While the plant-based revolution might have reduced the amount of lactose in our diets, certain dairy-based foods are making a comeback in the name of good health, and kefir is one of them.
I used to think of kefir as one of those slightly icky health foods – probably incredibly good for you but mildly gross. Fermented yogurt? Not the sexiest foodstuff. So despite it being recommended by nutritionists, I eschewed kefir and opted for trendier foods and drinks like kombucha and kimchi instead.
These other fermented foods were at least a step in the right direction, especially as new research suggests the health of our guts could be responsible for any number of complaints and maladies. One recent study found that the cure for clinical depression might lie in gut regulation, and another suggested we might sleep better if our gut bacteria were more stable.
Foods and drinks that contain gut-friendly bacteria hold a lot of power and we’re only just beginning to realise just how essential good gut health is for better long-term wellbeing. Nevertheless, a growing interest in the gut has led to a marketing boost for gut-friendly foods and, once again, kefir has appeared on my radar.
“Kefir is a cousin to yoghurt – the main difference being it contains more different strains of microbes. It’s been around for thousands of years yet it’s the rise in gut health over the last few years that has brought it back in vogue,” explains Dr Megan Rossi, who goes by The Gut Health Doctor.
Dr Rossi continues: “While there are limited clinical trials looking at the specific benefits, mechanistically it’s thought to have added benefits to yoghurt given its high strain diversity and bacteria count. These include benefits with weight management, heart disease, plus a new study from Stanford University showed a high intake of fermented foods was linked with lower markers of inflammation.”
One of the things I’ve become obsessed with in recent years is decreasing inflammation in my body and rolling back my biological age. I’m no Bryan Johnson, but I like to think I’ve done a pretty good job of this – a recent health scan showed my body’s age to be five years younger than my actual age. So, given the reported health benefits of kefir and the fact that I was seeing it absolutely everywhere, I decided to give it a go.
I drank kefir, which is high in natural probiotics like lacto and bifido bacterium, every day for 30 days, sipping two different brands in a variety of flavours – I tried natural kefir, kefir with added protein, honey and orange blossom kefir and strawberry to name but a few variations. Not only did I shock myself by absolutely loving the taste, I also loved the results. I had more energy, I felt fuller for longer after meals, my problematic hormonal skin looked better and I found myself looking forward to my morning glass. The skin might have been a red herring, but I was still pleased with how things were going.
Dr Rossi recommends consuming 100-200mls of kefir daily, depending on the individual, and your desired outcome also dictates when you should drink it.
If you’re drinking it to aid digestion and improve your gut health, drinking it on an empty stomach is recommended. However, if you’re drinking it as a snack or to improve satiety, after meals is the best time to have it. I opted for 100mls and drank it in the mornings before my breakfast.
