Kefir is one of the greatest probiotics that we have. What is better, store bought or home made?

1. By Probiotics Expert: Dr. Raga

2. Kefir is a yogurt-like fermented milk
that has a creamy and drinkable
consistency. Its taste can be compared
to that of buttermilk.
 In Turkey, the term “Kefir” means feel
good.
 Produced by using grains (looks like
clumps of cauliflower) that are used for
fermentation of any kind of milk
whether it is goat, cow, coconut, etc.
 Rich in proteins, minerals, and vitamins
(B vitamins)
 The homemade kefir usually has 35
strains of probiotics (good bacteria &
yeast).
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Kefir undergoes fermentation through the
use of kefir grains which are described to
be yeast and bacteria clumped together.
Also added are the casein (milk proteins)
and sugars.
Unlike the probiotics in yogurt, the
beneficial bacteria and yeasts contained
in kefir are able to colonize the intestines.
The yeasts in kefir are able to fight off the
pathogenic yeasts in the body.
Meanwhile, the other yeasts and bacteria
strains are able to kill the resistant
pathogens by teaming up together to
cleanse as well as fortify the intestinal
tract.

4. 1. Improvement of digestive health
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Kefir contains huge amounts of probiotics
which are known to be beneficial in
restoring the balance of intestinal
microflora to prevent digestive tract
problems such as
diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, and
constipation.
Kefir has natural inhibitory factors which
act on preventing bacterial growth. This
can also be referred to as the “antibacterial
effect”.
Cleanses the digestive tract by eliminating
the toxic or pathogenic substances present
in food.
Regulates colon function, metabolism and
digestion

5. 2. Immune system booster
In a study featured in the June edition of BMC
Immunology Journal, the effects of probiotic
fermented milk were tested on the offspring of a
nursing mice. They discovered that the fermented
milk with probiotics can hugely affect the immune
system status of the nursing mice mothers as well
as their offsprings.
 The immune system plays an important role in the
resistance to diseases.
 A study in 1995 has found out that kefir has a
property which can fight off disease causing
microorganism such as Salmonella.
 Said to be effective in preventing and treating
AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome and herpes.
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6. 3. Anti-inflammatory effect
In the Journal of Medicine and
Food’s June edition, researchers
used the carbohydrate fraction that
was derived from kefir to determine
its anti-inflammatory properties in
both in vitro and in vivo by utilizing
rats.
 They found out that there was a
significant reduction in rat paw
edema as well as the trauma after
kefir treatments as compared to the
rats in the controlled group.
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7. 4. Cancer fighter properties
Kefir has been discovered to contain Conjugated
linoleic acid (CLA). This is a fatty acid naturally found
in kefir as well as other ruminant products. Also, this
has been found to have anti-cancer properties in invivo animal subjects and in-vitro cell culture systems.
 In the July edition of BMC Cancer Journal, the
researchers proved that CLA has anti-cancer activities
effective on the human breast tissue since this fatty
acid stops the apoptosis (programmed cell death).
 According to some studies conducted in Japan, the
animals fed with kefir had been shown to have slowed
growth as well as reversal of different cancer types.
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8. 5. Calming effects on the nervous
system
The dairy kefir has been
discovered to contain tryptophan.
Tryptophan is an essential amino
acid which have been shown to
have calming effects on the
nervous system. Together with
calcium and
magnesium, tryptophan from kefir
makes a very soothing and
relaxing drink.
 This property of kefir makes it a
good choice for those who have
difficulty in sleeping.
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9. 6. Lowers blood sugar and
cholesterol levels
 Kefir
has lots of lactose and
sugar-eating bacteria which
positively affects those who
are diagnosed with diabetes.
As they munch the sugars at
the intestines, the blood
sugar is lowered as well.
This goes the same in the
case of cholesterol.

10. 7. Hair and skin enhancement properties
 Kefir
can also be considered as a beauty
product since it can promote smoother hair
and skin.
8. Weight loss properties
 Due to the fact that kefir contains lactose
eating bacteria, these probiotics prevent the
body to store up excess glucose in the body.
As a result, it aids in losing weight.

11. 9. Other benefits
Kefir also aids in treating
varieties of health conditions
such as:
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Fungal infections
Tubercolosis
Eczema
Hypertension
Ulcer
Depression
Anxiety
Osteoporosis

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Kefir in all it’s forms is one of my favorite
probiotics, but in terms of commercial
probiotics my favorite is Probacto.
Probacto is the best probiotic that I have
ever run into. They use multiple strains
and they are spore forming so they can
last while not refrigerated. They do not
use cheap bacteria, but expensive ones
such as B. Subtilis.
Probacto also contains prebiotics to help
stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria
in your gut.
Probacto contains digestive enzymes to
assist with candida die-off
Probacto is enteric coated and made to be
slow release so it will release in your gut
gradually.

13. 
Kefir as a probiotic has indeed numerous
beneficial effects to the human health. It is a great
contribution to the field of medicine. With its
incorporation to daily diet, it can positively have a
huge effect on different health conditions which are
oftentimes hard to resolve. However, more studies
should be implemented in order to establish more
accurate facts to ensure the beneficial properties
that kefir has. Overall, trying kefir seems to be less
harmful since it is a food product not a supplement
nor a drug product.