.
That same year, Yakult LIGHT was introduced in Australia. This version had less sugar. In 2017, Yakult LIGHT was made even healthier by replacing some sugar with Stevia, a natural sweetener. In 2014, Yakult opened its first factory in the United States, located in California.
Yakult in Pop Culture
Yakult has even appeared in movies and TV! In September 2018, it was reported that sales of Yakult went up after bottles of the drink appeared in the 2018 movie To All the Boys I've Loved Before. This movie made Yakult even more famous.
In January 2020, a famous sumo wrestler named Takakeishō Takanobu appeared in a TV commercial for Yakult 1000, a special version of the drink.
See also
In Spanish: Yakult para niños
- Actimel
- Calpis
- Fermented milk products
- List of fermented foods
- Tokyo Yakult Swallows
