Why Everyone Should Try Kefir

Try Kefir, they said. It tastes great and it has numerous health benefits, they said. So, I tried it. You know what? The proverbial “they” were right. For the uninitiated, let me explain. Kefir is a delicious drink made from the fermented raw milk of cows, goats, and sheep. Here on our homestead, we make it from our Jersey cow milk.

Once you have it, you can use it in several other recipes. You can check out our Raw Milk Recipes page to get some inspiration for how to incorporate it into your mealtimes. It is super easy to do when you use a starter product from Cultures for Health.

Here are some reasons why you should give kefir a try before you dismiss it.

Kefir is Greek yogurt on steroids

OK, so not literally, but you get my drift. Greek yogurt has documented health benefits. Different from regular yogurt, Greek yogurt makers include an extra step in the production process that drains out excess lactose, minerals, and water. What you get is creamy, rich, nutrient-packed yogurt that can improve gut health. Kefir contains more probiotics than Greek yogurt, making it more potent. It also is loaded with tryptophan, an essential amino acid that promotes a relaxing effect on the nervous system that can help food move more easily through your digestive tract. If you want to improve your digestion or gut health, kefir is the way to go.

It aids in weight loss

Controlling your weight can be frustrating. Fad diets and exercise programs only get you so far and can be difficult to maintain. Consuming kefir is a delicious and nutritious way to stay healthy and fit. A review by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health linked gut microbiota and obesity. Researchers discovered that prebiotics and probiotics found in fermented raw milk products help control appetite and increase metabolism. If you feel hungry to the point of over-eating, it is a surefire sign your gut is not functioning optimally.

It helps control inflammation

Living with arthritis and other conditions that cause chronic inflammation throughout the body can be painful. Scientists at Stanford Medical School discovered that eating a diet rich in fermented foods can lower inflammation by attacking it on a molecular level. That’s pretty cool. Eating fermented foods for just 10 weeks can make a noticeable difference.

It protects against infection

The list of benefits just keeps growing. Some studies suggest that key probiotics found in kefir can protect against infection. One of its primary probiotics responsible for this phenomenon is called Lactobacillus kefir. You can only find it in kefir.

Try kefir today

Ready to try it? Check out our companion blog with step-by-step directions on how to make this tasty goodness. If you have some kefir recipes to share, I would love to hear about them in the comments.