Probiotics Fermented Milk: Arla's Kefir vs. Arla's A38

Today we are unpacking two of the biggest Danish's healthy probiotic heavyweights in the fermented fridge: Kefir (Picture 1-3) and A38 (Picture 4-6).

Arla's Kefir Natural Yogurt Drink is fermented with a complex combination of diverse lactic acid bacteria strains plus beneficial yeasts, while A38 Natural Yogurt Drink is fermented with the traditional Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA) bacteria cultures.

Arla's Cultura Kefir is better for broad gut health and nutrition with its complex combination of diverse lactic acid bacteria strains plus beneficial yeasts, while Arla A38 has higher protein and lower calories.

While both are probiotic fermented milks, A38 is a thicker, spoonable version for your breakfast bowl (although in our family, we drink it like we are drinking buttermilk), while Kefir is a fizzy, drinkable beverages.

What should you choose?

Choose both:

1. Rotate between these two for your family and children as daily milk drinks. Stir in a bit of honey right before you drink it. and voila, you have a delicious probiotics drinks. *

Don’t serve Yakult to your children as it contains a high amount of added sugar.

Do the Math: One tiny 80ml bottle of standard (red top) Yakult packs 9.5 to 10 grams of added sugar. That equals roughly 2.5 teaspoons of sugar in a very small serving.

2. Make smoothie alternating between the two.

3. Bake your bread rotating between these two.

Additional Information:

Gut Microbiome Diversity (Winner: Kefir): 

Arla Cultura Kefir is fermented with a complex symbiotic matrix of both diverse lactic acid bacteria and active yeasts. This dual-fermentation populates your gut with a wider variety of microflora than standard yogurts. A38 specifically targets the gut with its isolated, robust strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA-5®), which is great for targeted digestion but lacks kefir's overall strain variety.

Protein & Calories (Winner: A38): 

If you compare the standard 1.5% fat version of A38 against the 2.5% fat Kefir, A38 Naturel 1.5% gives you more protein and fewer calories per 100 grams.

Lactose Intolerance (Winner: Kefir): 

For many Chinese who are Lactose Intolerance, Arla Cultura Kefir Naturel is 100% lactose-free. Arla incorporates the lactase enzyme during production to pre-digest the milk sugars. (While A38 is naturally lower in lactose than regular milk due to its fermentation, it still contains standard milk sugars.)

* Do not mix the honey into the dairy ahead of time. If left together for many hours in a container, the concentrated honey will begin to degrade the live bacterial strains. Drizzle the honey on immediately before consuming.

Oh.. how fortunate we are in Denmark where these are available daily fresh and without processed additives from Netto and all Danish supermarkets at very cheap prices.

Please allow me to share a few lines to God. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Dear Lord Jesus, I have a wish. I wish that this will be affordably available in Singapore one day for my beloved Singaporeans. I know You are God and I know all things are possible with You. So I pray and entrust my wish to You, dear God. How great I am to know You personally, Lord. You are good all the time. And when bad things happen, You are still good all the time.

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Please allow me to share a few lines to my Chinese audience. Sorry for any inconvenience caused to non-Chinese readers.

益生菌，大家都知道对人体和胃的健康是多么的重要。

上帝啊，我感谢祢为我们创造了益生菌。我也感谢祢祝福Arla品牌。难得有这种负责任，好的公司。我们好幸福。

References:

https://www.arla.dk/.../artikler/bakteriekulturer-i-yoghurt/

Homemade Milk-Egg Enriched Oatmeal Porridge 🥣

 

Serves 8

In general, 1 part rolled oats, 2 parts milk

Ingredients:

1. 400ml rolled oats

2. 700ml fresh milk (I like to use full-cream fresh milk (sødmælk)) *

3. 8 eggs + 100ml milk *

4. 0.5g salt or 1 turn of the salt shaker🧂

* Total: 700ml fresh milk + 100ml fresh milk with the eggs = 800ml

Directions:

1. In a pot, add 400ml of rolled oats, 700ml of fresh milk and one turn of salt.

2. Bring to light boil under constant stirring on high heat (takes about 2-5 mins).

3. Cover and simmer under low heat (no. 4 on my stove) for 10 mins or until the rolled oats are cooked like porridge.

4. Now it’s done and is delicious eaten plain if you prefer not to add egg 🙂

5. To add egg, turn down the heat to low (no. 2.5 on my stove of 9). Then in a separate bowl, add 8 eggs and 100ml of milk, beat and mix well.

6. Gradually add the egg mixture to the oatmeal porridge under constant stirring to mix well. The heat of the hot porridge under simmering heat will cook the eggs. If you wish to cook it faster, turn up the heat to a max of medium (no. 4 on my stove) 

7. Done 🙂 You can cook and stir a little longer to let the liquid evaporate if you wish a thicker consistency:-) If you wish to thin it, adjust with a bit more milk.

Additional Information:

Every family has their own way of making oatmeal porridge. This is the way I make it for our family :--). Eat it on its own or with top with some berries🫐, sunflower seeds, strawberry sauce🍓or a bit of honey🍯

I also use this as base ingredients for our smoothie.

Some general ratios:

In general, use 1 part rolled oats to 2 parts fresh milk.

And mix 1 egg with approx. 1 tablespoon fresh milk.

I have to squeeze in as much protein as possible into C’s diet as she is a very picky eater.

It forces me to think creatively and use a lot of time to make home-cooked food. But in the process, I have discovered many wonderful and tasty recipes through trial and error.

God doesn’t waste any of our pain and suffering. Through this difficulty, God helped me to dive hard in, in search of food that our picky daughter could eat and grow up well.

It uses a lot of my time in these experiments. This is the one of reasons why I have chosen to be a stay home mom.

Oatmeal porridge cooked with fresh milk enhanced with eggs for vitamin B and vitamin D (the latter is much needed for bone growth and development) and a dash of salt.

You can sweeten with it honey or eat it without any sweetener.

This time round, i added more eggs -  3 eggs in this small pot of oatmeal. To prevent caking and to get a nice smooth egg custard texture, first beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then add a bit of milk, about 50 - 100 ml milk to the egg mixture, then stir into the pot in a tiny stream under low fire. Only add in the egg mixture at the last stage of cooking the oatmeal porridge, basically after the porridge is cooked.

Use low to medium heat (highest no. 4.5 out of 9 on my stove).

To make it even more tasty by giving it an added layer of texture and bite, sprinkle a tablespoon of raw oats into the porridge and mix well after you have off the fire and about to serve 🙂

Adjust the consistency to your liking by adding a bit of milk if needed.

If your child can accept it, add a bit of sunflower seeds. If they are picky like mine, you can a dash of muesli or chocolate chips of homemade strawberry sauce 🙂

There you go, you now have a delicious super-nutritious slow-burning energy oatmeal packed with natural calcium, vitamins B especially vitamin B12, vitamin D, minerals and loads of protein and fiber for your growing children.

And if you have a super picky eater like mine, don’t give up. Pray to Jesus. He understands and He will help you. He will dry your tears and give you the strength to continue being a mom.

Rolled oats

In a pot, turn heat to low-medium (no. 4 on my stove) and add 400ml of rolled oats.

Add 700ml of fresh milk. I like to use full-cream fresh milk for the richness, flavor and taste.

Add a pinch of salt 0.5g or 1 turn of the salt shaker.

Stir and mix well.

Cover and let it simmer and cook for 20 mins until cooked. Stir occasionally.

Noe it is done :-) You can eat it on its own like that, and it tastes super. You can also add eggs to enhance the nutritional value. If so, continue as follows:

In a separate bowl, crack 8 eggs and add 100ml of fresh milk.

Mix well.

Add egg mixture.

Stir and mix well.

Now it is done :-) Look how rich and creamy it is :-) You can eat it on its own now.

You can add some raw rolled oats in for a layer of taste and texture (optional).

You can also sweeten it with honey as desired.

Store it in an air-tight glass container and can keep in fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for 6 months.

You can sprinkle some raw rolled oats on top of the container too for layer and texture of taste, and it also helps to prevent a film from forming on the oat porridge (if you mind having this film).

Serve with a dash of homemade strawberry sauce (shape it into a heart :-)) or

Oatmeal porridge with homemade strawberry sauce sweetened with honey and top it with some berries and nuts for breakfast🍓Bon Appetit :-)

Healthy Creamy Strawberry Smoothie

Serves 1 - 2

Ingredients:

1. 3 large frozen strawberries (50g)
2. 3 small dried dates, pitted (20g)

3. 3 blueberries (5g) (optional)

4. 30g (2 TBS) natural Greek yogurt (0.1% fat)

5. 30g (2 TBS) pre-cooked oatmeal porridge (cooked with whole milk and egg) *

6. 1 cup (250 ml) whole fresh milk 3.5% fat

7. 1 walnut (2g) (optional)

8. 1/8 tsp vanilla powder (optional)

Instructions:

1. Layer the Liquids: Add the whole milk, Greek yogurt, and the pre-cooked egg porridge to the base of your high-speed blender.

2. Add the Sweetness & Crunch: Drop in the pitted dates, walnut, and vanilla powder.

3. Top with Fruit: Add the frozen strawberries and optional blueberries on top. (Putting frozen ingredients at the top helps the blender blades pull everything down smoothly).

4. Blend Until Silky: Blend on high for 45–60 seconds until the dates are completely pulverized and the smoothie is perfectly smooth and creamy.

5. Pour & Enjoy: Pour into a tall glass and enjoy immediately!

Nutritional Profile (Per Serving):

Calories: 345 kcal

Protein: 18.2 g

Carbohydrates: 41.9 g

Healthy Fats: 12.7 g

Additional Info:

This is a perfect breakfast that is fast to consume. The fast-acting natural sugars in the dates help you to wake up, while the complex carbs from the oatmeal provide a slow release of energy. The whole milk, Greek yogurt and egg give you a solid 18+ grams of high-quality protein to kickstart the day.

The secret to ultimate creaminess in this recipe is the combination of the Greek yogurt (which adds a rich, velvety texture) and the starches from the cooked porridge (which mimic the smooth thickness of real ice cream).

You can make the oat porridge in advance and store in the fridge ready to be used; or portion it into cubes using a ice-cube tray and store them in the freezer. Cooked oats blend completely seamlessly, giving the smoothie a thick, velvet-like consistency similar to a premium creamy milkshake.

In addition, adding oat porridge also helps your smoothie stay fresh longer by stabilizing the liquid, preventing your smoothie from separating and turning brown. It is the best method for keeping smoothie stable. When oats are cooked, their starches undergo gelatinization—meaning they swell up, absorb water, and form a thick, gel-like network. This structure is highly effective at locking in moisture and preventing the smoothie from separating into ugly layers:

High Viscosity: Oats act as a natural thickener. They absorb liquid and create a heavy, dense body that stops the drink from becoming watery.

Stable Suspension: Fruit in smoothie are tiny particles floating in water. Gravity quickly pulls these solids down and pushes the water up, but the starches and soluble fiber in oats hold everything together in a stable suspension.

Less Oxidation: Because the thick mixture moves slowly and traps air bubbles less easily, it slows down the rapid separation and color changes you see in thin fruit juices. Cooked oat porridge allows your smoothie to stay fresh and perfectly mixed for up to 2 days in the fridge.

Here is how you can optimize your cooked porridge smoothie for the best texture and maximum freshness:

Storage Best Practices:

Use an airtight glass jar: Fill your container all the way to the very top to leave zero headspace for air. Less air inside means drastically less oxidation.

If you like it sour, you can also add a squeeze of lemon, lime or orange juice which provides the Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and acts as a natural antioxidant, keeping the colors bright and preventing your fruits from turning brown. 

References:

https://smoothiedigest.com/articles/prevent-smoothie-separation-browning

https://www.bobsredmill.com/articles/how-to-choose-the-best-oats-for-smoothies

Vanilla powder without sugar from Føtex Supermarket.

Batch-cooked Egg-Enriched Milk Oatmeal Porridge

Add 50g (approx. 3 TBS or 1/4 cup) pre-cooked oatmeal porridge.

Chinese Egg Noodles (Spaghetti) - 30% Wholewheat, Whole Quinoa, Milk & Salt (Round 87)

 

Yields approx. 450g of noodles

Ingredients:

1. 200g wheat flour (Valsemøllen danske hvedemel) (50% of total flour weight)

2. 120g Organic wholewheat flour (Øko fuldskornhvedemel) from Føtex Supermarket (30% of total flour weight)

3. 80g quinoa flour (20% of total flour weight)

4. 2 eggs (120ml) + 

5. 60ml skimmed fresh milk 0.1% fat to 180ml (45% of flour weight)

6. 2 tsp salt (8g) (2% of flour weight)

7. 1 tsp olive oil (4ml) (1% of flour weight)

8. 1 litre of boiling water for cooking each 100g of noodles

Instructions:

1. Grind your quinoa into flour or you can use store bought quinoa.

2. If your quinoa flour tastes bitter, process your whole quinoa flour by baking it in the oven for a couple of hours at 250 deg F/120 deg C until golden brown (you can keep the processed quinoa flour fresh in the fridge for many months). Or to make small batch, toast it on the stove under medium to medium low heat, stirring constantly.

3. In the Philips pasta maker, mix 3 cycles of 9 mins (1 cycle 3 mins) without extruding. Dough should look small lumpy and compact like rice grains. Not too hard, not too small.

4. Rest for 20 mins.

5. Mix 1 cycle and extrude straight with ramen disc (The spaghetti disc from Phillips can be used for ramen).

6. Bring to boil a pot of water. 

7. Cook for 2 - 2.5 min, drain and serve as dry noodles or in soup. Start to test for doneness at 1.5 min.

Additional Information:

I am elated!! In the war against processed food 💪💪, tonight on the last day 2024, I have finally succeeded in making wholewheat noodles incorporating quinoa that taste like Chinese noodles 🍜 but yet super nutritious containing egg, milk, quinoa, wholewheat flour, wheat flour, salt and olive oil that is fast and simple to make.

Previously, the noodles with quinoa were either brittle, not chewy, turned soggy fast or tasted bitter.

It has taken me more than a year to develop to reach this milestone, succeeding in the round 85 of my experiments.

To God be the glory.

Made this on 31 December 2024. The noodles tasted springy, chewy and just prefect when cooked between 1.5 to 2 minutes :-) This is probably the world's most nutritious noodles :-)

This is Round 87 using quinoa ground into flour at home.

References:

https://www.philips.com.au/c-m-ho/philips-chef/recipe-overview-page/pasta-noodle-maker/quinoa-penne

https://youtu.be/13_RCdDHa3Y?si=ZB7pNcLZpbXirank

https://youtu.be/xNMq-MNi1MI?si=3z4l9A5H1lZxyqr1

This is the organic wheat flour I use from Føtex Supermarket 

This is the fresh skimmed milk 0.1% fat (skummet mælk) from the Danish supermarkets.

This is the quinoa we used here.

Grind your quinoa in your miller. We use our good, old and faithful Magimix to do it.

Here is how the quinoa ground into flour looked like.

Add 80g of quinoa flour (Please ignore the reading as I am making half a batch here)

Add 120g of wholewheat flour.

Add 200g of wheat flour.

Add 8g salt

Add 80g of roasted quinoa flour.

Mix all the dry ingredients (wheat flour, wholewheat flour, quinoa flour and salt) together and add them into the pasta maker's chamber.

Crack and mix 2 eggs (approx.120ml)

Add 60ml fresh skimmed milk.

Add 1 teaspoon (4ml) of olive oil and mix well.

Start the mixing and slowly pour in the egg mixture (egg, milk and olive oil) and run the machine for 3 cycles of 3 minutes each (you will need to unplug and plug in the machine after each mixing cycle to prevent it from moving to the extrusion stage)

Before extrusion after the last round of mixing (4th round) the dough looked like this, like lumps of rice grains

Close-up

After resting for 20 minutes, run another mixing cycle (4th mixing) and extrude straight away using the ramen or spaghetti disc.

Here they come :-)

If you are not consuming them immediately, store them in a plastic container in fridge for 3 days or in freezer for 6 months.

Bring to bowl a pot of water (1 litre for every 100g of noodles), add in noodles and let them cook for 2 - 2.5 minutes.

Tossed it with some soy sauce and sesame oil and add more toppings such as vegetables and meat as desired.