Kefir vs. Yogurt

Both kefir and yogurt are cultured milk products…

…but they contain different types of beneficial bacteria. Yogurt contains transient beneficial bacteria that keep the digestive system clean and provide food for the friendly bacteria that reside there. But kefir can actually colonize the intestinal tract, a feat that yogurt cannot match.

Kefir contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt, Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, and Streptococcus species.

It also contains beneficial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces kefir and Torula kefir, which dominate, control and eliminate destructive pathogenic yeasts in the body. They do so by penetrating the mucosal lining where unhealthy yeast and bacteria reside, forming a virtual SWAT team that housecleans and strengthens the intestines. Hence, the body becomes more efficient in resisting such pathogens as E. coli and intestinal parasites.

Kefir’s active yeast and bacteria provide more nutritive value than yogurt by helping digest the foods that you eat and by keeping the colon environment clean and healthy. Because the curd size of kefir is smaller than yogurt, it is also easier to digest, which makes it a particularly excellent, nutritious food for babies, the elderly and people experiencing chronic fatigue and digestive disorders.

Body Ecology Kefir Starter contains the following beneficial bacteria:

  • Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis
  • Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris
  • Lactococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis
  • Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris
  • Lactobacillus kefyr (thermophilic)
  • Saccaromyces unisporus
  • Dextrose as a carrier (consumed during fermentation)

Contains 6 packets which can be used an average of 7 times each. 1/4 cup of previous batch will ferment 1 quart of liquid. 1 cup will make one gallon, and so on. For prolonged shelf life, keep refrigerated before using.

  • Faraz Choudhry

    Kefir is a Prophetic drink. Apparently, God’s Last Messenger (Pbuh) drank it for breakfast every morning that he wasn’t fasting. It’s most ideal when drank neat without anything with it. I know that it has benefited me massively and has been a gut reset for me.

  • Sue Polshaw

    how much kefir milk would you need to drink daily to get the benefits? I’m not fond of the taste, so I’ve been mixing it with normal milk each time.

    • Rindaloo

      Try making a banana smoothie with the kefir, its very good 😀

  • Lisa Virginia Hunt

    I made my body ecology Kefir using half and half and love it. Fantastic taste. Anyone know how many grams of carbs are in a cup of kefir made with half and half?

  • Joycee Bastian

    If yogurt is on your weekly shopping list, you might have noticed a product called kefir located on the shelf closeby. I started noticing it more prominently in my grocery store a few weeks ago, and decided to look into it further.

    Kefir, much like yogurt, is a healthful dairy product made from cultured milk. They are both good sources of protein and high in calcium, potassium and B-vitamins, while each offers a unique blend of beneficial gut bacteria. But is one healthier or better than the other? It’s hard to say. I don’t think it’s as much about yogurt versus kefir as it is about using both of them to optimize health.

    The main differences between kefir and yogurt are the types and amounts of bacteria found within. Kefir offers a much more diverse array of cultures compared to yogurt, and they offer different benefits. Whereas the bacterial cultures found in yogurt are relatively small and “transient,” kefir can have two to three times the amount of cultures, while milk kefir can have up to 20 different types of probiotics. Comparatively, yogurts only really offer a handful of probiotics.

    One major difference between yogurt and kefir (which has nothing to do with nutrition) is consistency. Whereas yogurt is thick and consumed with a spoon, most kefir is sold as “milk kefir,” and it is a runny liquid. It can be purchased as cheese or other more solid forms, but the most convenient and common form is a runny, milky liquid that is best consumed as a drink, in a smoothie, or poured over cereal. In many instances, it can be subsisted for yogurt in recipes where consistency is not a major issue.

    So if you want to try something new, milk kefir could be worth a shot!

    http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/food-and-nutrition-articles/kefir-vs-yogurt-which-one-is-better

  • Guest

    me!

  • Candise

    Has anyone seen the “Forks over Knives” documentary, it says all dairy products are terrible for you?! So confused…

    • ANZIE YANGMI

      I want to know too! Some detoxes allows only Kefir when it calls for NO DAIRY. So I’m confused. and Dairy isn’t good for regular consumption according to real food critics/science.

      • patriotsongs

        The movie is very biased, and makes absolutely no distinction between raw milk, goat milk, and pasteurized milk from commercial dairies. There is a huge difference between processed milk (pasteurized, homogenized) and raw milk, but I have yet to see a study that uses raw milk or even compares it to pasteurized. Lactose intolerant people can usually drink raw milk because it contains the enzymes needed to digest it.

        In addition, there’s a big difference between goat milk and cow milk, between sheep milk and goat milk. Goat milk is very digestible because it has much less cassein than cow milk. I make kefir every day using raw goat milk and kefir grains, and eat a mostly plant-based diet. My health is very good, I’m quite active, and I’m well over 65.

        One last observation. Milk has been drunk by humans for millennia. It’s not a new phenomenon, those who drank it were healthy, and the human race is still around to tell the tale.

  • Mary

    Is Kerfir low in vitamin k? I’m on coumadin so need to watch my vitamin k but I also have acid reflux and was told kerfir could help with that. I’m struggling with what I can eat that is safe with the coumadin but also easy on my stomach.

  • Customer Support

    Kefir is One of The Oldest
    Remedies Known To Man

    Kefir is considered a nutritious drink suitable for any diet . Kefir is very similar to cultured buttermilk, yogurt and any other fermented milk

    Traditional kefir is manufactured using kefir “grains,” which are porous structures resembling small cauliflower florets; the grains hold the microorganisms that are responsible for the fermentation process. The bacteria and fungus which make up the grains includelactic acid streptococci, leuconostocs, lactobacilli, yeasts and acetic acid bacteria.

    After fermentation, 1 mL of good quality kefir contains 10,000 to 10,000,000,000 microbes! . Kefir has a sourly taste and can be produced from whole, low-fat or skim milk.

    Want to read more and get LIVE ORGANIC KEFIR grains? Visit http://www.probioticgrains.org

  • akiravei

    This is a piece published at http://www.probioticgrains.org:

    The Human Microbiome, What is it? And what does it have to do with Kefir?
    What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word “bacteria”? Probably strong sense disgust, followed by an urge to wash your hands. Well I have news for you, most of the bacteria around us is harmless and some are even beneficial to our well being…read more at http://probioticgrains.org/healthblog.html

    Kefir grains are available at minimal cost.

  • Süe

    EL KEFIR SIEMPRE FUE ******** GRATIS*********…. lo llevamos tomando en mi casa 10 años y lo que nos sobra lo regalamos a la gente

    ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿que comercializais aquì??????????????????

    El kefir se dá de personas a personas, JAMÁS SE VIO COMERCIALIZAR

    • kefirgurt

      sue, ellos venden el yogurt generado por los gránulos de kefir, NO EL KEFIR, entiendes??????? ademas no le veo nada de malo, hay personas que no tienen tiempo para producir su yogurt de kefir y estas empresas les facilitan la vida, llevándoles yogurt de kefir listo para servir..

  • jksozib

    Low Price kefir Milk for 1st 10 only @$10!!!!!

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  • Claudia

    Hello,
    I’m a new person to kefir, I’ve tried it and love it and make it into smoothies….I went to look you up on facebook but no luck….is there another way I can add you? I can’t seem to find your page…thanks!

  • Anita

    I have Milk & Water Kefir grains, as well as Kombucha cultures to share.
    If anyone’s in Australia, & wants some, email me- gamgo AT optusnet DOTcom.au (replace caps)
    Regards,
    Anita.