What Are the Benefits of Kefir and What is Kefir?

Kefir is the new favorite of those interested in natural health because the benefits of kefir cannot be ignored.

High in nutrients and probiotics, incredibly beneficial for digestion and intestinal health

What is Kefir?

Kefir is a fermented culture product and is derived from milk. Kefir is made from yeast, just like sour bread. This yeast is a combination of fungi, milk protein and bacteria.

Kefir has a sour taste and a thick consistency. It can be obtained from cow's milk as well as from the following milk.

• Coconut milk
• Goat milk
• Rice milk
• coconut water

Since kefir is a fermented beverage, people with lactose intolerance can also drink it.

Kefir was produced by chance in the northern foothills of the Caucasus Mountains, estimated at least 1000 years ago.

People in this region consume kefir a lot and are known for their long and healthy lives, and there are many people living in this region for 100 years or more.

What Are the Benefits of Kefir

Many people see kefir as a stronger and healthier version of yogurt. Here are 8 science-backed benefits of kefir.

1) Kefir is a great food source

Kefir is a fermented beverage traditionally made using cow or goat milk. It is created by adding kefir grains into milk.

These are cultures of fungi and lactic acid bacteria that resemble cauliflower in appearance instead of the grain as we know it.

Over a period of about 24 hours, the micro-organisms in kefir multiply and ferment the sugar in the milk into kefir.

Afterwards, kefir grains can be removed and reused.

Kefir and kefir grains (kefir yeast) are as follows:

So kefir is the name of the drink, and kefir yeast is also used to produce the drink.

Kefir originated in Doğa Europe and Southwest Asia, and its name comes from the Turkish word "joy" ( 1 ).

Lactic acid bacteria convert the lactose in milk to lactic acid, which is why kefir has a sour taste.

One cup (175 ml) of kefir has the following nutrients ( 2 ):

• Protein: 6 grams
• Calcium: 20% of your daily need
• Phosphorus: 20% of your daily need
• Vitamin B12: 14% of your RDA.
• Riboflavin (B2): 19% of your RDA.
• Magnesium: 5% of your daily need
• Significant amount of vitamin D

Kefir, which contains all these, contains only 100 calories, 7-8 grams of carbohydrate and 3-6 grams of fat, depending on the type of milk used.

Kefir also contains many bioactive substances, including organic acids and peptides that have various health benefits ( 1 ).

Milk-free kefir can be made from beverages like coconut water or coconut milk. But it cannot have the same nutritional values ​​as kefir made from milk in this way.

2) Kefir is a more potent probiotic than yogurt

Some micro-organisms can be very beneficial to health within the body ( 3 ).

These micro-organisms, known as probiotics , can be beneficial in various aspects, such as strengthening digestion, facilitating weight loss, and mental health ( 4 ,  5 ,  6 ).

Yogurt is one of the most well-known probiotics in the western diet, but kefir is actually a much more powerful source of probiotics.

Kefir grains drink close to 61 types of bacteria and fungi, making it a very rich and diverse source of probiotics ( 7 ).

Other fermented dairy products contain less bacteria and no fungi.

Therefore, it would be a good tactic to drink plenty of kefir to increase the probiotic intake in your diet.

3) Kefir has very strong antibacterial properties

Various probiotics found in kefir are believed to have protective properties against infections.

These probiotics include Lactobacillus kefir , which is only found in kefir .

Studies show that these probiotics  prevent the growth of various harmful bacteria such as Salmonella , Helicobacter Pylori, and E. Coli ( 8 ,  9 ).

Kefiran is the name given to a carbohydrate found only in kefir, and it also has anti-bacterial properties ( 10 ).

4) Kefir strengthens bones and reduces the risk of osteoporosis

Osteoprosis (osteoporosis) is defined as the reduction of bone tissue and is a huge problem in Western countries.

It is especially common in older women and increases the risk of bone fractures.

Adequate calcium intake is one of the most effective ways to increase bone health and slow bone resorption ( 11 ).

Kefir is made from whole milk and is not only a good source of calcium but also vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 plays a central role in calcium metabolism, and vitamin K2 supplementation can reduce bone fractures by up to 81% ( 12 ,  13 ).

Some studies in animals show that kefir increases calcium absorption in bone cells ( 14 ). This increases bone density and reduces the risk of breaking bones.

5) Kefir may protect against cancer

Cancer is one of the most important causes of death in the world.

It occurs as a result of uncontrolled growth of cells within the body.

Probiotics in fermented dairy products are believed to inhibit the formation of carcinogens, slowing tumor growth and stimulating the immune system ( 15 ).

The cancer benefits and this protective role of kefir has also been demonstrated in several test-tube studies ( 16  ,  17 ).

One study found that kefir extract reduced breast cancer cells by 56% in humans compared to yogurt extract by only 14% ( 18 ).

But these studies should be approached with suspicion because these studies were not conducted on humans.

6) Probiotics in Kefir can help with various digestive problems

The probiotics found in kefir help balance the number of friendly bacteria in the intestines.

Therefore, they are effective against many types of diarrhea ( 19 ,  20 ).

There's also a lot of evidence that probiotics and probiotic foods can help with all kinds of digestive problems ( 5 ).

These include Irritable Bowel Syndrome and ulcers caused by H. Pylori infection and various other diseases ( 21  ,  22  ,  23  ,  24 ).

Therefore, if you have digestive problems, kefir can help.

7) Kefir is well tolerated by people with lactose sensitivity

Regular milk contains a natural sugar called lactose.

Lots of people, especially adults, cannot fully digest lactose. And this condition is called lactose intolerance ( 25 ).

The lactic acid bacterium in fermented dairy products (such as kefir and yogurt) converts lactose into lactic acid, so kefir and yogurt are much lower in lactose than milk.

They also contain enzymes that make lactose easier to digest.

For this reason, kefir is much better tolerated by those with lactose sensitivity than milk ( 26 ).

Also, remember that you can make kefir with coconut water, fruit juice, or any other non-dairy drink and get a 100% lactose-free kefir