Kefir: A healthy sour milk drink for strong intestinal flora

Kefir

Kefir is a probiotic sour-milk drink made by fermentation. Delicious sparkling milk contains an incredible number of important nutrients and healthy microorganisms that strengthen our immune system and keep us healthy.

Kefir: A healthy milk drink with a little lactose

Kefir is a milk drink made by adding kefir mushrooms. Kefir has long been drunk in the Caucasus due to its many healthy nutrients. Kefir mushrooms, or kefir grains, are a sticky, lumpy mixture of good bacteria, yeast, proteins, sugars and fats that resembles cottage cheese or cauliflower florets. If these bacteria and fungi are added to milk, milk fermentation begins. During this fermentation process, lactic acid bacteria and yeasts metabolize the milk components. Among other things, lactose is broken down in this process. Therefore, ready-made kefir has a low percentage of lactose and is easy to digest.

During the fermentation of kefir by kefir fungi, important nutrients are transferred to the milk. Kefir is rich in calcium, vitamins, lactic acid bacteria and many other health-promoting ingredients such as

Acetic acid bacteria

Propionibacteria

Yeast fungi

Sugars

Vitamin A

Vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12

Vitamin D

Folic acid

iron

iodine

This is what happens when you drink kefir every day

1. The intestinal flora remains healthy

Kefir is a probiotic food. The drink is full of microorganisms that have a positive effect on the intestinal flora. In addition to lactic acid bacteria, kefir also contains acetic acid bacteria, propionibacteria, and various yeasts. These colonize the intestines and strengthen the intestinal flora for normal, symptom-free digestion. If the intestinal flora is unbalanced due to poor diet or disease, regular consumption of probiotic foods such as kefir is recommended. Especially after antibiotic treatment, kefir can make an important contribution to rebuilding a healthy intestinal flora. Antibiotic medications are very effective in fighting bacterial diseases, but they also put extreme pressure on the good bacteria in the gut.

2. Your immune system is actively strengthened

With a healthy gut, your immune system is strengthened in the long run. Many of the microorganisms in kefir have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties and can help the immune system fight infection and relieve discomfort. For example, lactic acid bacteria, which are typical of kefir, inhibit the growth of salmonella and E. coli. The antibacterial effects of kefir microorganisms are particularly effective against Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria. Studies have noted effectiveness. In humans, streptococci primarily cause suppurative tonsillitis and scarlet fever.

3. Bone health thanks to kefir

Calcium is perhaps the most important mineral for bone health. Until about the age of 30, calcium taken in with food is stored in the bones to stabilize and strengthen the skeleton. But with age, storage stops, and our bones lose mass, becoming more porous and weaker. A calcium-rich diet is especially important as we age to prevent osteoporosis. Kefir is an excellent supplier of calcium. There are approximately 120 milligrams of calcium per 100 grams of the delicious fermented beverage. The recommended daily requirement for adults is about 800 milligrams. So, a large glass of kefir daily can help you more easily meet your daily calcium needs to protect strong, healthy bones.

4. Sensitivity can be reduced

Probiotic milk kefir drink has properties that reduce allergies. In studies, researchers were able to determine that components of kefir mushrooms were able to reduce allergic reactions, irritation and inflammation of the respiratory tract. If kefir was taken one hour before the allergen took effect, fewer allergic reactions occurred in the study. But a little restraint is still needed: the study examined the effect of kefir exclusively on mice. How useful kefir is in treating allergies in humans still needs to be tested.

What time of day should I drink kefir?

The answer is, it depends. Some people prefer to drink kefir on an empty stomach in the morning to aid digestion and get a healthy start to the day.

Others prefer to drink kefir as a snack or as part of a meal. There is no set rule about when to drink kefir. All that matters is including it in your diet on a regular basis to reap its health benefits.

By the way, there is nothing wrong with drinking kefir in the evening. In fact, there is a certain amount of tryptophan in milk and yogurt drinks such as kefir. Amino acids are metabolized in the body by, among other things, the sleep hormone melanin.