The 5 Magical Benefits of Kefir; not an attention grabbing headline, it was truly believed to be magical!

Originating from North Caucasus (a region situated in South Western Russia and bordering Georgia and Azerbaijan), Kefir is a fermented milk drink, that provides many health benefits.  The discovery of Kefir as part of a staple diet for the locals in this region is a fascinating story.

According to The Raw Milk Institute, the people of the Caucasus region in the early 1900’s were re-known for their health and longevity, so a Russian immunologist called Dr Ilya Ilyich Metchnikoff delved into their diet and “came to the conclusion that soured milk, including milk kefir, was one of the keys to longevity and well-being”.

The story behind how the first kefir grains were obtained is absolutely fascinating, the websites below relays the story of how the highly guarded grains were obtained by two brothers from the All Russian Physicians’ Society.

https://www.rawmilkinstitute.org/updates/the-fascinating-history-of-milk-kefir

However, our focus today is not on the backstory of Kefir but on the many health benefits that it provides.  The 5 main health benefits of Kefir are:

• Great for gut health. As Kefir is fermented, it contains probiotics-containing more than 30 species of “good bacteria”, which help to restore balance within the gut.
• The above benefit is consequently linked to aiding and improving overall digestion
• There is a probiotic that is unique to Kefir, called Lactobacillus kefiri. This unique probiotic is believed to provide protection against the growth of harmful bacteria within the body.
• It is a fantastic source of calcium, and therefore is a preventative for Osteoporosis, which is quite a significant issue in the West.
• Kefir is strongly linked to lowering Cholesterol levels in the body- again thanks to the probiotics.

Kefir truly does have multiple benefits and is great to incorporate into your diet. It is available to purchase in most supermarkets and can also come flavoured- so it can be child friendly too!

If you are suffering from lactose intolerance or  any sort of digestive or bowel issue, do your research or discuss with your gp.