Monday 8th January 2024
What's so good about Kefir?
What is Kefir? Kefir is a fermented food like sauerkraut and kimchi. This ancient way of fermenting yogurt has been around for centuries, and our range contains 14 strains of live cultures. It’s high in protein, low in fat and with a natural and some fruity flavours to choose from, we’re sure you’ll find a pot you love.
What’s so good about Kefir?
We sat down with award winning nutritionist Lucy Williamson to find out a bit more about Kefir and what makes it so tip top!
1. Kefir is full of beneficial microbes
Yeo Valley’s Kefir has 14 different live strains of live cultures which can add to the bacteria in our gut, increasing the variety of our gut microbes (our microbiome). This variety of microbes, or ‘biodiversity’ is just as beneficial for gut health as biodiversity is in nature.
2. Get the most from your food
The bacteria present in fermented foods such as Kefir also help to ‘pre-digest’ food for us, making the many nutrients in dairy easier for us to absorb. Even better, microbes in dairy Kefir have already fermented much of the lactose, so improving lactose digestion whilst still keeping the many nutrients in dairy such as Vitamin B12, Iodine for growth, Vitamin A for healthy vision and strong immunity and Riboflavin, which we need to help absorb iron from food.
3. Source of calcium
Calcium is the main mineral in our bones. Dairy is a good source of calcium which is good for teeth and bones and can help reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis, and lower older adults’ risk of fractures.
4. Healthy Sugars
The natural sugars (lactose) present in dairy, trigger the fermentation process in making kefir; the longer it ferments, the less these natural sugars are present in the food. This reduction of sugar can reduce the stimulation for further sugar cravings.
You can find out more about fermented foods and the benefits of eating them by clicking here to head to our Gut Health page.
Top Tip to include Kefir in Your Diet
Team up your kefir with some fresh fruit to start your day! Studies have recently found that having whole food at the same time can help protect the live microbes from the acidic environment of our stomach. Delicious and good for your microbes!
Registered nutritionist, Dr Lucy Williamson is an Ambassador for the Love British Food campaign, The Real Food campaign and a visiting University Lecturer in nutrition and dietetics as well as a former vet. Find out more at lwnutrition.co.uk
