14 Health Benefits of Kefir for a Healthy Lifestyle

Kefir is a fermented milk drink which originated in the North Caucasus region of Eastern Europe and has been around for centuries. The drink is made by adding kefir grains to milk, which is then fermented and creates a slightly sour, fizzy beverage which is rich in probiotic.

Milk kefir is known to have a number of health benefits, including improving the digestion, boosting your body immunity, helping to maintain a healthy weight, and preventing osteoporosis.

If you are looking for a delicious and nutritious way to improve your health, then a homemade kefir drink may be the right choice for you!

Here in this article you can learn more about the amazing health benefits of kefir.

14 Major Health Benefits of Including Kefir in Your Diet

There are many potential health benefits associated with having a milk kefir grains drink on a regular basis and some of those benefits are listed below.

1. Kefir Is a House of Many Nutrients

It is no secret that including nutrient rich probiotic foods in your diet is important for maintaining a good health. Kefir, which is a fermented milk product is full of vitamins, minerals, and probiotics. Vitamin B12, calcium, and magnesium are just a few of the essential nutrients that kefir provides.

In addition, the probiotics in kefir can help you in maintaining a healthy gut. This is why, including kefir in your diet is a great way to ensure that you are getting all the important nutrients you need.

Kefir contains minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and zinc. It also has amino acids, lactic acid bacteria, and yeasts in it.

Also Read About: Heart Healthy Foods To Prevent Heart Diseases

2. Kefir Helps in Improving Your Digestion

Another great health benefits of kefir is that it improves your body digestion. Kefir, also known as a probiotic fermented milk drink is made from kefir grains, a mixture of bacteria and yeast.

During the fermentation process, these microorganisms produces probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that can help in improving your digestion.

Consuming kefir drinks on a regular basis can help you in increasing good bacteria in your gut, which may improve your digestion and help to prevent any digestive issues like bloating and constipation.

Additionally, kefir contains enzymes which can help in breaking down the food and make it easier for your body to absorb the nutrients.

Overall, adding kefir into your diet is an effective way to promote your overall digestive health.

3. Kefir Reduces Inflammation in Your Body

Yes, kefir may help you in reducing the inflammation in your body. For example, kefir contains different types of peptides, which are small proteins and helps reducing the inflammation in the body.

Additionally, kefir contains antioxidants, that helps in protecting your body cells from getting damaged by harmful molecules called as free radicals. These antioxidants can help in reducing the reduce inflammation and protect your body from a range of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.

Also Read: How Long Does Kefir Last and How To Check If It Is Bad

4. Kefir Improves Your Gut Health

When it comes to gut health, the main key is to have a balance of different types of bacteria in your intestines. This balance can be affected by a variety of factors, like poor diet, stress, and the use of antibiotics.

Consuming probiotics, like those found in kefir, can help you in restoring this balance and improve the overall health of your gut.

Furthermore, the probiotics present in kefir can also help you in protecting your body against harmful bacteria and keep your intestines healthy.

5. Kefir is a Great Immunity Booster

Probiotics are live microorganisms that are beneficial for your gut health. They help in replenishing the good bacteria in your gut and keep your digestive system functioning properly.

Probiotics are believed to improve your immunity, help in digestion, and decrease inflammation.

Since 70% of your immune system is located in your gut, it is important to keep the gut bacteria balanced for a good health. Consuming probiotic foods like kefir can help in boosting the immunity naturally.

6. Kefir Improves the Metabolism Functioning of Your Body

There are many different factors which impact the functioning of your metabolism and this includes, your diet, exercise habits, and stress levels. Consuming probiotics like kefir is known to improve the metabolism by regulating the digesting power and preventing the growth of harmful bacteria in your gut.

In addition, kefir contains compounds like lactic acid and acetic acid, which can boost metabolism and promote weight loss.

7. Kefir is a Great Source of Calcium and Vitamin K

Apart from being delicious, kefir is also a great source of calcium and vitamin K2. Calcium is essential for maintaining your bones and teeth strong, while vitamin K2 helps with calcium metabolism and reduces the risk of fractures.

Kefir is also a good source of protein, B vitamins, and probiotics. Probiotics are live bacteria that are good for your health. They can help with digestive issues such as constipation, diarrhea, and irritable bowel syndrome.

8. Kefir Improves Your Bone Health

Kefir, as mentioned above is a good source of calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K2, all of which are important for bone health. Vitamin D helps your body in absorbing calcium, while vitamin K2 helps prevent calcium from being deposited in the wrong places (such as in your arteries instead of your bones).

People who consume kefir fermented dairy products on a regular basis have better bone mineral density than those who consumes normal dairy products.

9. Kefir Reduces the Risk of Fractures

Kefir is a great source of calcium, which is quite essential for keeping our bones strong. According to a study, women who drink 3 cups of kefir per day has a significantly lower chance of hip fractures than women who did not consume kefir at all.

The researchers believe that the probiotics in kefir helps in strengthening your bones by increasing the absorption of calcium.

10. Kefir Protects You From Cancer

Probiotic bacteria is quite important for a healthy gut as they keep the “good” bacteria in our gut in a balanced format. This is important because an imbalance of gut bacteria has been linked to an increased risk of various diseases, which also includes cancer.

Therefore, consuming probiotic rich foods like kefir may help prevent cancer. 

Probiotics can also help in boosting your body immunity and a strong immune system is very important for preventing cancer as it helps our body fight the cell mutations that could lead to cancer.

11. Kefir Prevents Osteoporosis

One of the main reasons why kefir is so good when it comes to preventing osteoporosis is because it contains bone strengthening minerals like calcium and phosphorus.

Just one cup of kefir grains mixed with cow’s milk contains about 30% of your recommended daily intake of calcium! These minerals are essential for keeping bones strong and healthy, so drink up!

Also, kefir has anti-inflammatory properties and inflammation results in bone loss which is why drinking kefir reduces inflammation which in turn make your bones healthy and strong.

12. Kefir Prevents Tooth Decay

So, how does kefir prevent tooth decay? If you are thinking about this question then you should know that the lactic acid which is produced during the fermentation process helps in removing the plaque-causing bacteria.

Plaque is a sticky, colorless layer of bacteria that sticks on your teeth and along your gumline. If left untreated, it can lead to tooth decay and cavities.

This is why, drinking kefir milk regularly, you can help in removing the layer of plaque from your teeth and avoid tooth decay.

13. Kefir Can Help in Maintaining a Healthy Weight

You may be wondering how exactly kefir can help you in losing weight. Doesn’t all dairy products tend to be high in fat and calories? Even low fat milk is actually not low in fat. While it’s true that dairy can be high in fat and calories but, kefir is different.

This fermented beverage is actually relatively low in calories and fat, especially when compared to other dairy products like dairy milk or ice cream.

Additionally, kefir is full of proteins, which can help you feel full for a longer period of time and prevent your from overeating.

Furthermore, kefir contains probiotics, which are healthy bacteria that offers many health benefits. One of these benefits is that probiotics can help in maintaining a good level of gut bacteria in your digestive system. When your gut bacteria is imbalanced, it can lead to weight gain.

Thus, by consuming kefir, you can help regulate your gut bacteria and maintain a healthy weight.

14. Kefir is Best For Lactose Intolerant People

If you are lactose intolerant, you know the drill: avoid dairy at all costs. But what if we tell you that there is a delicious drink with great nutritional value which is made from cow’s or coconut milk which can improve your digestion?

That’s right, we are talking about kefir.

Kefir is made by adding kefir grains to milk (cow, goat, or plant based) and allowing it to ferment. The result of which is a tart and refreshing drink that is packed with probiotics, vitamins, and minerals.

Since kefir is fermented, it contains less lactose than milk, making it an ideal choice for people with lactose intolerance. This is why it is said that drinking kefir improves lactose digestion.

How to Enjoy Kefir?

Kefir can be enjoyed plain or flavored. Plain kefir, also known as water kefir, has a sour, tangy taste that only a few enjoys. If you find plain kefir too tart then you can even sweeten it by adding honey or fruit juice in it.

You can also add fruit or flavors to plain kefir to make it more tasty.

Flavored kefirs are typically available in almost all health food stores, or you can even make them on your own at home by adding fruits to plain kefir.

Kefir can be enjoyed as a drink or can be used as an ingredient in smoothies, yogurt bowls, oatmeal, or baking recipes.

Final Words

Kefir is a nutritious, probiotic rich beverage that offers many health benefits. From preventing osteoporosis to helping in weight loss, kefir can help you in staying healthy. With its delicious taste it is easy to add kefir into your daily diet.

So the next time you are looking for a healthy beverage option, try some kefir! Your body will thank you.

Questions People Also Ask About Health Benefits of Kefir