What are the differences between Leben and other fermented milk products?
Leben (also spelled laban) is a fermented milk drink from the Middle East and North Africa. It comes in two forms: a yogurt-style drink and a buttermilk-style drink made from churned fermented milk. Compared with ayran, which is yogurt mixed with water and salt, leben is not defined by added salt, and kefir is a separate fermented milk made with its own culture.
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In this article
What is leben?
Leben, also written laban, liben or lben, is a fermented milk food or drink from the Middle East and North Africa. It is served cold and can be eaten or drunk with meals. The name is linked to the Arabic word for white.
Two kinds of leben
- Yogurt style (Levant): whole milk is boiled, mixed with yogurt or a little earlier leben, and left to set overnight.
- Buttermilk style (parts of Arabia and the Maghreb): milk ferments for about 24 hours, then is churned to remove the butter. The liquid left over is the leben.
Leben vs yogurt
Yogurt-style leben is closely related to yogurt, since it is made from yogurt or a yogurt-based starter. It stays pourable, so it is served more as a drink or a side than as a spoon food. Buttermilk-style leben is quite different: it is thin and tart because the butterfat has been churned out.
Leben vs ayran, kefir and buttermilk
| Product | How it is made | Typical feel |
|---|---|---|
| Leben | Yogurt cultured milk, or churned fermented milk | Tart, thin |
| Ayran | Yogurt mixed with water and salt | Salty, refreshing, thin |
| Kefir | Milk fermented with kefir grains or a kefir culture | Tangy, slightly fizzy, drinkable |
| Buttermilk | Liquid left after churning butter, or cultured milk sold under that name | Tart, thin |
Kefir is made with a different culture from yogurt, which is why it is treated as its own product. Recipes vary widely by region and brand.
Which one should you pick?
For a cooling drink with a meal, leben or ayran works. For breakfast with fruit, yogurt is easier to spoon. For a thin, tangy drink on its own, kefir or buttermilk are common choices. Read the label for sugar, salt and fat, since these differ, and ask a doctor about fermented milk if you have a milk allergy or a medical condition. We found no official health claim about leben, so we make none.
People also ask
What is leben?
A fermented milk drink or food from the Middle East and North Africa, also called laban. It is either yogurt-style or a buttermilk-style liquid left after churning.
Is leben the same as ayran?
No. Ayran is yogurt mixed with water and salt and is a staple in Turkey. Leben is a different product, though both are cold fermented milk drinks.
Is leben like yogurt or kefir?
The yogurt-style version is close to a thin yogurt. Kefir is a separate product made with kefir grains or culture.
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