When it comes to probiotics, yoghurt has been a favourite among health enthusiasts. But there’s something even better that is slowly but surely gaining popularity. We’re talking about kefir. But what is kefir?

From being an excellent probiotic to potential cancer-fighting super drink, kefir seems to have it all. But not many people know what this is or what its benefits are.

So here, we dive into everything that you need to know about kefir, its benefits, side effects, and even how to make your own kefir at home!

What is kefir?
Kefir, also known as kephir, is a fermented, probiotic-rich beverage that has a tart-like refreshing flavour, which is similar to yoghurt.

Although kefir is not very commonly used in India, it is quite popular in the other parts of the world, particularly in Russia, where it is one of the most common drinks.

Kefir is made from starter kefir grains, which is the combination of yeasts, milk proteins, and gut-friendly bacteria. Kefir contains stomach and gut-friendly, naturally occurring ‘probiotic’ bacteria.
This drink originated in the Caucasus, Eastern Europe and Russia, where it is prepared by adding cow, goat, or sheep milk to kefir starter grains. Starter kefir grains are a combination of milk proteins, bacteria and yeasts.

Kefir Meaning
The word “Kefir” has its origin from the Turkish word “keif”, meaning “good feeling”. It is a unique cultured dairy product known to have incredible healing effects and can cure issues like leaky gut.

It can uplift your immune system and gives an easy boost to your alimentary canal and digestive passageway. This fermented milk drink is prepared by adding kefir grains to cow or goat milk.

Kefir has superior health benefits, and if consumed on a regular basis can largely benefit your gut as well as overall health. It has valuable vitamins and minerals and contains easily digestible complete proteins to give complete probiotic health benefits.

The unique product also has lactase, an enzyme produced by the abundance of beneficial yeast and bacteria. Lactase can break down the lactose content in kefir, after the fermenting and culturing process that goes into making Kefir.

However, the difference between yoghurt and kefir is the number of strains in each. Kefir also has more protein and probiotics compared to yoghurt. Additionally, kefir is also much thinner in consistency than yoghurt which has a much thicker consistency.

What is kefir grains?
Kefir grains are yellow or white in colour. Essentially, kefir grains are a complex mixture of yeast and bacteria. The consistency of kefir grains, along with the right mixture of yeast and bacteria, is held together compounds known as polysaccharides.

Kefir grains contain gut-friendly bacteria and naturally occurring probiotics. It is with kefir grains that you can make kefir or kefir milk drinks.

Kefir Yeast And Bacteria Strains
When we say kefir ‘grains’, chances are you might have an image of cereal of grains like wheat and rice in your mind. However, kefir grains are nothing like that. Instead, they are small clusters or colonies of bacteria and yeast. There are several different bacteria and yeast strains present in kefir.

Kefir Culture Profile
Kefir is chock full of nutrients, vitamins, dietary minerals, and essential amino acids. It has a pH level of 4.2 to 4.6. Since kefir is made through the process of fermentation, it also contains certain by-products like ethanol and carbon dioxide.

The dietary minerals in kefir include iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, and zinc, to name a few.

The vitamins present in kefir include vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E.

Cysteine, leucine, valine, methionine, and phenylalanine are the few amino acids that are present in kefir.

Kefir Probiotic
As mentioned previously, kefir consists of probiotic bacteria. The different kinds of probiotic bacteria that are present in kefir include Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. Bulgaricus, to name a few.

Healthy & Gut Friendly Bacteria Strains In Kefir
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Lactobacillus brevis
Lactobacillus casei
Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus
Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii
Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis
Lactobacillus helveticus
Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens subsp. kefiranofaciens
Lactobacillus kefiri
Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei
Lactobacillus plantarum
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Lactobacillus sake
Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris
Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis
Lactococcus lactis
Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris
Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. dextranicum
Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides
Pseudomonas
Pseudomonas fluorescens
Pseudomonas putida
Streptococcus thermophilus
Kefir Yeast
Various strains of yeast are present as well. This helps metabolise lactose. Some of the lactose metabolizing yeast strains are Saccharomyces fragilis, Kluyveromyces lactis, and Kluyveromyces marxianus.

The strains of yeast which do not actively take part in metabolizing lactose are also present, some of which are Kazachstania unispora, Torulaspora delbrueckii, and Torulaspora delbrueckii.