Kefir has many health benefits as it is full of probiotics and essential nutrients. Many people consider it to be healthier as compared to various other natural supplements. Here is a list of some of the most well-known health benefits of including kefir grain supplements in your meal plan.
It is a fermented drink that is typically made using goat’s milk or cow’s milk. You can make this drink by adding kefir grains to milk. You can check out the LiveKefirCompany.co.uk website for more information on how to add the grains to milk.
Keep in mind that these grains are not like your cereal grains, but these are colonies of yeast combined with lactic acid bacteria. These typically look like a cauliflower. Once you leave them in milk for around 24 hours, the yeast and other microorganisms multiply and cause fermentation, which turns the liquid into kefir.
Once the fermentation process is complete, you can remove these grains from your prepared beverage, and you can use them again. Put, grains are nothing but the starter culture that is used for producing the kefir drink. The lactic acid bacteria in the grains turn the lactose in the milk into lactic acid, which means your drink should taste like yogurt but with a thinner consistency.
Source: nutraingredients
If you prepare a low-fat kefir drink of around 6 ounces, you will get around 4 g of protein along with magnesium, vitamin B12, phosphorus, calcium, and riboflavin along with other nutrients. Besides, you will also get about 3 to 6 g of fat, 7 to 8 g of carbs, and around a hundred calories though the number of calories will depend on the type of milk you have used for preparing the drink.
These grains also have a wide variety of bioactive compounds, such as peptides and organic acids that also add to its extensive health benefits. You can also use coconut milk and coconut water to prepare a drink in case you want a dairy-free version, but keep in mind that the nutrient profile for those drinks will be different as compared to the kefir drink prepared with dairy.
Yogurt is beneficial for your health as it is full of probiotics that have a beneficial effect on your digestive system. In fact, there is some research suggesting that these probiotic microorganisms also help with mental health and weight management along with digestion. Many people do not know that kefir offers a much more potent source of these probiotics as compared to yogurt. There are up to 61 strains of different yeasts and bacteria in kefir, which makes it an extremely rich and diverse source of probiotics. On the other hand, a drink such as a yoghurt carries fewer strains and does not contain any yeast.
The presence of certain probiotics in a kefir drink is known to provide protection against various infections. One particular strain of bacteria is unique and is known to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. In short, a kefir drink has antibacterial properties and keeps you safe from catching certain infections.
Source: medicalnewstoday
These grains can also help in lowering the risk of osteoporosis, especially for people with vulnerable bones. Osteoporosis is the condition where people suffer from deteriorating bone tissue and has emerged as a big problem in recent decades. It can affect anyone but is found to be common among older women.
Due to deteriorated bone tissues, people who have osteoporosis are at enhanced risk of fractures. One way to improve bone health is to increase your calcium intake as it helps in slowing down the progression of osteoporosis. A full-fat kefir drink offers an excellent source of calcium along with vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 is known to be especially helpful for calcium metabolism. Some studies done on the effect of vitamin K2 have shown that it helps in reducing the risk of fractures significantly.
A kefir drink offers several useful probiotics as it is full of strains of useful bacteria and yeast. You can use a kefir drink for restoring the balance of good bacteria in your digestive tract. This is one of the main reasons it has been found to be highly effective in treating various forms of diarrhea. In fact, recent research suggests that including probiotics in your diet can help in providing relief from a number of digestive issues, including ulcers as well as irritable bowel syndrome, among others.
It is believed that a significant part of the population is lactose intolerant, which means dairy is not good for them. However, dairy foods are not only common but also yummy, which makes it difficult to avoid dairy. Regular dairy products contain lactose, which is a natural sugar. People with lactose intolerance do not have the necessary microorganisms in their gut that help in breaking down this natural sugar leading to its proper digestion.
Source: womenshealth
If you are lactose intolerant, using kefir grains can help you as the lactic acid bacteria in a drink converts the lactose into lactic acid, which makes it easier to digest. A kefir drink also contains certain enzymes that further reduces the level of lactose in a dairy product. This is the reason, people suffering from lactose intolerance can tolerate kefir drink when compared to consumption of regular milk. If you do not want to use dairy, you can still benefit from kefir by using coconut water or any other non-dairy beverage.
Kefir has also been known to provide relief from various asthma and allergy symptoms. These symptoms are typically caused due to inflammatory responses by the body against certain types of substances or foods. People who have an oversensitive immune system are much more prone to allergies. Various research studies done on animals have shown that kefir helps in suppressing inflammatory responses, thus providing relief from various types of asthma and allergy symptoms.
Overall, these are some of the most well-known benefits of including grain supplements in your meal plan. Though you can easily buy it at the store if you’re not sure about the quality, it’s easy to make them at home. You can find grains easily in various supermarkets as well as health food stores. If you are unable to find them at your nearest store, you can also find them online. As far as kefir production is concerned, there are several videos and blog posts online to help you learn everything you want to know about the process.
