Amongst the online health communities, kefir is quickly becoming a hit due to its easy digestion and beneficial effects on gut health. Now, maybe you’ve heard the word “kefir,” but you aren’t entirely sure what it means or what it is.
Essentially, kefir (pronounced “kuh-FEER”) is a fermented milk product. It’s made from cow, sheep, or goat milk. It further has a tangy, sour taste, with many drinking it as it is or adding it to a smoothie or yogurt-styled bowl. You can even bake with kefir. But let’s take a closer look at this up-and-coming health food. What should you know?
The Benefits of Kefir
Kefir has many benefits, including its nutritional profile (more on this below). It’s also low in calories, meaning it can be a part of a healthy weight loss or weight maintenance regime. On top of this, kefir also has the following advantages:
- It’s higher in probiotics than yogurt.
- It has antibacterial properties.
- It may improve bone health and density.
- It can help enhance digestion.
- It’s low in lactose.
- It’s really easy to make at home.
Kefir vs Yogurt: What’s the Difference?
Kefir and yogurt both come from similar sources. They are also both fermented foods. So, what’s the difference?
Well, kefir is made with the kefir grain, a mix of bacteria and yeasts, and milk. Meanwhile, yogurt derives from milk and cultured bacteria. They also have slightly different nutritional profiles and tastes, with kefir having more of a tangy taste than plain yogurt.
Kefir vs Yogurt Nutrition
| Per one cup serving | Kefir | Yogurt |
| Calories | 105 calories | 179 calories |
| Total Fat | 2 grams | 4 grams |
| Carbohydrates | 12 grams | 17 grams |
| Protein | 9 grams | 13 grams |
| Vegan? | No | No |
| Keto friendly? | Yes | Yes |
| Allergens? | Milk and lactose | Milk and lactose |
| Gluten free? | Yes | Yes |
Kefir and yogurt are both very healthy additions to any diet. However, kefir may actually be more weight loss friendly due to the much lower calorie count when compared to yogurt. Yet, yogurt actually has more than double the protein when compared to kefir. They have similar carbohydrate amounts, and both are keto friendly and gluten free.
However, it is important to note that kefir tends to contain more bacteria than yogurt, which may make it even more beneficial for the gut and microbiome. At the same time, kefir and yogurt are equally good sources of calcium, potassium, vitamin A, the B vitamins, and phosphorous. And while both yogurt and kefir may have milk and lactose allergens, it’s actually thought for those with lactose intolerance that kefir may help breakdown the lactose. Yet, more research is needed.
How to Make Kefir
Kefir is made by combining the kefir grain, which, as previously mentioned, includes bacteria, yeasts, proteins, sugars, and lipids, with milk. The bacteria cause the milk and sugar to ferment, resulting in a sour, tangy, and carbonated beverage that has a slightly thinner consistency than yogurt.
In fact, kefir is really easy to make at home.
Step 1: Simply place about half a teaspoon of kefir grains (here‘s a good brand) in a jar along with a pint of milk, leaving about one to two inches between the liquid and the top of the jar.
Step 2: Cover the mixture with a cheesecloth secured with an elastic and leave to ferment for 18-24 hours. The exact time depends on the environment and temperatures. Ideally, you want to leave it at room temperature to avoid the process occurring too quickly or slowly.
That’s for dairy-based kefir. If you’re looking for something vegan that tastes very similar, I highly recommend this coconut kefir recipe. (And same for yogurt – you can easily make coconut milk yogurt.)
Taste of Kefir
This white and creamy drink has a very distinct (and some would say acquired) taste. It has a tangy and tart flavor, which many compare to buttermilk. It also may be slightly carbonated due to the fermentation process. You can flavor kefir with fruit juices (lemon, lime, cherry, and tangerine are all great choices) to get a little more of that tangy flavor, as in this coconut water kefir recipe.
Cooking With Kefir
When baking, kefir offers a wonderful and healthy alternative to milk, buttermilk, or water. Yet, a word of caution: It may change the texture and flavor slightly. However, the hope is that it changes it for the better! At the same time, when heating kefir, you will lose most of the bacterial benefits since the high temperatures kill these microorganisms.
But don’t let this deter you from trying kefir in various recipes. You’ll find kefir cakes, smoothies, pancakes, dressings, and more online that are undeniably delicious.
In addition, kefir can be used to replace yogurt, sour cream, or buttermilk in dressings or sauces.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Kefir has various benefits for your body and your health. It’s thought to help improve digestion, immunity, bone health, and allergies and asthma. In particular, the high amount of bacteria in kefir may help alleviate some digestive conditions and improve the function and health of the microbiome. But we’ll leave these potential benefits to the doctors and scientists to sort out.
Yogurt and kefir both derive from milk, but kefir is mixed with kefir grains to form a white liquid. Meanwhile, yogurt mixes milk and certain cultured bacteria, making a thicker milk product.
Kefir tastes tangy, semi-sweet, sour, and tart, similar to buttermilk. It also does taste similar to yogurt but has a thinner consistency, which is why it’s often consumed as a drink.
At the end of the day, kefir contains more bacteria (or probiotics) than yogurt, which means it can be more beneficial for digestive function and gut health than yogurt. If your goal by consuming kefir is to enhance digestion, then you are making the right choice when compared to consuming yogurt for the same means.
For a nutritional comparison of kefir vs. yogurt, see our table above.
Kefir is pronounced “kuh-FEAR.” Not “KEE-fer” like Kiefer Sutherland. And not “KEFF-er.”
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