Kefir grains are cultivated to become an active colony of bacteria and yeasts. That colony can then be used to ferment cow’s milk, coconut milk, or even water. Those grains then consume the natural sugars in coconut milk or cow’s milk to ferment the product.
Milk kefir tends to have a probiotic value that is significantly higher than many water kefir products, so if you don’t have many fermented foods in your diet, it might be better to start with a water kefir and work up to a milk kefir. Because if your digestive tract is not used to it, you won’t feel so good if you have a lot of probiotics all at once. This is also why you should slowly increase the amount you drink even with kombucha.
Kefir contains healthy microbes that help fight infections, maintain a healthy digestive system, and help keep the body disease-free by reducing risk factors for gastroenteritis, certain types of cancer (including intestinal), and cardiovascular diseases. It can also help to reduce the risk of allergies and colds and increase antibody levels, boosting the immune system.
Kefir is basically made up of bacteria that operate in fresh milk, making it thicker and acting as a preservative. Water kefirs, also known as Japanese crystals, are small translucent gel balls that come from a prickly pear. The so-called “grains” are colonies of yeasts and bacteria that look like curds, which filter from the water after fermentation, then are used to start the next batch. The grains grow and multiply in number over time.
Benefits and properties of Kefir
Kefir is a fermented drink, traditionally made with cow’s or goat’s milk. It is obtained by adding kefir grains to milk. These are not cereal grains, but grain-like colonies of yeasts and lactic acid bacteria that resemble a cauliflower in appearance. In about 24 hours, the microorganisms in the kefir grains multiply and ferment the sugars in the milk, turning it into kefir. Then the grains are removed from the liquid and can be reused. In other words, kefir is the drink, but kefir grains are the starter culture used to produce the beverage.
- The kefir is a fermented milk-based drink, cultivated from kefir grains. It is a rich source of calcium, protein, and B-group vitamins.
- Kefir can contain up to 61 different microorganisms, making it a much more powerful probiotic source than many other fermented dairy products.
- Kefir contains the probiotic Lactobacillus kefiri and the carbohydrate kefiran, both of which protect against harmful bacteria.
- Dairy-based kefir is an excellent source of calcium and whole milk kefir also contains vitamin K2. These nutrients
have important benefits for bone health. - Probiotics like kefir can treat various forms of diarrhea. They may also lead to improvements in various digestive diseases.
- Kefir is low in lactose because its bacteria dairy products have already pre-digested the lactose. People who have
lactose intolerance can often drink kefir without problems. - Limited evidence from animal studies suggests that drinking kefir may reduce allergic reactions.
- Kefir is a healthy fermented food with a texture comparable to drinkable yogurt. This product is traditionally made from milk, but many non-dairy options are available. Studies suggest it boosts the immune system, helps with digestive problems, improves bone health, and may even fight cancer.
