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Kefir is made from kefir grains that are typically fermented in milk. It has a thick, yogurt-like consistency with a tangy taste and is known for its exceptional probiotic properties. You can also find vegan kefir, including kefir water, which uses sugar for the fermentation process.
Kefir is known for its nutritional benefits, but what are they and how do they work? We’re giving you a rundown on what kefir does for your body and how it elevates your health. Let’s get to it.
Read more: How Is Kefir Made?
What kefir does for your body
The small, but mighty kefir grain accelerates your physical and mental wellbeing when fermented in milk. Here’s what it can do for your body:
Kefir feeds your gut with probiotics
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Kefir is mainly known for its positive effect on gut health. You have a strong brain-gut connection (known as the gut-brain axis), so how well you look after your digestive system directly impacts your brain. Of course, your brain controls everything, including mood, sleep, focus, energy, the nervous and immune system, heart health, blood circulation…we could go on.
Your gut contains strains of good bacteria, which communicate back and forth with the brain. You can encourage the growth of good bacteria by eating prebiotics. These are fairly simple to get in a balanced diet. Sources of prebiotics include bananas, oats, soybeans, legumes, onions and garlic.
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In order for your gut bacteria to thrive, you need to feed it other types of bacteria, known as probiotics. Probiotic bacteria strains include Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Saccaromyces unisporus, and Kluyveromyces marxianus.
You find probiotics in fermented foods, such as kefir. Your gut bacteria “eats” the probiotics, so you need to replenish them regularly. Therefore, consuming fermented foods like kefir is an excellent way to keep your gut-brain connection healthy and happy.
Kefir aids sleep
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The modern day stressors of life and overstimulation from blue light, like phones and laptops, make it difficult to sleep. When you don’t get enough sleep, you rack up something called sleep debt.
When you have sleep debt, your decision-making, mood, focus, and reaction time plummets. You can’t “bank” sleep, so you need to pay off your sleep debt and get high-quality rest as much as possible. Little do people know that great sleep starts from the gut.
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The food you eat provides the brain with vitamins and minerals to produce the sleep hormone melatonin. The gut and the brain communicate with each other to regulate melatonin, ensuring you have the right amount. Too little melatonin and you’ll stare at the ceiling all night. Too much and your head will be hitting the desk all day.
Kefir contains the essential “ingredients” for melatonin production. These include the amino acid tryptophan, which the body uses to create serotonin. Your brain then converts serotonin into melatonin. Kefir is also rich in magnesium, a mineral that helps the body generate melatonin for sleep.
If you struggle with sleep, try a kefir bedtime drink a few hours before bed to help your melatonin levels rise, so you fall asleep more easily.
Kefir elevates mood
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What you put in your stomach has a massive effect on your mood. Foods that are high in sugar and salt and low in nutrients can cause inflammation throughout the body, including your brain.
Research is starting to make a connection between inflammation and depression. It’s unclear whether depression causes inflammation or if inflammation can cause depression. However, lowering swelling is essential to lower depressive symptoms and elevate your overall mood.
Kefir contains a medley of anti-inflammatory nutrients that defend the body against swelling. These include yeast, lactic acid, acetic acid, vitamins B12, A, and K, and calcium. Kefir milk is also an excellent source of vitamin D (which is challenging to find in foods). The body synthesises vitamin D into the “feel good” hormones serotonin and dopamine for a happier mood.
Read more: Can We Eat Ourselves Happier?
Kefir provides plenty of protein
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Kefir milk is an excellent source of protein, therefore it's a great addition to your diet if you are hitting the gym for muscle growth and recovery. However, protein isn’t just essential for getting strong. It releases energy gradually throughout the day, keeping you satiated for longer and reducing fatigue. As a result, you’ll experience better concentration and a more stable mood.
The protein in kefir also contributes to skin and hair health. It helps produce collagen, a protein found in the body which provides cells with bounce and elasticity. A rise in collagen equates to taut skin, reducing fine lines and locking in hydration for a plump and youthful glow. Hair is made from keratin, which comes from collagen, aiding strong and thick locks.
Read more: How To Hit Your Vegan Protein Intake.
Kefir improves immunity
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The probiotics in kefir milk expand the microbiome diversity in your gut. A range of good gut bacteria improves your immune system to fend off harmful pathogens. These include bad bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli, which severely impact health if left untreated.
The fermented milk takes it one step further by stimulating immune cell production. Immune cells are white blood cells, which create something called antibodies. Antibodies are your immune’s defence system that attack harmful bacteria, fighting off disease and infection. The more antibodies you have, the more effective you are at defending against illness and making a quick recovery.
Read more: Feeding Your Immune System.
Get your kefir starter kit with Grape Tree
Kefir provides your body with all the above benefits and more, including bone health, cognitive function, and blood circulation. Buying a kefir yoghurt every day can add up, but you can save plenty by investing in a Kefir Starter Cultures Kit.
The kit contains kefir grains with 7 strains of probiotics to supercharge your health. And the best part? Once you’ve cultivated the kefir grains, all you need to do is replenish the milk to repeat the fermentation process and enjoy an endless supply of kefir milk.
