Yogurt or kefir: which is healthier and how to choose. What is the difference between yogurt and kefir: comparison

Dairy products are affordable, tasty, nutritious and easily digestible food. It is also very versatile and very useful.

Dairy products are especially useful for those who are trying to bring their weight back to normal. Unloading diets on kefir or yogurt are considered one of the most effective and safest ways to deal with excess weight.

These fermented milk products are designed to normalize metabolism, improve digestion and bowel function, strengthen immunity, and remove toxic substances from the body.

What is the difference between yogurt and kefir? Which product is better?

Similarities between kefir and yogurt:

Both yogurt and kefir are fermented milk products and are produced from milk by adding a starter and fermenting it under the influence of microorganisms, under given technological conditions.

Both products provide the same beneficial effect on the body.

Both kefir and yogurt are distinguished by unique healing properties and are used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. Thanks to high content vitamins and microelements kefir and yogurt increase overall resistance human body, and greatly contribute to the prevention and cure of many diseases.

Natural kefirs and yoghurts are the richest sources of many useful substances have a positive effect on work digestive system and, being included in various diets, help the body quickly and effectively get rid of toxins and extra pounds.

However, with all this, each of the drinks has its own advantages.

Differences between yogurts and kefirs:

So what is the difference between kefir and yogurt? Only a variety of microorganisms that are used to ferment milk.

To turn milk into yogurt, a starter containing a mixture of two cultures, Bulgarian bacillus and thermophilic streptococcus, is used. And for the preparation of kefir, a different, more complex sourdough is needed, consisting of a symbiosis of more than twenty different components (lactic acid streptococci and bacilli, various yeasts, acetic acid bacteria, etc.). There is one more nuance: kefir can be prepared both from fat-free and from whole milk, and yogurt is produced mainly from fat-free raw materials.

As a result, the products are different, kefir - more complex product with a low protein content, and yogurt usually has more protein than kefir. Kefir contains bacteria that can settle on the intestinal walls and help restore its normal microflora. bacteria from natural yogurt they are not able to do this, but they perfectly cleanse the intestinal tract from harmful microorganisms. Moreover, yogurt copes with this task much better than kefir.

In addition, drinks differ from each other in palatability. If kefir has a pronounced sour taste, then natural yogurt has a light neutral taste. Food additives are unacceptable in kefir, and various fruit fillers are often added to yogurt.

For weight loss or unloading days you can choose both kefir and yogurt, but yogurt should be only natural, without sugar and other additives.

Production technology of kefir and yogurt:

The technologies for preparing both kefir and yogurt are similar - both of these products are obtained as a result of the interaction of milk with a special sourdough. That's just the composition of the sourdough for drinks is completely different. Yogurt is obtained after the fermentation of milk and pure lactic acid bacteria, and kefir is obtained from the fermentation of a more complex fungal kefir starter.

The technology of preparation of both products includes such operations as: purification and normalization of milk for fat; dispersion and homogenization of the milk mixture; pasteurization and cooling to the fermentation temperature; fermentation and fermentation; cooling down to 10 - 12 °С and ripening within 12 - 24 hours; cooling down to 4 - 6 °C, bottling and packing.

In the industrial preparation of kefir and yogurt, food production equipment similar in purpose and design is used. In the standard package technological equipment production workshops fermented milk products includes installations for the acceptance of dairy raw materials and its accounting; containers for storage of raw materials and finished products, fermentation and maturation of industrial semi-finished products; heat exchange equipment; installations for mixing and dispersion of raw materials; various food pumps; equipment for homogenization and pasteurization; installations for packaging yoghurts and kefirs in consumer packaging.

Ready-made kefirs and yoghurts are stored in special refrigerators, otherwise the products may deteriorate before they reach the consumer.

What to choose - kefir or yogurt?

To the question "What is healthier - kefir or yogurt?" there is no clear answer! Both products are useful, and it's up to you to decide which one to prefer.

However, given the fact that real "live" yogurt is a rarity these days, and stores sell mostly sterilized and flavored dairy products with a long shelf life, we can assume that plain kefir is probably healthier.

When making a choice, you need to remember the need for diversity in nutrition. Fermented milk products based on different cultures have different effects on the intestinal microflora. This means that it is more beneficial for health to combine different products: yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk, koumiss, ayran, tan, etc.

Eat, for health, those dairy products that you like and do not cause discomfort, and get not only great pleasure, but also significant benefits for the body.

Everyone has heard about the benefits of fermented milk products, and in Russia for a long time kefir has been considered the leader in this area: more than one generation has grown on it. Yoghurt is an overseas guest, which at first was perceived exclusively as a delicacy dessert, over time began to be positioned as an alternative to kefir. There is no single answer to the question of which is healthier - kefir or yogurt.

What is the difference between kefir and yogurt? Just a variety of microorganisms that are used to ferment milk. Yogurt will turn out if a protosymbiotic mixture of two pure cultures is added to milk - the so-called Bulgarian stick and thermophilic streptococcus. The mixture of microorganisms necessary to obtain kefir is more extensive: these are streptococci, and lactic acid bacilli, and acetic acid bacteria, and yeast. And one more nuance: kefir can be made from both skimmed and whole milk, and yogurt is prepared mainly from fat-free raw materials. A variety of kefir fungus is.

What is healthier than kefir or yogurt?

Both of these products have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the digestive system and, being included in various diets, help to quickly and effectively get rid of extra pounds. But, given the fact that real live yogurt is a rarity, and sterilized and flavored ersatz are sold in stores, plain kefir is still healthier.

Actually, live yogurt, the merits of which are so much spoken and written about, is nothing more than biokefir. “Market appearance” is then given to it with the help of thickeners like starch, synthetic flavor and odor enhancers, dyes and preservatives. In theory, any high-quality "live" fermented milk product should not be stored in a refrigerator for more than one week. The same, for example, applies to, the benefits and harms of which force nutritionists to engage in endless discussions. If the shelf life is extended to almost a month, then you can be sure: the substance in a beautiful plastic jar has nothing to do with natural yogurt. By the way, in Bulgaria, which is known as the birthplace of yogurt, the quality criteria for this lactic acid product are quite strict: sugar, thickeners, powdered milk and other excesses from the recipe are completely excluded. But Russian manufacturers yogurts use these components all the time.

So, what benefits will natural kefir bring to the body?

He is one of best products for immunity, as it stimulates the work of the intestinal microflora - in the language of professional doctors, this is called "has a probiotic effect." Improved metabolism is inextricably linked with such processes.
Regular use yogurt at night, according to many doctors, improves immunity. From the same positions, the benefits of acidophilus, another effective fermented milk product produced on a fungal basis, are usually evaluated.
There is a slight calming effect of kefir.
It has a slight diuretic effect.
Lactose is best absorbed from kefir - a valuable carbohydrate from the group of disaccharides found in milk and dairy products.

The power of yogurt - in Urgant
Every day, Vanya Urgant assures Russians from the TV screen of the benefits of a certain lactic acid product. So once my grandmother persuaded me, a little one, to eat half a glass of curdled milk. And although she did not dress up as Batman, her compliment sour milk absolutely coincided with the TV commercial: " The best defense for the body!". So I got excited: why is grandmother's curdled milk worse - or better? - of the advertised drink?

More than alive

Some of my acquaintances completely deny the healing effect of the "old generation" fermented milk products. Like, in classic kefir, acidophilus or yogurt, there are no noble living microorganisms at all. But in the advertised drinks, which are produced, as a rule, with the participation of foreign capital, there is a living microflora.

The explanation is simple: they say, unscrupulous domestic business ruins useful invisible people either in the process of illiterate preparation of the product, or on the way to the store, without providing low temperature storage. Whereas foreign business is responsible, and its product is appropriate.

Delusion of pure water. I bought - at random - the goods of six different manufacturers: kefir, yogurt, acidophilus, yogurt and a couple of TV-advertised products. And she took them to the St. Petersburg Institute of Experimental Medicine. There, in the laboratory of genetics of pathogenic microorganisms, experts checked them for the presence of the living microflora declared on the label.

And what? Every single product met the international quality standard - each jar contained a trillion live microorganisms per gram of yummy.

And yet classic products pushed into the corner of the shop window, while their fashionable counterparts occupied all the advertising space and two-thirds of Russia's sour-milk production. Why?

The strain is not a friend of the strain

“Because bacteria are different bacteria,” the manufacturers of advertised jars will answer. “The lactic acid microflora contained in our products works in the intestines much more efficiently than microorganisms from classic drinks.”

There are two reasons. First, special strains of bacteria are used to make fashion products. Those that are tested by researchers "for durability". Indeed, on the way to the intestines, most living bacteria die - from body temperature, from stomach acid and bile. And only the most "persistent soldiers" can walk alive to the immediate place of the battle with intestinal enemies.

Actually, with the discovery of these "persistent soldiers" - special strains of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli - rivers of bifidokefir, bifidok, bifilife, bifidoyogurt flowed. Even biotsoni (from matsoni) has already appeared!

Reason two: bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are not only found in milk, but are also natural inhabitants of the human intestine from the first days of life. And if so, then they certainly have an advantage over bacteria that do not settle in the intestines. That is, they can not only destroy the pathogens that caused dysbacteriosis, but take their place on the intestinal lining, thereby ensuring a stable order.

These reasons are beneficial for the sour-milk business - the volume of sales is growing. However, scientists are skeptical: evidence based on medicine is not enough! It is extremely difficult to cause a stable change in the intestinal microflora. And to populate the intestines with bacteria from the outside is completely doubtful. If industrial strains from yoghurts get there, then only in the role of tenants.

The use of lactic acid bacteria is necessary for a TEMPORARY replacement of the functions of their own normal inhabitants of the intestine, which are out of order, - says Alexander Suvorov, MD, a specialist in the genetics of microorganisms. - Thus, the microorganisms introduced from the outside will contribute to the restoration of the intestinal microbiocenosis that was characteristic of a person before the onset of the disease.

Everyone has their own benefit

So, fashion products have their trump cards. What about the good old "classics"? Alas, its microflora cannot boast of high resistance to digestive juices and claims to colonize the intestines.

Kefir microorganisms, for example, do not live long in the gastrointestinal tract. And the Bulgarian stick, which is part of the starter of yogurt and yogurt, also dies en masse and does not settle in the intestines. It turns out that traditional products are pushed into the shadows for good reason?

Not at all. They just have different healing properties.

Let the kefir starter perish within us. But she did a good job at the stage of milk fermentation - she synthesized enzymes and antibacterial substances that are relevant for intestinal health. And in the composition of kefir sourdough - about two dozen types of microorganisms! This means that the range of biologically active substances produced by them is wide.

Acidophilus contains lactobacilli of the acidophilic group, which develop at a temperature of 36-42 degrees. And this means that the microflora of acidophilus inside us actually comes to life and begins its sanitary activity. At the same time, acidophilus bacillus - hello to fashionable products! - is also a native inhabitant of the intestine.

What about curdled milk and yogurt? Yes, the Bulgarian stick, fermenting milk into these different in name, but essentially homogeneous products, does not settle in the intestines. But it kills dysentery bacillus, staphylococcus aureus and promotes better absorption and utilization of nutrients.

What about sour cream? Employees of the St. Petersburg Institute of Experimental Medicine isolated a lactic acid bacterium from the usual factory sour cream sourdough, which has a survivability superior to Western strains, as well as a great lethal force in relation to pathogens.

Urgant effect

So, do not "go in cycles" in any one product. Let a variety of lactic acid bacteria enter the body. After all, different parts of the intestine have different microflora.

And then, if people suffer from dysbacteriosis, then everyone has his own, with a specific set of pathogens. And to determine which bacteria will better cope with your or my violations, science has not yet been given.

And further. All lactic acid is good in moderation. If there are many bacteria - even the best ones - they will begin to establish their own rules in the intestines. After all, the love of "good" bacteria for us is as much a myth as the hatred of "evil" microbes. In the intestinal community, as in politics, there are no friends, but there are state (strain) interests.

Product advertising is a good thing. The bad thing is that the "Urgant effect" can work - consumers will give themselves up to advertising and decide that these jars are good for everyone. Not for everyone at all! Everyone must find for themselves "their" bacteria, "their" products. How? Science doesn't know. But our body knows for sure. Let's listen to him!

What microorganism

Today, doctors cannot say which types of lactic acid bacteria are most effective and what is the real mechanism of their action. Nevertheless, in some bacteria, the therapeutic effect is considered proven. The name of such microorganisms is probiotics. Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are among them.

The list of probiotics is growing slowly. Scientists first need to recognize the most effective stealth, and then prove its strength. It is difficult and long. After all, there are hundreds of types of lactic acid bacteria, and each type has varieties - strains.

There are about 400 types of bacteria in the human intestine, of which modern clinics can detect no more than 20.

Another problem is where to look for probiotics. Lactic acid bacteria are not exclusive to milk. These ancient microorganisms appeared at a time when there was no milk on Earth yet. Their primary habitat is plants, the extract of which they feed on. And they got their "milk" name because they were first isolated from milk.

Oh yeah sauerkraut

As a prudent, economical hostess, I always remember about alternative sources of lactic acid bacteria. Today, for example, I will not spend money on live yogurt, as I brought a piece from the store hard cheese, oranges and cabbage.

In cheese - especially if it is well ripened - there are beneficial bacteria themselves, and the results of their activity: enzymes, vitamins. Just do not take processed cheese - when melted, all living things die.

What about fruits and vegetables? They also have the right bacteria. As well as in salted - but not sterilized! - cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms.

But sauerkraut is the best. In sauerkraut, you can find 8 types of lactobacilli and the same number of other beneficial microorganisms, probiotics in fact.

And another thought. It is useless to spend money on lactic acid bacteria if you are not feeding the inhabitants of your intestines correctly. Intestinal microflora "likes" to eat boiled vegetables, oatmeal, buckwheat, coarse bread. But meat is more to the taste of putrefactive microbes. Although proteins, if consumed in moderation, do not affect the number and diversity of lactic acid bacteria. But excess fat and alcohol is harmful.

And further. I have a dacha, and there was no case that I threw out weeds from the garden. Every last blade of grass I dig deeper into the ground with my miserly hand. For what? And then, what do I know about the discovery of scientists from the Institute of Nutrition. They discovered in lactic acid bacteria an amazing ability - to break down pesticides. But these pesticides for pest control poisoned all the gardens! And they don't decompose for centuries. Only lactic acid bacteria can decompose them into non-toxic components.

That's why I arrange free ecological cleaning of the soil. After all, plants, especially succulent ones, are a favorite place for the settlement of lactic acid bacteria.

Tatyana Maksimova

What is more useful?

Actually, live yogurt, about the merits of which so much is said and written, is nothing more than biokefir. “Market appearance” is then given to it with the help of thickeners like starch, synthetic flavor and odor enhancers, dyes and preservatives. In theory, any high-quality "live" fermented milk product should not be stored in a refrigerator for more than one week. The same, for example, applies to blue cheeses, the benefits and harms of which force nutritionists to conduct endless discussions. If the shelf life is extended to almost a month, then you can be sure: the substance in a beautiful plastic jar has nothing to do with natural yogurt. By the way, in Bulgaria, which is known as the birthplace of yogurt, the quality criteria for this lactic acid product are quite strict: sugar, thickeners, milk powder and other excesses are completely excluded from the recipe. But Russian yogurt manufacturers use these components all the time.

So, what benefits will natural kefir bring to the body?
1. It is one of the best products for immunity, as it stimulates the work of the intestinal microflora - in the language of professional doctors, this is called "has a probiotic effect." Improved metabolism is inextricably linked with such processes.
2. Regular use of kefir at night, according to many doctors, improves immunity. From the same positions, the benefits of acidophilus, another effective fermented milk product produced on a fungal basis, are usually evaluated.
3. There is a slight calming effect of kefir.
4. It has a barely pronounced diuretic effect.
5. Lactose is best absorbed from kefir - a valuable carbohydrate from the group of disaccharides found in milk and dairy products.

P.S.: If you want to supplement the material about the benefits of kefir and yogurt and express your opinion on this topic, you can add a comment right under this article.

The benefits of "sour milk" lies in in large numbers the bacteria it contains. They have a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora, cleanse the body of toxins and toxins, and increase immunity. Of the variety of such products, kefir and yogurt are in first place in popularity. Delicious and low-calorie, they are easily absorbed by the body and have virtually no contraindications. They may even be recommended for use by people who are allergic to milk sugar. Many do not see any difference between kefir and yogurt, as they are equally healthy. And yet there is a difference.

First, it's taste. Kefir is a sour drink, sometimes it can be slightly carbonated by the end of its shelf life, while yogurt most often has a thick texture with a delicate taste.
Secondly, despite the fact that both fermented milk products are made from milk in the same way - fermentation, the process itself is different. In yogurt, only lactic fermentation occurs, while in kefir, due to the presence of natural yeast, alcohol fermentation is added to lactic acid fermentation.
Thirdly, the difference in leaven. For kefir, kefir fungus starter is used, which contains several dozen milk bacilli. They are able to settle on the intestinal walls, restoring the microflora well. Therefore, kefir is often prescribed as remedy after infections and the use of antibiotics. Only two types of bacteria are added to yogurt: Bulgarian bacterium and Streptococcus thermophilus. Once in the body, they pass through the intestines, removing toxins with them. So if you need to quickly and well cleanse yourself of harmful toxins, you should give preference to yogurt.

There is no single answer to the question of what is more beneficial for the body, kefir or yogurt. Here everyone decides for himself. Today, on the shelves of stores you can see a large assortment of fermented milk products. And in all this diversity, it is sometimes difficult to find a really high-quality product. What should I pay attention to when choosing kefir and yogurt?

“First of all, look at the label and read the ingredients. The number of live beneficial bacteria in real yogurt and kefir should be at least 107 CFU (colony-forming units of lactic acid bacteria) per 1 g of the product throughout its shelf life. The amount of yeast CFU in 1 g of kefir should be at least 104 CFU / g, - says Irina Salkova, head of the laboratory of the agro-industrial holding Brothers Cheburashkins. Family Farm”, – The protein content per 100 g of product in kefir should be at least 3 g, and in yogurt – 3.2 g. mass fraction fat in products can be different - from 0.1 to 10%. Shelf life also indirectly indicates the naturalness of the product: the shelf life of natural yogurt and kefir is no more than 2 weeks at a temperature of tо = 4 ± 2 ° C.

It has been proven that with the use of only 200 grams of fermented milk products per day, the body's protective functions against viruses and infections increase significantly. However, it is good if daily ration will include several different drinks. For example, yogurt is great for breakfast or as a small snack during the day, while kefir is best for dinner. You can use them as pure form, so with various additives. Kefir goes well with fresh vegetables, especially green, yogurt - with dried fruits, muesli, cereals and nuts. Also fermented milk are good addition to cereal dishes: cereals, bran. In this combination, they enhance the processes of cleansing the body of harmful substances. But with proteins of a non-dairy group, you should not use sour-milk ones, since they do not interact with each other in any way. Therefore, it is better to avoid combining kefir and yogurt with eggs, fish, seafood and meat.

In addition, kefir and yogurt are increasingly used for making desserts and as a base for salad dressings. Similar dishes are different original taste and ease.

Yogurt vegetable salad dressing

Ingredients: 450 ml natural yogurt, 1 cucumber, 2-3 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp. olive oil, half a teaspoon of dried mint.

Combine yogurt, oil and mint and garlic. Whisk in a blender.
Cucumber peeled, chopped small cubes, add to the mixture and stir.
Add chilled sauce to salads.

Kefir dessert (kefir ice cream)

Ingredients: 0.5 l of kefir, 1/3 of a glass of low-fat sour cream, half a glass of sugar, 1 tbsp of gelatin, a little vanilla sugar.

Soak gelatin in half a glass of water, let it swell. Then heat over a fire, stirring constantly until completely dissolved, but do not let it boil. Cool down.
Beat the rest of the ingredients well with a mixer (about 3 minutes). Then add the cooled gelatin and beat the same amount again.
Pour the resulting mass into molds and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
Decorate the finished dessert with berries, chocolate, nuts, mint leaves