Is Kefir Healthier Than Yogurt?

Kefir is fermented milk produced using kefir grains that contain both bacteria and yeast. Although both kefir and yogurt come with several health benefits, kefir is widely considered a better option since it has a larger variety of healthy microorganisms.

Both kefir and yogurt come with many health benefits because of the good bacteria they contain. 

This article will explain some of the health benefits of kefir to help you know whether it’s a better option for you than yogurt.

Kefir (pronounced kee-fir) is fermented milk produced using kefir grains that contain both bacteria and yeast. Kefir grains are off-white, irregularly shaped clumps of lactic acid bacteria and yeast held together in a polysaccharide matrix that closely resembles cauliflower florets.

Kefir is usually made with cow’s milk, but it can also be made from the milk of goats, sheep, buffalo, and even soy milk.

To prepare the drink, the milk must be fermented using kefir grains. The fermented milk is then filtered, and the remaining kefir grains are reused for subsequent fermentation. The taste of the final product depends on the conditions of fermentation and the grain-to-milk ratio.

The local tribes in the Northern Caucasian mountains of Russia were among the first to come across kefir grains. They were widely considered extremely precious and were handed down through the generations among the Caucasus tribes as family wealth.

This milk drink traces its origins to the Balkans in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus mountains of Russia. It’s a popular drink in Eastern European countries known for its therapeutic effects. In fact, the word “kefir” is derived from the Slavic word “keif” which means “well-being” or “living well.”

Traditional Caucasian tribes used animal skins to carry milk from their sheep and camels. The fresh milk from these animals became a naturally available food source for the microorganisms in the animal skins, leading to the formation of a colony that contained bacteria and yeasts.

The preparation of commercial kefir is done in two ways. The first process is called the “Russian Method,” whereas the second is known as the pure culture process.

The “Russian Method” involves the production of kefir on a large scale with several fermentation processes. The pure culture method uses the fermentation of kefir grains, pouring hot liquids through these grains and collecting the end product. You can prepare kefir in your home by culturing fresh milk with kefir grains.

There’s extensive research being done on fermented foods and their beneficial effects on the human microbiome. One of the potential applications is to improve gut health through probiotic foods. Kefir has gained a lot of attention in recent times for its many health benefits, such as improved digestion, antibacterial effects, and antioxidant activity, among other benefits.

Although kefir is similar to yogurt in that both are fermented products that have a sour fermented taste, they are essentially different. Kefir and yogurt contain the lactobacillus bacteria that are responsible for digesting the lactose in milk and converting it to lactic acid, but in addition to bacteria, kefir also contains yeast that produces carbon dioxide and ethanol.

In some cases, the lactose content in kefir is also lower after it’s fermented as compared to yogurt. This strictly depends on the duration of fermentation, since in both cases, the longer it’s left to ferment, the lesser the lactose content.

Usually, in yogurt, the increasing levels of lactic acid may make it more acidic, which inhibits bacterial activity and lowers the rate of fermentation. When it comes to kefir, the yeast and its by-products reduce the acidity caused by lactic acid, thus increasing the fermenting activity of the bacteria. These bacteria in turn create a more suitable environment for the yeast, thus forming a symbiosis between the two organisms known to some as a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY).

Another major difference between the two fermented products is that kefir contains a larger variety of microorganisms. Fermentation of yogurt typically occurs due to the action of two bacterial strains – Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.

Kefir, on the other hand, has been found to have hundreds of different bacteria and yeasts that include strains and subspecies of lactobacilli, streptococci, acetobacter, and saccharomyces. Researchers have used procedures such as electron microscopy and genome sequencing to identify the different types of bacteria and yeast strains in kefir.

The health benefits of such fermented foods depend on the bacterial and yeast strains. This is what scientists have attributed the extensive health benefits of kefir to, as each colony of kefir grains contains a distinct microbial group that depends on the type of milk that it’s used to ferment. Another relevant factor is the microbial environment in which fermentation occurs.

Every preparation of kefir is unique due to these factors. The variety of microorganisms in kefir comes with many health benefits. These include improving the digestion of food, aiding the production of important micronutrients in your body such as vitamins B12 and K, and curbing the growth of harmful microorganisms in food and the digestive tract.

There are also some other potential benefits of kefir, such as enhanced immune function and anticarcinogenic effects. However, more research is needed to understand and identify the specific processes to which these benefits could be attributed.

Both kefir and yogurt contain important nutrients that support many essential physiological functions.

100 grams of kefir contain:

• Calories: 38
• Carbohydrates: 4.17 grams
• Protein: 3.33 grams
• Calcium: 125 milligrams
• Sodium: 62 milligrams

100 grams of yogurt contain:

• Calories: 70
• Carbohydrates: 5.29 grams
• Protein: 3.52 grams
• Calcium: 132 milligrams
• Sodium: 145 milligrams

Kefir is a rich source of essential amino acids like lysine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, valine, threonine, methionine, and tryptophan. While some amino acids are produced in your body (called non-essential amino acids), your body depends on food sources for essential amino acids.

Kefir is also a great source of vitamins, including vitamins A, B1, B2, B5, C, K, and carotene. Studies have shown that certain preparations of kefir also contain vitamin B12, thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxine, folic acid, and biotin. 

Kefir additionally contains several minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, iron, cobalt, and manganese. The proportion of these nutrients depends on the type of milk, the microorganisms that the kefir grains contain, and the method of preparation. 

Yogurt, meanwhile, contains all the nine essential amino acids, which are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.

The most important nutritional distinction between kefir and yogurt is that kefir contains more probiotics than yogurt. Probiotics are a combination of living microorganisms, including bacteria and yeasts, that thrive in your body. They are often called "good" or "helpful" bacteria because they play a major role in keeping your entire digestive system healthy.

Although yogurt also contains good bacteria, the sheer volume and variety of good bacteria that kefir contains make it even more immensely beneficial.

The probiotic colonies of kefir have garnered increasing interest due to their positive effect on cholesterol levels. Research has suggested that the good bacteria in kefir can modify cholesterol levels in three ways. 

In the first process, these microorganisms attach themselves to the cholesterol molecules before they can be absorbed into your system. The second process involves inhibiting the activity of a specific enzyme in your body (HMG-CoA reductase) that plays a vital role in the metabolic process that produces cholesterol. Another way that the bacterial strains lower cholesterol levels is by breaking down cholesterol into smaller molecules that can be easily removed from the system.

When kefir grains are used to ferment milk, the microorganisms (probiotics) produce lactic acid and highly effective bactericides (molecules that kill bacteria).

These probiotics also produce chemicals such as bacteriocins that inhibit the activity of harmful bacteria that may lead to diseases. Bacteriocins have antimicrobial properties that protect your intestine. 

Probiotics also regulate the pH levels in the body and the bile salt content in your gastrointestinal tract.

Some preparations of kefir milk are known to prevent gut conditions such as diarrhea and enterocolitis caused by a type of bacteria called Clostridium difficile.

Research has also shown that kefir is a better option for those with lactose intolerance. One such study found that the microorganisms in kefir enhance lactose digestion and improve tolerance in adults who cannot easily digest it.

The study involved 15 participants with lactose intolerance, all of whom were given both yogurt and kefir to demonstrate the digestive effects of both milk products on such people.

Although both kefir and yogurt come with several health benefits due to the good bacteria they contain, kefir is widely considered a better option since it has a larger variety of healthy microorganisms. Kefir is also a better choice for those who are lactose intolerant.

Your choice also depends on the products that are available near you, though, and your taste preferences. Both kefir and yogurt are primarily derived from dairy products, but non-dairy alternatives of both may be easily available. Compare the nutrition labels on the products to know which is the healthier option. Choosing a product without added sugar or coloring agents is a good way to go.