5 Health Benefits Of Adding Kefir To Your Diet

Kefir is a thin yoghurt that’s extremely popular amongst the health community.

It can boost your nutrition programme in a number of ways and is considered by many to be more nutritious than normal yoghurt.

Originating from the mountainous border between Eastern Europe and Asia, it’s made from fermented milk. Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it sounds.

It can be eaten as a snack or part of a balanced meal. Here are five health benefits of kefir.

Improves Gut Health

The main reason kefir is considered so good for you is that it’s high in probiotics.

It contains a number of microorganisms that help with digestion and maintain gut health.

Good gut health ensures you get the key nutrients out of your foods and supports a host of functions throughout the body, including brain function.

Supports Bone Health

Kefir is rich in calcium and vitamin K which help maintain strong bones. 

Good bone health is essential for athletes as picking up a stress fracture or a similar bone injury could result in a long lay-off from training.

Bones become weaker as we age, so it’s an issue we all need to think about. 

Range Of Nutrients

As well as probiotics, calcium and vitamin K, kefir contains magnesium, vitamin B12 and phosphorus.

All these compounds help to support bodily functions and the recovery process in between tough sessions.

Good Source Of Protein

A typical serving of kefir tends to contain about 8g of protein.

When you factor in all the other vitamins and probiotics you get from it, that’s a lot of bang for your nutritional buck.

As athletes, we’re always looking for high-protein snacks and kefir is a great option.

Low In Lactose

Between 10 and 20% of the UK population is lactose intolerant, which makes normal dairy products very problematic.

The bacteria in the fermentation process means the lactose in the milk turns to lactic acid, making kefir much lower in lactose than regular milk.

You can also make it completely lactose-free by making your own kefir from coconut milk.