How to Make L. Reuteri Yogurt at Home

by Nathan Zassman March 16, 2026

Popularized by Dr. William Davis, author of Super Gut, reuteri yogurt is easy to prepare at home, using a specific strain of bacteria, lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) and provides a wide variety of potential health benefits, including improved gut health, with special benefits for those with SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), a common problem today.

Reuteri yogurt may be one of the most impressive “superfoods” for improving overall health, including improving mood and strengthening the immune system. Reuteri yogurt increases oxytocin, called the “love hormone”, which contributes to improved social behaviour, stable mood, mental well-being, emotional balance, and managing stress. It speeds up wound healing, improves skin and bone health, and increases collagen, leading to smoother, more youthful-looking skin, thicker hair and increased muscle mass and tone.

Other benefits include suppressing H. Pylori and candida, normalizing digestive health (reducing diarrhea and constipation), and more restorative sleep. According to Dr. Davis, this may be one of the true "miracle foods." Complementary supplements to increase oxytocin include magnesium L-Threonate and vitamin B6, necessary to convert the amino acid L-Tryptophan to oxytocin.

Lactobacillus reuteri is the bacterial strain used to prepare reuteri yogurt. Reuteri Restore, from New Roots Herbal can be used to make reuteri yogurt. There are many excellent YouTube videos on this process. You can use the Ultimate Yogurt Maker (available from Amazon) or a sous vide system to prepare reuteri yogurt.

Ultimate Yogurt Maker

The process requires a yogurt maker that can be adjusted to 95°F and 36 hours, the time required to produce reuteri yogurt with high bacteria counts. Most yogurt makers don't allow you to adjust the temperature. 99°F is ideal, but as you will read below, some Ultimate Yogurt Makers are inaccurate, so choosing 95°F is safer.

Sous Vide

A sous vide circulator (Anova, etc.), or a Sousvide Supreme water oven (basin type) set to 95°F (35°C). The alarm on your cellphone can remind you when 36 hours have elapsed, or you can prepare it at 7:00 pm or 8:00 pm, and it will be ready at 7:00-8:00 am two days later.

Ingredients & What You'll Need

To make reuteri yogurt, you need a L. reuteri capsule, the prebiotic inulin, and half and half cream. I recommend Purica Fiberlicious or Pure-le Fiberrific. You can replace half and half with coconut milk or cream (without stabilizers, thickeners or preservatives), but you must add 2 teaspoons agar-agar or one teaspoon of guar gum, 1 teaspoon of sugar, only one tablespoon of inulin powder, and heat to 190°F for five minutes before cooling to 95°F.

1 quart half & half cream (UHT if available, or heat to 180°F to 195°F - see #1 below).
2 tablespoons inulin (Fiberlicious, or Fiberrific), 1 tablespoon for coconut milk/cream.
1 New Roots L. Reuteri capsule (or similar L. Reuteri tablet/capsule). Tablets need to be crushed into a powder prior to use. A mortar and pestle is convenient for crushing.
Ultimate Yogurt Maker (with two 1-quart containers, and eight 6-ounce containers), or
Sous Vide Water Oven, using Bernardin, Ball, or Mason wide mouth glass jars, available at Canadian Tire in Canada, or at most department stores in the United States. I recommend replacing the metal tops with plastic tops, as the metal tops can rust.
Digital or mercury thermometer to confirm temperature.
The glass or stainless-steel bowl and all utensils used to prepare reuteri yogurt should be sterilized prior to use by immersion in boiling water.

Directions

Using a digital or mercury thermometer, heat 2 quarts half and half cream to 180°F to 195°F for 10 minutes with continual stirring, which denatures proteins and kills any potentially competing bacteria in the cream. The higher temperature will result in a thicker yogurt. Coconut milk or cream only needs to be heated for 5 minutes. After heating the cream, it's critical to cool the cream quickly to 95°F with constant stirring to prevent the cream from separating and rising to the top. To prepare the hot cream for cooling to 95°F, add cold water and ice to a larger pot (I often use my sink). After the cream has been heated for 10 minutes, immerse the pot in the ice water, continuously stirring until the temperature drops to 95°F. If you can find "ultra-pasteurized" or Ultra High Temperature (UHT) cream, you don't have to heat it, but I have not been able to frequently find UHT cream.
In a 2-quart glass or stainless-steel mixing bowl or pot, empty one capsule of l. reuteri in the bowl. Add two tablespoons of inulin and mix the l. reuteri and inulin powder with a whisk. If using coconut milk or cream, use 1 tablespoon inulin, one teaspoon sugar, and either two teaspoons of agar-agar, or one teaspoon guar gum.
Add 1/4 cup of the 95°F cream, and stir well. Gradually add 1/4 cup of the cream at a time, stirring thoroughly, and continue until all the cream has been added.
Ultimate Yogurt Maker: Purchase the yogurt maker with the two 1-quart bowls, and the eight six-ounce jars (Ultimate Yogurt Bundle). Add the mixture to either the small glass containers, or two large 1-quart containers. Fill the yogurt maker with water to the level of the cream, and not to the lids (or over the lids), to ensure no water can enter the containers.
As some users have reported a 5-degree higher temperature than set on the unit, by setting to 99°F, the yogurt maker could raise the temperature to 104° and kill the l. reuteri bacteria, preventing the yogurt from being produced. By choosing 95°F, if this happens, the temperature will rise to 100°F, which will not kill the bacteria. After the 36-hour incubation period, refrigerate the yogurt for eight hours.
Sous Vide Method: Purchase 8 16-ounce wide mouth glass Bernardin, Ball, or Mason jars. Adjust the water temperature to 95°F (35°C). Fill up the Sous Vide container with water to the level of the cream, and not to the lids, to ensure no water can enter the containers. Set a timer for 36 hours. After the 36-hour incubation period, refrigerate for 8 hours.
Consume 1/4 to 1/2 cup two to three times a day.
For subsequent batches, use four tablespoons (two ounces) of reuteri yogurt from the previous batch instead of using l. reuteri capsules, which can be done indefinitely.

Related Reading - Also See:

Make Healthy Yogurt with the Aviva Deluxe Yogurt Recipe

How to Make Yogurt More Nutritious – A Great Way to Start the Day