Top Health Benefits of Buttermilk

Introduction

Chilled buttermilk is a soothing drink, especially in summer, and offers numerous health benefits as well. Traditional buttermilk is the residue left behind after milk cream is churned into butter. It can also be made by diluting and mixing water with curd. It is commonly known as ‘chhaas’. Commercially available cultured buttermilk is prepared by fermenting no-fat milk with bacteria that produce lactic acid¹. It is more viscous than traditional buttermilk.

Nutritional Value of Buttermilk

100 ml of buttermilk gives about 40 calories of energy. It contains less fat and fewer calories than milk due to the removal of butter. It is a good source of protein and calcium, and also contains sodium, potassium, vitamins and traces of phosphorus.

Health Benefits of Drinking Buttermilk

Some of the potential benefits of buttermilk are listed below:

1. Natural Coolant for the Body

Buttermilk is amazingly refreshing and helps cool our bodies quickly. A glass of buttermilk topped with cumin seeds, mint and salt is well suited to quench our thirst and cool our bodies in the hot summer months from April to July.

It can also be topped with ice cubes and proves to be a good alternative to the chemical-laden cold drinks available in the market. A glass of buttermilk can also provide relief to post-menopausal women who experience hot flashes.

2. Promotes Better Hydration

Buttermilk is made using curd and water. It contains around 90 per cent of water and electrolytes like potassium. Thus, buttermilk is effective in maintaining hydration and water balance in the body².

3. Good for Digestive Health

Buttermilk is a boon for our digestive system³. Healthy bacteria and lactic acid in buttermilk help digestion and improve our metabolism.

It also helps maintain regular bowel movements and helps people who suffer from constipation. Buttermilk may help manage Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)⁴. The presence of probiotics in buttermilk may support a healthy gut environment.

Here’s a fantastic health benefit of buttermilk you don’t want to miss. If you’re dealing with annoying haemorrhoids and have tried countless medications without success, it’s time to give buttermilk a chance. Just add a cup of this creamy goodness to your daily diet and enjoy the relief it might bring!

Dr. Anuja Bodhare, B.A.M.S M.D (Ayu)

4. Boosts Energy

It may provide more energy and keep you active throughout the day. The riboflavin in buttermilk is a B vitamin that is vital for your body’s energy production systems. It also helps regulate your body’s amino acids, which make up proteins.

5. Good for Bones & Teeth

Buttermilk is a good source of calcium. 100 ml of buttermilk contains around 116 mg of calcium.

Calcium is essential for a healthy skeletal system. It makes our bones and teeth strong. Calcium helps to prevent degenerative bone diseases like osteoporosis⁵.

Calcium is also required for clotting of blood, contraction of muscles and beating of the heart.

6. May Help Soothe Acidity

Oily and spicy foods can often lead to acid reflux and cause heartburn. A glass of buttermilk topped with black pepper and coriander helps in easing our symptoms of acidity.

The lactic acid in buttermilk normalises the acidity in the stomach and gives a soothing effect.

7. May Help to Lower Cholesterol Levels

Some studies⁶ suggest that fermented dairy products like buttermilk may support heart health as part of a balanced diet. 

8. May Support Healthy Blood Pressure

Regular consumption of buttermilk may help manage blood pressure and thus help patients with hypertension and heart diseases⁷. Potassium in buttermilk may help maintain normal blood pressure levels.

9. Good for Immunity

Drinking buttermilk every day may strengthen our immune system⁸. The probiotics in buttermilk may support a healthy gut, which plays a role in immune function.

10. Good for Our Skin

Probiotics in buttermilk keep our digestion proper and thus help in removing toxins from our bodies. Buttermilk is traditionally used for its soothing and cleansing properties for the skin. Its lactic acid content may help in gentle exfoliation.

Buttermilk is like a magical elixir that might help to slow down the ageing process. By nourishing our bodies with its nutrients, it may keep our arteries flexible and ward off ageing symptoms like memory reduction, vision decline, wrinkles, and greying hair. Sip on buttermilk regularly and keep the signs of old age and disease at bay.

Dr. Smita Barode, B.A.M.S M.S.

11. Provides Essential Vitamins

Buttermilk is rich in B complex vitamins and vitamin D. Vitamins are very important and help our body in numerous ways.

12. May Support Weight Management

Buttermilk is rich in proteins, vitamins and several minerals but low in calories and fats.

Drinking buttermilk keeps us hydrated and energetic. It also makes us feel full, thus reducing the unnecessary consumption of junk food. It is an ideal drink for people who want to lose weight.

13. May Help in Detoxification

Buttermilk contains riboflavin that helps in converting food into energy⁹, which can be used by the body to perform various functions. It also helps in the secretion of certain hormones, improves liver function and facilitates detoxification of the body. 

When it comes to buttermilk, it’s important to know that there’s more than one type to delight your taste buds. And each type offers its unique taste and characteristics. Sweet buttermilk is the most studied, made from churning uncultured cream3. Sour buttermilk has a tangy flavour and comes from churning cultured cream. Whey buttermilk, on the other hand, is produced during the making of whey butter.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

Also Read: 10 Health Benefits of Eating Yoghurt Every Day!

How to Make Buttermilk at Home?

• Buttermilk can be made by churning full-fat cream. Butter collects on the top. The residue left after removing butter is called buttermilk.
• Take some curd and add an equal amount of water to it. Blend them together.
• Take 1 cup milk and add 1 tablespoon vinegar or lime juice to it. Stir well and let it sit for around 5 minutes. Your buttermilk is ready.
• Then temper buttermilk with little oil, kadhi patta, asafoetida, coriander, cumin seeds, black salt, pepper, ginger, green chillies, mint, etc., as per our taste to enhance buttermilk benefits and flavour. 

Additionally, making buttermilk preparations can be a breeze, so we’ve listed a few simple recipes below. While we cover a few ideas on what to make with buttermilk, do not limit yourself to these recipes and try out new things on your own as well:  

• Add buttermilk to your baked goods like lemon cakes, chocolate cakes and cream-cheese cakes for an added dash of flavour. 
• Use buttermilk when making chowder (a type of rich soup usually served with seafood elements), add it to the final stage of the soup and optionally build the taste with smoked salmon. 
• Make a sumptuous salad dressing with buttermilk, honey, apricot, celery, vinegar, mint leaves and cheese. This can be used on shredded chicken or any other veggie-based salad of your choice.
• Add buttermilk to your regular pancake batter instead of water or milk, along with baking soda and unsalted butter for fluffy, yummy pancakes. You can optionally top this with maple syrup or strawberries. 

Whether you buy it from the store or try homemade buttermilk, its uses are limited by your creativity and preferences only. Buttermilk is a versatile, healthy and delicious ingredient, so start using it today! 

Hold onto your taste buds because buttermilk has a secret ingredient that’s truly remarkable! It is known as the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM)³. This special component is packed with bioactive compounds that have many incredible health benefits. From fighting tumours to lowering cholesterol, MFGM might bring positive impacts to your body.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S M.D (Ayu)

Also Read: 10 Benefits Of Drinking Water From Copper Bottle Vessels

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

References

1. Elsevier. Buttermilk [Internet]. ScienceDirect Topics. [cited 2025 Apr 24]. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/buttermilk
2. India Meteorological Department. Press Release: Monthly Weather and Climate Summary for April 2024 and Outlook for May 2024 [Internet]. Government of India, Ministry of Earth Sciences; 2024 May 1 [cited 2025 Apr 24]. Available from: https://internal.imd.gov.in/press_release/20240501_pr_2974.pdf
3. Barukčić I, Lisak Jakopović K, Božanić R. Valorisation of whey and buttermilk for production of functional beverages – an overview of current possibilities. Food Technol Biotechnol. 2019 Dec;57(4):448-460. doi: 10.17113/ftb.57.04.19.6460. PMID: 32123507; PMCID: PMC7029383. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7029383/
4. Heizer WD, Southern S, McGovern S. The role of diet in symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in adults: a narrative review. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 Jul;109(7):1204-14. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2009.04.012. PMID: 19559137. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19559137/
5. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). Calcium and Vitamin D: Important for Bone Health [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; [cited 2025 Apr 24]. Available from: https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/calcium-and-vitamin-d-important-bone-health
6. Li KJ, Burton-Pimentel KJ, Vergères G, Feskens EJM, Brouwer-Brolsma EM. Fermented foods and cardiometabolic health: Definitions, current evidence, and future perspectives. Front Nutr. 2022 Sep 20;9:976020. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.976020. PMID: 36204374; PMCID: PMC9530890. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9530890/
7. Conway V, Couture P, Gauthier S, Pouliot Y, Lamarche B. Effect of buttermilk consumption on blood pressure in moderately hypercholesterolemic men and women. Nutrition. 2014 Jan;30(1):116-9. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2013.07.021. Epub 2013 Oct 25. PMID: 24206823. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24206823/
8. Asif M, Nadeem M, Imran M, Ullah R, Tayyab M, Khan FA, Al-Asmari F, Rahim MA, Rocha JM, Korma SA, Esatbeyoglu T. Effect of fat contents of buttermilk on fatty acid composition, lipolysis, vitamins and sensory properties of cheddar-type cheese. Front Microbiol. 2023 Aug 30;14:1209509. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1209509. PMID: 37711688; PMCID: PMC10499506. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10499506/
9. Nirgude R, Binorkar SV, Parlikar GR, Kirte MC, Savant DP. Therapeutic and nutritional values of takra (buttermilk). Int Res J Pharm. 2013;4(2):29–32. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304534184_Therapeutic_and_nutritional_values_of_takra_buttermilk

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

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