Kefir vs. Yogurt
Ask the Diva: Do You Get the Same Benefits from Kefir and Yogurt?
Ask the Diva: Do You Get the Same Benefits from Kefir and Yogurt?Q. I’ve heard you talk about the benefits of probiotic bacteria in yogurt. Is kefir also a good source of probiotics? It tastes sort of like yogurt and I’m not sure what the difference between them is.
Answer. Kefir is absolutely a beneficial, probiotic food!
The difference is that kefir–which is like a thin, drinkable yogurt–is fermented with a combination of lactobacillus bacteria and yeasts. (Yogurt contains only lactobacillus bacteria.)
As they grow and divide, lactobacillus bacteria digest the lactose in milk and produce lactic acid, which gives yogurt and kefir their characteristic tartness.
In kefir, the fermenting yeast also produce carbon dioxide, which makes the kefir slightly effervescent (fizzy), and small amounts of alcohol.
Most of the commercially produced kefir in the U.S. contains little to no alcohol so it doesn’t have to be labeled or sold as an alcoholic drink. Homemade kefir can contain up to 2% alcohol. By comparison, wine contains between 8 and 12% alcohol.
Related Content: Fermented and Cultured Foods
About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.
