Bella Adams
You can’t imagine a healthy diet without kefir. The drink is valuable as a product and as a medicine.
Composition of kefir
Detailed vitamin and mineral composition of the drink with a fat content of 3.2%:
The drink is rich:
- calcium – 120 mg;
- potassium – 146 mg;
- sodium – 50 mg;
- magnesium – 14 mg;
- phosphorus – 95 mg;
- sulfur – 29 mg;
- fluorine – 20 μg.
Kefir contains vitamins:
- A – 22 μg;
- B2 – 0.17 mg;
- B5 – 0.32 mg;
- B9 – 7.8 μg;
The drink has different fat content: from 0% to 9%. Calorie content depends on fat.
In kefir with a fat content of 3.2% per 100 grams:
- calorie content – 59 kcal;
- proteins – 2.9 g;
- carbohydrates – 4 gr.
In kefir, lactose is partially converted into lactic acid, so kefir is easier to digest than milk. About 100 million milk bacteria live in 1 ml of kefir, which do not die under the influence of gastric juice, but reach the intestines and multiply. Milk bacteria are the same intestinal bacteria, so they help in digestion and prevent the reproduction of harmful microorganisms.
The effect of kefir on the gastrointestinal tract
In order for the body to receive useful substances from food, the products must be broken down by intestinal bacteria. First, the bacteria process the food, and then the intestines absorb the necessary substances. But these processes are sometimes disturbed in the intestines and harmful microorganisms prevail instead of useful ones. As a result, food is absorbed worse, the body does not receive vitamins and minerals, and bloating, diarrhea, and nausea appear. Due to intestinal dysbacteriosis, other organs suffer, as pathogenic microorganisms do not meet resistance.
Kefir contains millions of beneficial bacteria that multiply and displace “bad” bacteria. The benefit of kefir for the body is that the drink will help to cope with bloating, indigestion, and constipation.
Kefir fills the need for calcium
A glass of kefir with a fat content of 3.2% contains half of the daily norm of calcium and phosphorus. Calcium is the main builder of bone tissue, necessary for strong teeth, hair, and nails. But in order for calcium to be absorbed, the conditions must be met: the presence of vitamin D, phosphorus, and fats, so it is advisable to use a fatty drink – at least 2.5% – to fill calcium. Calcium is better absorbed at night.
People with lactose intolerance cannot consume milk, as it can cause nausea, diarrhea, and even vomiting. In this case, you can replace milk with fermented milk products, such as yogurt and kefir.
Benefits of using kefir at night
Kefir at night is useful as well as at any other time. In addition, kefir drunk at night improves intestinal flora and strengthens sleep. The milk proteins contained in it are rich in the amino acid tryptophan – a key product for quality and restful sleep.
If you’re losing weight or just maintaining your weight, a glass of kefir will help to suppress your appetite in the heaviest evening hours.
Apparently, you should not abuse kefir at night only for those people who have a very fast excretion of liquid. Or you should drink a glass of kefir 2 hours before the expected sleep.
The benefit of the unloading day on kefir
Unloading days on kefir, contrary to popular opinion, is more useful not for weight loss, but for speeding up digestion. Due to the reasons listed above, kefir normalizes the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
But for those who have problems with overeating, kefir days often turn out to be too “hard” and provoke an increase in appetite the next day. To avoid this, after unloading on kefir, you should have breakfast with a dish rich in animal fats and protein. Ordinary chicken or quail eggs are ideal for this purpose.
Contraindications to the use of kefir:
- Kefir is contraindicated for children under one year, due to the fact that they have not formed the microflora for its assimilation.
- Those who are lactose intolerant should not drink it. However, today you can find lactose-free milk and ferment it yourself at home to get a kefir-like drink.
- Old kefir can be drunk by people with high acidity of gastric juice and heartburn.
