Kefir is an ancient and powerful probiotic beverage that has been around for centuries. It’s made by fermenting milk with a special culture of beneficial bacteria and yeast. It is gaining popularity today for its many health benefits, including improved digestion, better immunity, and even weight loss. In this post, we’ll explore the history, health benefits, and different types available. We’ll also discuss how to make it at home and provide some tips and recipes to help you get started. Finally, we’ll discuss some of the potential side effects of consuming it to help ensure you get the most out of this amazing probiotic beverage.
Kefir Grains Nutrition Facts and Calories Chart
Kefir is a probiotic-rich dairy beverage that is loaded with vitamins and minerals. Made by fermenting milk with kefir grains, which are a combination of yeasts and bacteria. High in protein, calcium, and phosphorous, and has a tart, slightly sour taste. A great source of beneficial probiotics, which can help support digestive health. Also helps to boost the immune system and improve overall health. It is also a low-calorie, low-fat dairy option that can be enjoyed in smoothies, shakes, or as a drink on its own. Nutritional value per 100 g:
- Biotin: 0.7 µg
- Calcium: 120 mg
- Carbohydrates (Carbs): 4.0 g
- Chloride: 150 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Choline: 25.7 mg
- Chromium: 0.2 µg
- Copper: 0.1 mg
- Dietary Fiber: 0.2 g
- Energy (Calories): 56 kcal
- Fat: 3.3 g
- Iodine: 24.5 µg
- Iron: 0.2 mg
- Magnesium: 13 mg
- Manganese: 0.1 mg
- Molybdenum: 3.2 µg
- Pantothenic Acid: 0.5 mg
- Phosphorus: 92 mg
- Potassium: 137 mg
- Protein: 3.3 g
- Saturated fat: 2.3 g
- Selenium: 5.1 µg
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Sugars: 4.0 g
- Vitamin A: 25 IU
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): 0.04 mg
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B6: 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B9 (Folate / Folic Acid): 1.9 µg
- Vitamin B12: 0.3 µg
- Vitamin C: 0.3 mg
- Vitamin D: 0 IU
- Vitamin E: 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K: 0.2 µg
- Water: 87.5 g
- Zinc: 0.3 mg
Kefir Grains vs Yogurt
Both dairy products that have been around for centuries. Kefir is a fermented milk drink that is made by culturing kefir grains with milk, while yogurt is a thick, creamy food made by culturing milk with certain live bacteria. Kefir is higher in probiotics than yogurt and may also contain more calcium and protein. It also has a tart, slightly sour taste, while yogurt has a more mild flavor. While both products are beneficial, kefir may be preferable if you are looking for a higher probiotic content.
Kefir in India
It is a type of fermented milk drink popular in Russia, Europe, and Middle Eastern countries although its popularity has become worldwide due to its various benefits to health. The word “Kefir” is derived from the Turkish word “keif,” which means “good feeling” one gets after drinking it. It is the best probiotic and growing evidences shows that this unique fermented milk product may indeed be helpful in many disease / infection conditions. These grains are a mass of several different bacteria and yeasts embedded in a complex matrix of protein and carbohydrate. Milk kefir looks like white elastic small florets similar to cauliflower in shape.
- Scientific Binomial
- Common English: Kephir / Kiaphur / Kefyr / Kephir / Kefer / Knapon / Kepi / Kippe.
- Ayurvedic
- Unani
- Sanskrit
- Hindi / Urdu
- Bengali
- Marathi
- Telugu
- Tamil
- Gujarati
- Kannada
- Malayalam
- Oriya
- Punjabi / Sindhi
- Assamese
- Kashmiri
- Konkani
- Manipuri
- Dogri
- Bhojpuri
Health Benefits
Kefir is a refreshing drink made using kefir grains. The taste of unflavored drink can be yeasty, prickling and mouthful of sparkling because of liberation of trapped CO2 (Carbon Dioxide).
- High in Vitamins: As it is made from milk, it has an inherently high nutritional value as a source of protein, calcium, fats, and mineral. It is also a rich source of vitamins (B12 and K2), folate, and essential amino acids.
- Good for Malabsorption Syndrome: Kefir is particularly recommended for babies and patients with malabsorption syndromes, presumably because of the small curd size that forms in the stomach and the observation that fermented dairy products in general are digested without the secretion of large amounts of gastric juices.
- Add to Weight Loss Program: In some countries Kefir is considered as part of a weight reduction program. It can be used as essential fatty acid (EFA) intake of patients with metabolic diseases and intestinal tract disorders.
- Heart Healthy: It works great for atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, obesity, peptic ulcers, and liver and gallbladder pathologies patients also.
- Controls Obesity: The formulation of a health food that contains kefir together with enzyme inhibitors such as lipase or a-amylase can be purported to prevent and control obesity.
Side Effects
Kefir is possibly safe for most adults when taken by mouth for up to 6 months. But whether or not you suffer any side effects from drinking it depends on your health condition. Some people may suffer some temporary symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, headache, abdominal discomfort / cramping, gas, bloating. In some rare cases, those who have yeast sensitivity will not be able to tolerate either milk or water kefir.
FAQs.
Q. How to make milk kefir?
Kefir can be made by the action of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), yeasts, and acetic acid bacteria on milk. A starting culture that is kefir grains can be added to milk, which ferment the milk, and the grains can be recovered at the end of the fermentation process. Milk can be that is used in process may be from cows, ewes, goats, or buffalo. Even though it is the process like forming a yogurt but the drink kefir cannot be used as a starter to produce more kefir. But for home use we can add kefir grains directly, as a starter, to pasteurized, cooled milk. In home production, fermentation temperature and time are not rigidly controlled. The final product cannot be used to inoculate new milk to produce kefir because the original balance of microorganisms in the grains has been disrupted, kefir grains are essential to the process.
Q. Does kefir have probiotics?
A probiotic is defined as a microbial preparation which contains live and / or dead cells including their metabolites, which is intended to improve the microbial or enzymatic balance at mucosal surfaces or to stimulate immune mechanisms. Kefir contains many different bacteria, yeasts and can be considered a probiotic.
Q. Can you make kefir with non dairy milk?
Soy milk can also be used for the preparation of kefir with added benefits. With no cholesterol or lactose and only small quantities of saturated fatty acids, soymilk offers tremendous nutritional health benefits. Its not only the soy milk but also water and coconut milk can be used to brew home style kefir.