Exploring the Benefits of Kefir

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Exploring the Benefits of Kefir



Dairy products are the forefront of staple snacks or added to dishes in many households. Milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, ice cream and…. kefir; wait kefir? What is that?

Kefir is a dairy product that came from Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia. Originating from the word “keyif”, a Turkish word, meaning feeling good after eating. Kefir is a fermented drink made from cows or goat’s milk. The process begins when a starter culture called kefir and lactic acid are added to milk for ferment.

A mix between yogurt and smoothie, kefir is a tangy drink that is filling and has many flavors such as strawberry, blueberry and mixed berry.

Such as other dairy products, Kefir has an impressive nutrient profile with a range of B-vitamins, probiotics, calcium, phosphorous, and sufficient protein.

A 1 cup serving size of Kefir is approximately:

·         Calories: 212

·         Total Fat: 2.2g

·         Protein: 11g

·         Calcium: 23% DV

·         Phosphorus: 20% DV

Along with the nutrient dense profile, other benefits such as probiotics are very prevalent in Kefir. With up to 61 known microorganism can be beneficial for aiding digestion, weight management, and mental health.

Lastly, Kefir has potent antibacterial characteristics. A probiotic called Lactobacillus kefiri has been studied and demonstrated inhibiting factors for harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, Helicobacter pylori, and E. coli.

Next time you are at the grocery store, consider picking up a bottle to try!


KS

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-health-benefits-of-kefir#TOC_TITLE_HDR_8

https://www.webmd.com/diet/kefir-good-for-you


Comments

  1. Leah LisleNovember 11, 2023 at 3:31 PM

    Great information! I love kefir and buy it regularly, but never really thought to look into the origins of it. It's good to know where the food originated from, how its produced, and the beneficial probiotic bacteria that it contains. The mention of Lactobacillus kefiri demonstrating an inhibitory effect against salmonella, helicobacter pylori, and E. Coli is particularly interesting to me, I never knew that! I'll have to do some more research on it later.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ksu internsNovember 28, 2023 at 1:20 PM

    Great Post, I love kefir and think that it taste like a Danimals yogurt depending on the flavor purchased! It is great for gut health and has many other beneficial factors such as supporting bone health. I had no clue that the daily value was different than regular milk!

    ReplyDelete

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