GUT FEELING:
WHAT’S THE FIZZ
WITH KEFIR?
Packed with live microbes
like the ones found in our gut,
the ancient fermented drink
kefir has become popular
with those conscious of
maintaining a well-balanced
gut microbiota, writes
dietitian and nutritionist
Lauren Marino.
54 | NETWORK SUMMER 2019
here’s a bit of a buzz at the
moment around kefir, and sooner
or later it’s likely that one of your
clients will ask you about it. So,
what is it, and what does it do?
Kefir is a fermented drink made by
adding kefir grains to either milk or a sugary
water. The grains look like small pieces
of cauliflower and are a complex mix of
bacteria and yeast. By adding these to the
milk or sugar water, the kefir grain creates
a fermentation process with the available
sugar, resulting in a drink with a very mild
natural fizz. In the case of most kefirs where
dairy milk is used, the naturally occurring
lactose is the sugar that undergoes the
fermentation process. Kefir can also be
made with plant-based milks such as
coconut or soy, and with coconut water, as
long as there is a small amount of available
sugar to ferment.
Although it has become increasingly
popular over the past couple of years, kefir
actually originated thousands of years ago
in the Caucasas Mountains in the former
Soviet Union. The word ‘kefir’ is said to
T
have originated from the Turkish word ‘keyif’
which means ‘good feeling’ and relates to
the feeling of health and wellbeing when it’s
consumed.
Kefir and gut health
Kefir has become more prevalent as we learn
more about gut health. Due to the fermenting
process to create kefir, live microbes like
the ones found in our gut microbiota are
produced. This may contribute to creating a
well-balanced gut microbiota.
A well-balanced gut microbiota
Our gut microbiota is incredibly diverse, with
10 to 100 trillion interrelated bacterial cells
calling our intestine home. They perform a
range of functions such as increasing our
immunity, preventing the growth of harmful
species, and producing hormones, vitamins
and amino acids. They can also strengthen
the gut barrier, deactivate toxins and
influence gut movement and function.
Imbalance of the gut microbiota is