Nutritional characteristics of kefir

High in nutrients and probiotics, it is very beneficial for digestion and gut health. In fact, many people consider it to be more nutritious than yogurt. Kefir is made by combining milk or water with a gelatinous kefir starter culture of bacteria, milk proteins, and yeast. Starter cultures prepared from kefir grains. Kefir grains are small, hard, irregularly shaped, yellowish-white granules varying in diameter from 3 to 35 mm, with the appearance of miniature cauliflowers.

The physicochemical properties of kefir include an acidic pH of 4.6, alcohol of 0.5%–2%, acidic taste, and yeasty flavour. Chemical composition of kefir found to be ranged from 10.6% to 14.9% for total solids, 2.9–6.4% for crude protein, 3.8–4.7% for carbohydrate and 0.7–1.1% for ash.

Kefir grains contain 86.3% moisture, 4.5% protein, 1.2% ash and 0.03% fat. Brazilian kefir contained 3.91% protein, 2.34% fat and 9.62% dry matter after 24 h of fermentation.

Kefir is good sources of: calcium, potassium, phosphorous. They are also rich in vitamin A, and B vitamins like riboflavin, folate, biotin, and B12. Full fat kefir is not only a great source of calcium but also vitamin K2 — which plays a central role in calcium metabolism. Supplementing with K2 has been shown to reduce your risk of fractures by as much as 81%.

This fermented milk contains a complex mixture of LAB (lactobacilli, lactococci, leuconostocs, streptococci), yeasts and sometimes acetic acid bacteria. The micro-organisms present in kefir possess probiotic potential. Additionally, the microbiota present in kefir can produce antagonistic substances, such as organic acids and bacteriocins and interfere with the adherence of pathogenic bacteria in the intestinal mucosa, potentially contributing to the improvement of gut health.

Kefir also contains a wide variety of bioactive compounds, including organic acids and peptides that contribute to its health benefits.
Nutritional characteristics of kefir