Kefir what exactly is it?

Posted on March 7, 2008 by Kelly

So I finally made it over to choices and picked up some kefir.

I got the plain flavor (fruit flavors have WAY too much sugar in them) but it taste and smells kind of weird and it confused me.  It was too runny to be yogurt but yet too thick to be milk. 

 Then I looked at the contents to figure out what it was supposed to be and on the lid it says:  Real Kefir made with authentic Kefir Grains from the Caucasian mountains, but then on the side it says:  Ingredients:  Organic partly skimmed milk, bacterial cultures.  What exactly is Kefir?  If anyone could explain it to me it would be greatly appreciated!

If you compare the nutritional information to milk, per 250ml milk has 100 calories, 2.5g fat, 12g carbs, 9 g protein while 250ml Kefir has 129 calories, 5g fat, 11g of carbs and 9g protein. 

But anyways, I figured out that if you combine it with hemp protein power and frozen berries and put it in the freezer it actually makes a pretty good icre cream type desert.  Thats my new discovery for the day.

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  • fern

    Wikipedia has a pretty good entry. It’s fermented milk (just about any kind of milk), the kefir “grains” are sort of like yeast – bacterial cultures that cause fermentation.

    Two health benefits listed:
    1) Better digestion for lactose intolerant individual
    2) Increase folic acid – important if you have stopped eating bread/enriched flour!

    my score of the week is that I am now getting brown free-range organic eggs delivered to my mailbox.

  • http://kellyfrankson.com Kelly

    Thanks fern. The part I don’t get is that if it is fermented milk, then how come lactose intollerant people can still eat it? Is it the Kefir in the fermented milk that helps the body break it down better than regular milk?

    What does Folic acid do?

    So much to learn!

    Where are you getting the free-range eggs delivered from?

  • fern

    I don’t know about the lactose aspect. Folic Acid is involved/associated with a lot of different body functions/dysfunctions from cancer to depression – and typically, clinical research gives an ambiguous picture of many of its apparent roles. The big ticket one that led to it being added to “fortified” bread products, is that folic acid deficiency in pregnancy can lead to birth defects – namely Spinal Bifida. The incidence of Spinal Bifida has dropped markedly since folic acid was mandated to be added to bread supply. From my reading though, it seems like getting adequate DIETARY folate is net positive on reduced cancer risks, better brain function, reduced heart/cardiovascular disease risk. Folic acid in the body is broken down by exposure to UV, so for light-skinned folks there is a battle between folic acid deficiency and Vitamin D deficiency. Nice to have good dietary sources of both – rather than non-diet supplements.

    A lady down the road has some excessively productive chickens, to my benefit.

  • http://www.kellyfrankson.com/2008/04/goats-milk/ Goats Milk | Kelly Frankson DOT COM

    [...] of dairy that I consume and have eliminated Milk, cottage cheee and yogurt, but started adding keefer to my smoothies and was recently introduced to Plain Goats Milk Yogurt which tastes great with [...]

  • Sarah

    Just happen to stumble on your blog. BTW the benifits of Kefir are HUGE! Just google it and read all about. Here is some info. Kefir is made by adding a complex of yeast and bacteria to milk which are known as grains. These grains multiply as the milk undergoes fermentation which, in turn, creates more grains setting off a sort of self replicating process. It is this self replicating fermentation process that creates the uniquely tangy, carbonated taste of fresh kefir.
    To answer your question about the lactose. The beneficial yeast and friendly bacteria in the kefir culture consume most of the lactose (or milk sugar). This is what lactose intolerant people are sensitive to.

    Love your blog. If you get interested in Kefir and want some grains to make your own Kefir, let me know I sell them when I have to many. I am not trying to sell you anything if you don’t want it, I just know what I went through trying to find some! Good Luck.