However unless you come from Russia or actually take note when perusing the yogurt aisle at the supermarket, chances are, you have actually never ever heard of this 2,000-year-old nutritional star.
Kefir is used starter “grains,” which in truth are a combination of bacteria and yeasts that interact with the milk to make the gently fermented drink that even lactose intolerant people can drink.
It can be made from any source of milk, such as goat, sheep, cow, soy, rice or coconut. It can even be used coconut water. Clinically speaking, kefir grains consist of an intricate microbial cooperative mix of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts in a polysaccharide– protein matrix. Keep reading to see how this can benefit your health.
Kefir is a velvety, yogurt-like healthy smoothie that you can drink straight from the bottle or with fruit. The taste can be addictive, however it’s not necessarily sweet like the foil-lidded yogurts you’re used to.
It’s in fact tangier, more similar to Greek yogurt or sour cream. Besides consisting of less sugar and more protein than standard yogurt, kefir is packed with probiotics, bacteria that help keep the natural balance of organisms in the intestines.
Kefir and Weight Loss
Standard yogurts just have one or a few stress of these live and active cultures. Beside the Yoplait is a bottle of Lifeway Lowfat Pomegranate Kefir, which contains a massive 10 strains (Lactobacillus Lacti, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium Longum, Bifidobacterium Breve, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Saccharomyces florentinus, Streptococcus Diacetylactis, Leuconostoc Cremoris, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Lactobacillus Case).
Interestingly, other preferred yogurts that promote their probiotic activity, like Dannon Activia, only include one strain of live/active cultures, Bifidus Regularis ™– a strain which Dannon picked and called.
Some other yogurt versus kefir differences that highlight kefir’s nutritional powerhouse status:
- Calories: 100 (6 oz. of Yoplait) versus 160 (8 oz. of Lifeway kefir).
- Fiber: 0g versus 3 grams.
- Protein: 5 grams versus 11 grams.
- Calcium: 20% Daily Value versus 30%.
Besides its satiety-inducing protein, Men’s Health’s Zincenko said he named kefir to his list of flat belly foods due to the fact that its probiotics may speed weight loss. Research from the University of Tennessee has shown that taking in 3 to 4 portions of dairy products a day might help men and women shed more pounds than cutting out dairy (a typical, but erroneous, weight loss strategy.)
There’s been a lot in the media over the past few years about low-fat dairy and weight loss. Is it true? Can including a few servings to your diet assist with weight loss and if so, how?
There have been some research studies that have shown to reduce belly fat in individuals who consumed 3 portions of low-fat dairy products daily. The impact was not found to be as excellent for those people who got calcium from additional sources. The thought is that when there is more dietary calcium in the cells, fat is more likely to be burned instead of saved.
What do you like about kefir in general or in specific? Yes– I do suggest this item. I tell them to obtain the low-fat versions and discuss the benefits of not just calcium from this product, but the probiotics also. I do warn my readers, however, given that this item is slightly high in sugar, to be sure to restrict their intake to 1 cup in a sitting … specifically for diabetic customers. One benefit is that it is also high protein. I inform my readers that it can be a terrific treat on its own!
Besides helping you into your skinny denims, kefir can likewise be used medicinally to treat and relieve a range of health care issues.
Kefir Boost Immune System
Immune system-boosting: For individuals being treated with medications such as antibiotics, kefir can help by replenishing protective intestinal plants which can be ruined during treatment. Antibiotics pursue “bad” bacteria in the body however might likewise kill the “good” bacteria in the big intestine at the same time. The result: stomach discomfort and diarrhea.
Inning accordance with a November 2008 research study released in American Family Physician, approximately one in five people on antibiotics stop taking their medication prior to finishing the complete course of therapy due to diarrhea. But, scientists from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of University said, doctors might help patients avoid this problem by recommending probiotics. A single-month supply of additional probiotics can cost between $8 and $22; a 32-oz. bottle of kefir expenses about $3.00. Count it!
Kefir and Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance: Probiotic cultures “predigest” a few of the lactose in dairy products, making kefir a great milk product for people struggling with lactose intolerance!
A current research study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association analyzed individuals battling with lactose intolerance and found that kefir can really enhance lactose digestion.
Kefir’s live, active bacteria cultures help break down the sugars in milk. The scientists asked 15 adults to attempt 5 test foods: 2% milk; plain kefir; raspberry-flavored kefir; plain yogurt; and raspberry-flavored yogurt, each following a 12-hour quick.
Study individuals reported having little or no symptoms connected with lactose intolerance after eating both types of yogurt and kefir. In truth, drinking kefir minimized flatulence frequency by majority when compared to milk.
If you have had lactose intolerance, my guidance is to attempt it first by positioning a small drop of the kefir on the within your arm or wrist and let it dry. Then wait 24 hours and see if you have any inflammation. If you do, then steer clear of it. But if not, then attempt including just a drop or more to a drink or some food and see if you have any reaction. You can then increase the amount up until you’re particular that you’re not reacting to it.
Kefir Helps Digestion
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: IBS is not a disease, per se, however a grouping of symptoms consisting of abdominal pain or discomfort, cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation.
Dietary changes are typically suggested as a first-line defense versus IBS. After all, why take medication if including or deducting particular foods could help?
Numerous studies show that including certain types of yogurt– particularly, those including the bacteria lactobacilli and bifidobacteria– to your diet might relieve the symptoms of IBS.
These “excellent” bacteria are usually discovered in the big intestine, however adding them to your diet can help with gas, pain and bloating, while lowering the time it considers food to move through the intestinal tract. This, in turn, might be valuable in individuals with constipation; probiotics might also reduce the frequency of loose stools, enhancing IBS-related diarrhea.
In one recent UK research study, IBS patients who received a probiotic preparation made up of multiple pressures of Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Bifidobacterium Lactis and Bifidobacterium Bifidum reported substantially higher improvement in the severity of their symptoms, fewer days of pain and improved lifestyle compared to those who received a placebo (empty shell).
Probiotic-rich foods like kefir have also been shown to be useful in treating yeast infections, baby colic, bad breath and Traveler’s Diarrhea.
Kefir and Bone Strength
Osteoporosis is a major concern for many people today. The degrading bone disease flourishes in systems that don’t get enough calcium, which is important for bone health. Kefir made from entire fat dairy has high levels of calcium from the milk.
However, maybe more importantly it holds bioactive compounds that help absorb calcium into the body and stop bone degeneration.
Kefir likewise contains vitamin K2, which has actually been revealed to be crucial in improving bone health, density and calcium absorption, while vitamin K deficiency can lead to bone concerns.
The probiotics in kefir improve nutrient absorption, and the dairy itself consists of all of the most crucial nutrients for enhancing bone density, including phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and vitamin K2.
Kefir Fights Cancer (don’t despair)
Cancer is a serious epidemic affecting our country and the world today. Kefir can play a huge role in assisting your body battle this nasty disease (don’t despair).
It can be a seriously efficient weapon versus the spread of these multiplying and hazardous cells. The compounds discovered in the probiotic drink have in fact revealed to make cancer cells in the stomach destruct.
Kefir benefits in the fight versus cancer are because of its large anti-carcinogenic role inside the body. It can slow the growth of early tumors and their enzymatic conversions from non-carcinogenic to carcinogenic.
One in-vitro test carried out in Canada showed that kefir lowered breast cancer cells by 56 percent (rather than yogurt stress that reduced cells by 14 percent) in animal research studies.
Kefir Helps Skin
When your gut runs out whack, it can send out signals to your skin that interrupt its natural balance and cause all sorts of problems like acne, psoriasis, rashes and eczema. Kefir helps bring good bacteria back to the forefront and level out the homeostasis for your biggest organ, the skin. Not only does it aid with systemic based skin concerns, but kefir advantages skin as burn and rash treatment.
The carb found in kefir called kefiran, aside from assisting in the body immune system, has also been evaluated and revealed helping enhance the quality of skin injury healing. It’s even been shown to be protective for connective tissue.
Kefir Helps Allergies
Different types of allergies and asthma are all connected to inflammatory issues on the body. In particular studies with mice, kefir was revealed to reduce inflammatory cells disrupting the lungs and airway in addition to mucus buildup.
The live microorganisms present in kefir help promote the immune system to naturally reduce allergic reactions and aid in altering the body’s reaction to the systemic break out points for allergies.
Some researchers think these allergic reactions are the result of a lack of great bacteria in the gut. Researchers from the University Medical Center carried out 23 different studies with practically 2,000 individuals, and in 17 of those research studies, guinea pig taking probiotics showed enhanced allergic symptoms and lifestyle.
Health Tips
There are numerous advantages to probiotic foods, and kefir is no exception. Kefir benefits range from topical to systemic and can affect the state of your life and health considerably.
Good luck! Have a nice weekend!
