Kefir Vs Yogurt

With the introduction of kefir in the local markets so widely, everyone just has one question to ask. Is it better than Yogurt? People are naturally curious about kefir. Yogurt is common and people are more aware of its benefits. This brings us to the kefir vs yogurt debate. Which one is better? When asked, most people are said to prefer kefir. But we can't forget the most important question, why? Yogurt is being consumed by cultures world over since time immemorial. Kefir, too is being consumed since a long time, it just wasn't that commonly known. So, with histories of years behind them, it is going to be a bit difficult isn't it? Both are healthy foods and their consumption is surely a good thing. Before we start listing out the differences for both, let us read a little bit on Yogurt (even though you'll know about it) and kefir before we proceed.

What is Yogurt?

Let's talk later about kefir. Yogurt needs our attention first. Yogurt, also known as yogourt and yoghurt in some cultures is basically a dairy product. It if formed by the bacterial fermentation of milk, similar to that of curd. Lactic acid is produced after the fermentation of lactose which reacts with milk protein to give this product its texture. To make yogurt, we need to heat the milk at about approximately 80 Degrees C. This will ensure that all the unwanted bacteria are killed. It also denatures the milk proteins which makes them form together and not form curds. After this, it is cooled to 45 Degrees C and then the bacteria culture is added to it. This is maintained for 4-5 hours for fermentation.

Yogurt is commonly made in households since a minimum of 5,400 years. Today, yogurt is available in many flavors and is highly common around the world. People who are accustomed to having soya milk, can have soya yogurt which is made from soya milk. It is a non-dairy product. Yogurt made from normal milk is considered a very rich food and the yogurt benefits include minerals and vitamins such as calcium, riboflavin, protein, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6.

What is Kefir?

Kefir is a fermented milk drink that is prepared after cow, sheep or goat milk is inoculated with kefir grains. So, what are kefir grains? Kefir grains are a mixture of yeasts and bacteria in a matrix of lipids, sugars and proteins. This symbiotic culture forms the kefir grains. The grains look like cauliflower. A lot of yeasts and bacteria exist in kefir grains giving us a wide variety of kefir grains benefits. The process of making kefir is as follows. The kefir grains are directly added to milk in an acid proof container. This container is covered loosely and is shaken once/twice a day. It should be stored in the dark or in a light proof container. The period of fermentation should last somewhere close to 24 hours at least and ideally at the temperatures ranging between 24-26 Degrees C.

Kefir has gained a lot of popularity in the previous years. It is being produced widely in most parts of the world and non-dairy options are also available. It can also be prepared from soya and coconut milk. Kefir health benefits are too many to name but these nutrients that it contains speak enough. Kefir contains Vitamins such as Vitamin A, B2, B12, Vitamin D and Vitamin K even. It also contains minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium and calcium.

What's Better?

Live Cultures
This is one thing that you are going to find common in the kefir vs yogurt chart. Both kefir and Yogurt contain live cultures (probiotics) that help in killing the bad bacteria in your system. However, kefir helps in maintaining an environment that can help the regrowth of the good bacteria.

Fermentation and Bacteria
Yogurt is fermented with bacteria alone while kefir is fermented with both, bacteria and yeast. The bacteria in kefir is much more friendly than that present in yogurt. The bacteria in both yogurt and kefir contribute to a clean digestive system but the bacteria in kefir can also colonize the intestinal tract. This cannot be done by yogurt. The combination of bacteria and yeast more nutritious and this point cannot be ignored.

Making and Others
Yogurt can be made again by inoculating fresh milk with the old batch of yogurt. This however, is not possible with kefir. Yogurt wins a point here. Kefir is thinner and can be consumed and digested easily than kefir. Both are of the same origin, Turkish.

Now that you the kefir vs yogurt difference, you can decide which one to consume yourself. I would personally recommend consuming both and not just any one. However, that is my personal opinion and consulting a nutritionist or doctor can give you the best possible choice to make. As we have seen, if we have to decide a winner, it is naturally going to be kefir given the kefir benefits in general and it's better nutritional value.