Properties
Due to the rich content of probiotics in its composition, kefir has a wonderful effect on digestion. Properties include the fight against the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. Prevents the development of gastritis and ulcers. It has enveloping properties that have a beneficial effect on the digestive tract.
Benefit
Many years ago, people knew the benefits of kefir. Useful qualities:
- has a beneficial effect on digestion;
- removes toxins;
- has an antibacterial effect;
- helps with mild headaches;
- satisfies the feeling of hunger;
- easy to digest;
- helps with stress;
- improves intestinal function;
- strengthens the immune system;
- reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis;
- helps in the fight against allergies;
- effective in the process of losing weight;
- has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system;
- normalizes intestinal balance.
Depending on the individual characteristics of each person, positive and negative qualities may differ. Kefir is one of a number of products that can be given to young children after 8 months.
Harm
Sometimes drinking kefir is not only beneficial, but harmful. First of all, you need to pay attention to quality. It must be fresh. The name on the packaging should not be “kefir product”, but “kefir”.
The product must be of high quality and free of foreign odors. If a person does not have chronic diseases, then dairy products will not have a negative impact on health.
Kefir for health and beauty
Fermented milk product is very useful for digestion, and it is also valuable for other organs and systems, because it contains useful substances that play a significant role for the body. Thanks to kefir, other foods are also better absorbed. It contains lactic acid and lactic acid bacteria, which work as an antiseptic, prevent putrefaction in the intestines, and minimize fermentation.
- Calorie content per 100 g: from 30 to 55 Kcal.
- Proteins: 3g.
- Fat: from 0 to 3.2 g.
- Carbohydrates: 4 g.
- Water: 90 g.
The product is rich in organic acids, up to 1 g of them, 0.7 g of saturated fatty acids. The carbohydrate part is represented by mono and disaccharides, and among the microelements there is a lot of calcium, there is magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, chromium, iron, zinc, iodine. The drink contains the entire B vitamin group (1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 12), as well as vitamin C, PP, choline and valuable biotin (vitamin H).
Kefir produced at factories is produced with different percentages of fat, and the calorie content of the finished product depends on this. 0% - 29 Kcal, 1% - 39 Kcal, 2.5% - 49 Kcal, 3.2% - 57 Kcal.
- Thanks to kefir, the gastrointestinal tract is regulated and the microflora in the intestines is normalized.
- Recommended for use for dysbacteriosis.
- Thanks to lactic bacteria and bifidobacteria, the development and reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms is eliminated.
- Saturates the body with vitamins, minerals, acids, and helps strengthen the immune system.
- An excellent preventative against constipation.
- Helps reduce blood cholesterol levels.
- The presence of calcium and protein helps strengthen bone tissue and is useful for children and adolescents.
- The same calcium becomes an obstacle to the development of osteoporosis in older women. Kefir calcium is perfectly absorbed by the human body.
- Allows you to reduce allergies to other products.
- Reduces the risk of rectal cancer.
- It has a low glycemic index and is an excellent weight loss product.
- Helps restore metabolic processes and improves the digestibility of foods.
- Able to relieve fatigue after a busy day, improves the quality of sleep when drunk at night.
- Eliminates discomfort and heaviness in the stomach when overeating, minimizes the transformation of carbohydrates into fats, and promotes energy production.
- Improves liver function, relieves the negative effects of poisons on the liver.
- Improves conditions during intoxication and poisoning, reduces hunger, and is used in various diets.
- Recommended for use by pregnant and nursing mothers, it improves lactation, saturates the body with calcium and protein, which are necessary for the full formation of the fetus.
- It prevents atherosclerosis and helps reduce cholesterol in the blood.
- Allows you to improve the functionality of medications, prevents the accumulation of toxins and breakdown products of tablets in the body.
- By holding kefir in your mouth while drinking or rinsing your mouth with it, you can get rid of bleeding gums.
Features of use
It is best to drink kefir at night, or rather two hours before bedtime for better absorption. The daily dose for a healthy person is 200 - 400 ml of the drink. It can become a complete light dinner. It is better to drink it without added sugar. Important! If there is high acidity, you need to add a couple of tablespoons of sugar to the milk product.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding
During fermentation, kefir contains a small percentage of alcohol. However, this fact is safe, since alcohol cannot be found in breast milk. However, it should be used with caution during pregnancy.
A glass of such a drink will not harm the mother and child, but abuse can lead to constipation or disorders. We should not forget about intolerance to dairy products in both mother and child.
When losing weight
Kefir can independently help in the fight against extra pounds. The well-known kefir diet has helped many women lose weight. It goes well with bran and nuts.
For weight loss purposes, you can use it at any time of the day, however, for best results, it is recommended to do this before bed. Due to its low calorie content and high protein content, the drink is perfectly absorbed and saturates the body without adding extra weight.
For some diseases
For specific diseases, drinking kefir is contraindicated. It has mild laxative properties, so use is not recommended for people with this problem. You should not drink this dairy product if you have high stomach acidity.
Diabetics will benefit from consuming kefir. Excellent for lowering cholesterol levels. For people suffering from lactose intolerance, it is a real salvation. For allergy sufferers and asthmatics, drinking this dairy product every day is also beneficial, as this product alleviates the corresponding symptoms.
Kefir is a reliable protection against cancer
No one would have thought that kefir could reduce the risk of cancer. This was stated by American scientists who conducted research and analyzed people’s eating habits for 10 years. As it turned out, in the long term, drinking 200 g of kefir daily significantly reduces the risk of cancer.
Kefir is included in the group of products that prevent the development of cancer. It contains probiotics, which increase the body's protection and also reduce the level of carcinogens produced. Thanks to this property, kefir acquired unique anti-cancer characteristics. In particular, kefir probiotics can prevent breast cancer in women.
The benefits of kefir for men and women
Kefir prevents cardiovascular diseases, and the stronger sex is more susceptible to this disease. This makes the drink valuable for men. Kefir is able to calm the nervous system, restore sleep, and normalize the psycho-emotional environment, so it is useful for both men and women. The low calorie content makes kefir useful for different genders; both men and women can introduce it into their diets to lose extra pounds.
Thanks to kefir, men can quickly quit smoking and drinking, and the drink will help effectively cleanse the body of toxic substances. Representatives of the fairer sex make rejuvenating masks for the face, body and hair based on kefir. Thanks to its beneficial substances, the fermented milk product eliminates brittleness and dryness of hair, flaking of the skin, softens and improves the color range of the epidermis.
When consuming kefir, the necessary balance of microorganisms is restored, which makes it possible to regulate the condition of thrush.
Contraindications and harms of kefir
Drinking kefir every day is not always beneficial. First of all, infants under 6-7 months should be excluded. The acids contained in the drink can harm the child’s stomach and cause anemia. The drink also contains a small dose of ethyl alcohol, which is not perceived so acutely by the body of an adult, but can be detrimental to a baby. Constant consumption of kefir by infants causes alcoholic “programming” and can have a negative impact in the future.
People with high acidity or prone to diarrhea should not drink kefir. People with stomach and duodenal ulcers, or with exacerbation of gastritis or pancreatitis, are also at risk. Kefir is prohibited for epilepsy. You should not drink kefir before important events - the drink can relax the nervous system and thereby disorient attention. You should not drink kefir even before a long journey while driving. The alcohol in its composition may affect the results of the breathalyzer.
You should not drink very cooled or heated kefir. It can cause harm to health if abused. A strong passion for kefir will cause heartburn, constipation, and excess gas in a few days.
Kefir diet, choose your own
There are many descriptions of kefir diets for weight loss on the Internet, we have collected the most popular of them. Which one to choose is up to you.
Kefir diet of Larisa Dolina
The menu for the legendary singer was specially developed by professional nutritionists. It quite quickly helped Larisa Dolina completely transform herself and bring her weight back to normal. The basic principle is that the diet is completely devoid of salt, sugar and other spices. It is designed for seven days, and can be repeated every month if desired. Food prepared for the day should be divided into 5 equal portions. The latest meal is at 7 pm.
If you are unsure whether you can go on a diet, be sure to consult your doctor.
- The first day. We will need half a kilo of boiled potatoes and half a liter of kefir. Eat this throughout the day, and be sure to drink clean, fresh water. Its volume should be one and a half liters.
- Second day. Distribute half a kilo of boiled chicken breast and 0.5 liters of kefir throughout the day. Let's remember about water.
- Day three. 1 kg of any fruit (with the exception of bananas and grapes) or vegetables, half a liter of kefir. You can make cucumber salad.
- Day four. Allowed is 0.5 kg of boiled or steamed fish and 0.5 liters of kefir. Be sure to drink water.
- Day five. Repeat the menu for the third day.
- Day six. The most difficult. It is acceptable to drink half a liter of kefir and two liters of water.
- Day seven. 1 kg of apples, 0.5 l of kefir.
You need to exit the diet gradually. You should not immediately start eating large portions, as this will reduce all your efforts to nothing. With the right approach, Larisa Dolina's kefir diet will help you lose up to 6 kilograms in a week.
Three-day kefir diet
The fastest, but the most difficult. You can lose up to 5 kg. However, it is better to choose such a menu if you are completely confident in your health. Every day it is permissible to drink only 1.5 liters of low-fat kefir and 2 liters of water. This must be done strictly on schedule, in equal portions. If the body cannot stand it, then you should immediately stop the diet.
Interaction with other products
Calcium is a mineral that must be supplied to the body in sufficient quantities every day. The main antagonist of calcium is iron, which is also a vital element.
When they interact, the absorption of iron sharply decreases. Therefore, washing down a beef steak with kefir is unwise from the point of view of the nutritional value of the entire meal.
For full absorption, it is best to drink it between meals or shortly before bed. In this case, taking it will only bring benefits, there will be no harm.
When dieting, the drink will replenish the deficiency of minerals and vitamins and help avoid constipation. As a result, it will reduce the feeling of hunger.
Fashionable low-carb weight loss diets allow its consumption, but in limited quantities.
Therefore, it is important to maintain a personal balance of gastrointestinal activity and the rate of weight loss. The total amount of food consumed during breakfast, lunch and dinner is also important.
How long can you stay on the kefir diet?
The duration of any diet should be determined by a doctor. However, often in pursuit of beauty, women themselves prescribe to limit themselves in food, having received information from the Internet. This option may well be beneficial if you carefully study the issue and listen to your body. Any deviations from normal well-being should immediately alert you. If you experience weakness, depression, or headaches, you should immediately change your diet to a more balanced one.
The safest period of a kefir diet for weight loss is from 3 days to a week, subject to daily monitoring of your health.
