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Kefir is fermented milk made with grains of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. Tangy and thinner than yoghurt: drink it plain or use it in smoothies and dips.
Kefir is a traditional, thick fermented milk drink that originally comes from the Caucasus. It isn't made with just one or two strains of lactic acid bacteria (as yoghurt is), but with kefir grains. These grains are a living partnership of more than 40 different strains of bacteria and yeasts.
A typical shop-bought yoghurt is made with about 2 to 3 strains of bacteria. Kefir contains up to 60 different strains of bacteria (such as Lactobacillus kefiri) and yeasts. Whether and how many of them survive stomach acid and stay in the gut is still being researched.
Many people who have mild problems with milk find they get on well with kefir. During the 24-hour fermentation, the bacteria use up a large part of the lactose in the milk. If you're lactose intolerant, test how much you tolerate.
Kefir contains vitamin K2. This often overlooked vitamin is involved in calcium metabolism in the body, including how calcium is built into bone.
Drink kefir plain in the morning, use it instead of milk in your smoothie or pour it over your oats. Important: never heat it! From about 45°C, the millions of live lactic acid bacteria die off and kefir loses what makes it special.