It’s hard to keep track of every health craze that takes society by storm, but the fermented milk beverage kefir might deserve some recognition for nutrition.
With the consistency of a thin yogurt and a somewhat sour, tangy punch, kefir accompanies other probiotic powerhouses — like the trendy fermented tea, kombucha — on supermarket shelves.
But this drink didn’t just pop up out of nowhere; kefir has a history as rich as its taste. People from the Caucasus region and all around western Eurasia have consumed kefir for centuries, but it didn’t start spreading to other parts of the world until the 20th and 21st centuries.
What Is Kefir?
Kefir is made by fermenting milk with kefir grains — living colonies of yeasts and bacteria that almost look like little clumps of cauliflower. Based on temperatures, the type of milk, and the fermentation time, the properties in kefir can change. The traditional version of this drink can easily be made at home with the grains; the nutritional impact of store bought kefir is not as strong since it contains less bacterial strains.
