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A "cultured milk product" may sound foreign, but if you've ever eaten yogurt, you're closer to kefir than you thought. Find out what makes it just a little more special. What Is Kefir? Kefir has the mild tang of yogurt, only with a thinner and more drinkable consistency. Plain is the traditional variety but its increasing popularity has caused manufacturers to produce flavors like cherry, strawberry, chocolate, cappuccino and pomegranate. Low-carb flavors are also available but are sweetened with artificial sweeteners. Kefir is available in non-fat, low-fat and whole milk forms. Brands such as Lifeway also offer frozen, scoop-able versions, with a texture similar to frozen yogurt. Healthy Attributes One cup of low-fat, plain kefir has 110 calories, 2 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbs and 11 grams of protein. It’s comparable to milk in the calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin D department but does contain more iron than milk – 30 percent of your daily needs per cup (milk has 1%). Kefir is perhaps most well known for its digestion-promoting healthy bacteria known as probiotics. Regular ingestion of these "healthy bacteria" help to keep a balanced environment in the intestines, which can help with regularity. Yogurt is also a good source of probiotics but kefir tends to have more per serving and its thinner consistency is often easier to digest. Click here for 5 ways to love kefir from Food Network. More from Food Network:Have you tried kefir? *Photo Provided |
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