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| 10 FACTS ABOUT KEFIR: NOTES TO THE DIETOLOGIST |
10 FACTS ABOUT KEFIR: NOTES TO THE DIETOLOGIST
1. Why is kefir useful?
Kefir is a traditional product of our diet and a powerful stimulant of digestion. The most important useful property of a fermented milk drink is that it contains beneficial lactic acid bacteria. Acidic pH-environment and lactic acid bacteria (lactocultures of prebiotics, very similar to the natural intestinal microflora) help to be well absorbed not only by kefir itself, but also by other foods.
Kefir is a fermented milk product, which means that it contains bacteria that are similar to those that live in the microflora of the human stomach.
Kefir has a beneficial effect on the work of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, in addition, it is a source of calcium, protein. Milk proteins in kefir are absorbed by the body very easily. At the same time, kefir is a low-calorie product.
In the composition of kefir there are many useful substances:
• milk protein, fats, organic and fatty acids, natural sugars;
• vitamins - A, PP, beta-carotene, C, H, 8 B vitamins;
• minerals - calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, chlorine, sulfur, iron, zinc, iodine, copper,
manganese, selenium, chromium, fluorine, molybdenum, cobalt.
2. Is kefir good for everyone?
No, this is a myth. There are people to whom kefir is contraindicated. First of all, these are those who have increased acidity of gastric juice. Kefir is forbidden for peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, as well as for hyperacid gastritis or pancreatitis.
Important! Kefir is contraindicated in children under seven months of age. In general, kefir can be given to children only from a year and no more than 100 ml per day, because kefir irritates the mucous membrane and can even cause bleeding in a baby.
3. Fat-free kefir is more useful than usual?
It’s better to choose kefir with a fat content of 3.2%. Fat-free kefir does not contain fat, and fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin D, are not absorbed in the absence of fat molecules. And the same vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium.
Important! A person who reduces weight is recommended 1% kefir. If you do not adhere to a diet, then you can eat a higher fat content in a food and drink.
4. How is biokefir different from normal?
In addition to ordinary lactic acid bacteria, biokefir contains bifidobacteria in huge quantities - 10 million bacteria in one gram of product. Compared to normal, biokefir is a more active product. It is much more effective and faster cleanses our intestines from toxins and toxins.
5. Does kefir help with diarrhea?
Such a belief exists among many consumers since those days when there was a three-day kefir on sale. It really slowed down the development of pathogenic microorganisms in the intestine. Now they don’t produce such kefir. We are able to buy only daily kefir, which, on the contrary, has a laxative effect on the intestines.
6. What is better to drink at night - kefir or milk?
When you want to sleep a future glass of milk or a glass of kefir - what to prefer? Of course, kefir is better. For milk to be absorbed, it should be drunk at least two hours before bedtime. And kefir, thanks to bacteria, is well absorbed, and it can be drunk just before bedtime.
7. Is kefir better than milk?
Kefir as a drink is more beneficial than milk for adults, since sour-milk bacteria not only activate intestinal motility and suppress pathogenic microorganisms, preventing fermentation and rotting, but also help digest casein (cow's milk protein), promote the absorption of vitamins, calcium and iron.
Important! Calcium from kefir is absorbed much better than from milk.
Milk also impedes the absorption of iron compared to kefir.
8. Who should drink kefir?
Indications for use of kefir:
• Intestinal dysbiosis
• liver disease
• Diabetes
• Autoimmune and allergic diseases
• Gastritis with low acidity (3 times a day before meals, ½ cup).
• Constipation (fresh kefir).
9. How much kefir can I drink per day?
For an adult, the rate of consumption of kefir is 200-400 ml per day, no more.
On a note. Kefir is better to drink without sugar.
But this drink, by the way, goes well with honey - 1 teaspoon per glass.
10. Is it true that kefir causes depression?
This is another misconception. Yes, kefir is sour, unsweetened, and it seems that joy from him is not enough. But meanwhile, kefir contains the amino acid tryptophan, which is a source of the hormone of joy - serotonin.
When we drink kefir, the hormones of joy are better synthesized in our body. No depression. We are light, airy and happy!
Important! Kefir is a drink relaxing the nervous system, therefore it is not recommended to use it when it is important to concentrate (for example, during exams, business negotiations).