From Fountain of Youth to Fruit on the Bottom: How Yoghurt Finally Made it Big in America

Yoghurt is the most diverse section of the dairy case: from
Icelandic skyr to creamy Australian, and fruity French Yoplait to
full-fat Greek. With something to suit every palate, plus a dose of
microbes to support healthy digestion, yoghurt is a staple food in
the US, hero of a million smoothies, berry bowls, and snack breaks
every day. Which is why it's pretty weird that, until about 50
years ago, most Americans had no idea what it was. This episode,
we've got the story of the microbial miracle (and ants?) that gave
us yoghurt, as well as the secret connection between those
heat-loving bacteria and the evolution of lactose tolerance. Plus,
for most of history, yoghurt was wildly popular in large parts of
the world—the Middle East, the Balkans, Caucasus, much of Asia, and
the Indian subcontinent—and totally unknown elsewhere. Even the
promise that yoghurt would cure old age, made by a Nobel
prize-winning scientist, couldn't persuade Americans to eat it. So
how did yoghurt finally capture the hearts of Americans? Listen in
now for the little-known story of our curious relationship with
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