Kefir has a very lively origin story and the aura of a wonderful product. It's not surprising that other qualities mingle with real healing properties in the collective consciousness: for example, quick and painless weight loss with no negative consequences. We found out what kefir is really good at and studied kefir diets from all sides looking for pros and cons.
kefir history
Imagine: in the glass of kefir you drink today, there is a trace of the drink that was drunk hundreds of years ago.
Kefir was made from cow's milk, which got "fungi" from streptococci and sticks, acetic acid bacteria, and yeast. Most likely, according to the researchers, this fungus originated in koumiss, a drink made from mare's milk, and entered cow's milk when the tribes of the Caucasus changed their nomadic lifestyle to a sedentary one and began to cultivate. Scientists have not yet managed to artificially remove the kefir fungus, new portions of the starter culture are obtained by reproducing the existing fungi.
Kefir is now drunk everywhere from Kazakhstan to Australia, but specific bacteria at the base of a modern product can be traced back to a specific place, the Elbrus region. People who lived on the northern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains considered kefir a gift from Allah himself, so the drink was surrounded by special rituals and superstitions.
For example, it was forbidden to sell Kefir fungi, it was believed that this would take away its healing power. But they can be stolen - with the owner's tacit permission.
Another ritual: the mountaineers poured milk with kefir fungus into a leather skin and placed it in the sun, near the path to the house. Passersby could show respect to the owner by kicking the skin - the shaking made the fermentation process more intense.
The first official message about the benefits of kefir was given by the physician of Tiflis Jogin in 1867. But the production of the drink at that time was still a carefully guarded secret by the mountaineers. The situation changed thanks to an employee of a well-known large dairy company. On a mission, she visited the estate of a wealthy Karachai and received - for the first time in history - 10 pounds of kefir fungus "grains" as a gift or as legal compensation for unsuccessful dating. So kefir finally started to be industrially produced.
The benefits of kefir
As early as the late 19th century, doctors launched a real large-scale campaign to promote the benefits of kefir, whose echoes still affect us. The legendary Nobel Prize-winning scientist has studied the benefits of fermented dairy products and live microorganisms from probiotics throughout his life.
Other surveys confirmed their hunches. Kefir has a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora and on metabolism in general, preventing the development of pathogenic flora. It also has an immunostimulating, calming and mild diuretic effect, that is, it relieves excess fluid in the body.
Kefir outperforms yogurt in vitamins A, D, K, E, contains useful organic and amino acids, enzymes and important trace elements - iron, iodine, calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc - in the amounts a person needs.
The older the kefir, the more acidic it tastes and the more ethyl alcohol it contains. In any case, there's not much of that: at the end of its useful life, at most 1 degree of strength, it's safe to get behind the wheel even after an entire bottle of kefir. But children must still be fed fresh kefir from a day.
For people with lactose intolerance, kefir helps to absorb this carbohydrate normally. Kefir contains few calories and lots of moisture, so it helps maintain water balance and at the same time brings a feeling of fullness. No wonder the product has become the foundation of a whole galaxy of diets.
The essence of the kefir diet
Kefir is nutritious and light, improves the work of the digestive tract and helps you lose weight quickly, drastically reducing the amount of calories consumed and removing excess fluids. Many consider the kefir diet a mono-diet, that is, a diet made from a single product, but this is the most radical option: it is allowed to eat only kefir without harming your health for a maximum of 24 hours. Much more often, kefir is combined for 3, 7 or 9 days with other low-calorie foods. Especially popular are the buckwheat kefir diet, the banana kefir diet, the curd kefir diet, and the cucumber-kefir diet.
Kefir, by the way, was glorified by the famous kefir diet of a popular singer: history does not say if a really famous singer used it, at some point in his career he actually lost a lot of weight. The star diet menu includes, of course, kefir as well as low-fat cottage cheese, chicken breast, fruit and chips.
The kefir diet for weight loss is certainly adequate. But it severely restricts the supply of nutrients, is based on hunger and puts the body in a state of severe stress. Is the result worth it? See how they write about the kefir diet on the net:
- "12 kg less in 3 weeks. I lost weight, but I'll never do it again!!! I thought I was going to starve. "
- "The kefir diet is effective if you follow it correctly. But without physical exertion, the effect will not be. You should at least get some exercise. Try drinking only kefir for 1 day. If you don't feel well, it's better to stop. . . . "
- "A week without food. Usually. A kefir and water. The consequences came. Perhaps the hardest of all the diets I've tried. "
General rules for the kefir diet
- Kefir is the main dietary product. You need to drink about 1. 5 liters a day. The rest are low-calorie, fat-free carbohydrates and proteins: meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, and cottage cheese.
- You need to eat in small portions, at least five times a day.
- Between main meals, you can drink kefir as a snack.
- Although kefir quenches thirst well, you should also drink at least 1. 5 liters of water a day.
- All flour, fatty, heavy, fried and spiced foods are excluded. Sugar and salt are limited to a minimum (or it would be better if they were completely excluded).
- Going off the kefir diet needs to be done carefully and smoothly: going to a party or eating pizza is not the best idea if you want to maintain results.
How to choose the right kefir
Choose fresh kefir - no more than 2-3 days from date of production - low in fat. A completely fat-free food is not the best choice because the body needs fat.
The composition must contain exactly the "kefir sourdough" from fungi, yeasts and fermented milk cultures. Do not buy kefir or fermented milk drinks.
The protein in adequate kefir is not less than 3% - it is necessary so that weight loss does not lose too much muscle mass.
Attention: we do not need additives, dyes, sugars, palm oil and powdered milk in the composition. The ideal is farm kefir.
The shelf life of natural kefir is 7 to 10 days from the date of manufacture. If a longer term is stated on the label, there are probably preservatives in the composition. Don't buy kefir that has deteriorated before: it breaks down into whey and flakes, turns yellow and has a bitter taste and sour aroma. Unscrupulous manufacturers may try to cover up the damage with an opaque bottle or packaging.
How can you replace kefir in your diet?
If for some reason the kefir is not available to you or the flavor is not suitable, you can try alternatives:
- Yogurt without additives.Choose a product carefully, because of the flavor and thickness, starch and sugar are often added to it.
- Other low-fat fermented dairy products- for example, fermented boiled milk, brown or ayran.
- Sour milk.It's easy to make at home: just leave the milk in an enamel bowl at room temperature for a day.
Approved Products Table
| tin | It's forbidden |
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Kefir Diet for 3 days
If we discard the kefir mono-diet, the hardest option on the body, the 3-day kefir diet will be the strongest in terms of its effect on the body. If time is short, it will help you attack the weight quickly and shock.
The general principle is one: about 1, 5 liters of kefir per day in 5-6 doses. Also, other low-calorie foods are acceptable. The most popular options are buckwheat, cottage cheese, apples, vegetables. You can alternate kefir with just one product - apples, for example. But it is better to make your diet, even on a diet, as varied and interesting as possible.
For example, a kefir diet menu might look like this:
Day 1
- Breakfast:oats, tea with honey.
- To dinner:stew, vegetable soup.
- To dinner:green salad.
- Snacks:kefir.
Day 2
- Breakfast:boiled egg, rosehip broth.
- To dinner:salad, vegetable soup.
- To dinner:vegetable salad, tea.
- Snacks:kefir.
Day 3
- Breakfast:Cottage cheese casserole, tea.
- To dinner:boiled fish, salad.
- To dinner:buckwheat porridge, chamomile tea.
- Snacks:kefir.
Kefir Diet for 7 days
The one week kefir diet allows you to achieve impressive results: 7-10 kg less. As it is longer in time, it is important to eat as much variety as possible.
In one of the diet options, every day you should combine the kefir with just one low-calorie product, for example apples, but you can simply stretch the three-day diet regimen for a week, eating according to the diet. scheme "porridge for breakfast, proteins and vegetables for lunch and dinner, kefir in between".
Sample menu:
- Day 1:Divide into 5 portions about 200-250 g of cooked lean meat and 1. 5 liters of kefir.
- Day 2:5 large apples and 1. 5 liters of kefir per day.
- Day 3:300 g of cottage cheese 3-5% fat and 1, 5 liters of kefir.
- 4th day:250 g of steamed white fish and 1, 5 l of kefir.
- Day 5:500 g of cucumber and tomato salad and 1, 5 l of kefir.
- 6th day:250 g of chicken fillet and 1. 5 l of kefir.
- Day 7:2 liters of kefir and plums to taste.
Kefir Diet for 9 days
Option for the most persistent. Eating only meat or cottage cheese every day is boring, but in order not to cook something new every day, take the 3-day menu as a base and rotate it. For example, like this:
Day 1, 4, 7
- Breakfast:oat, egg, tea with honey.
- To dinner:stew, green salad.
- To dinner:vegetables, nuts.
- Snacks:kefir, apples.
Day 2, 5, 8
- Breakfast: toast and rosehip broth.
- To dinner:boiled fish with vegetables.
- To dinner:an apple, a slice of low-fat cheese.
- Snacks:kefir, cottage cheese.
Day 3, 6, 9
- Breakfast:steam omelet, green tea.
- To dinner:chicken soup, salad, a slice of black bread.
- To dinner:steamed fish, buckwheat porridge.
- Snacks:kefir.
Recipe: Kefir with Cinnamon and Ginger
Above all, as a rule, those who are losing weight on kefir do not eat enough sweets. A simple recipe will help: add cinnamon and ginger to the kefir. Ginger has warming and fat-burning properties, while the smell and taste of cinnamon is pleasantly sweet. The ready mix can be drunk in the morning for liveliness, in the evening to start the digestive tract cleansing processes, or you can take it with you on the road.
Ingredients:
- kefir 500 ml
- Powdered Ginger 1 tsp
- cinnamon powder 1 tsp
- Other spices: cloves, pepper.
Mix the spiced kefir using a whisk or blender and pour into small bottles. The drink must be consumed on the same day. Be careful with peppers and other brightly colored spices if you have a sensitive stomach or damage to the intestinal lining.
How to Properly End a Kefir Diet
Nutritionists warn: the kefir diet is suitable for absolutely healthy people, without problems with the gastrointestinal tract and the slightest signs of eating disorders.
And even they can experience unpleasant symptoms like an upset stomach and almost inevitably regain the weight they've already lost, as with any high-pressure diet that's effective in the short term.
So that the weight doesn't come back right away, get off the diet without any problems. Continue to eat fractionally and limit total calorie intake to 1000-1500 kcal for at least one week. Keep drinking at least 1. 5 liters of water a day and avoid starchy foods, heavy foods and fatty foods for at least 2 weeks. It is best to make light soups, vegetable salads, cereals and cooked meats based on the diet. Introduce other products gradually, one product every 2-3 days.
Why is the kefir diet bad
Any diet that severely restricts dietary diversity simply cannot be beneficial in the long run. The everyday kefir diet is definitely not adequate. There are three categories of people who can do more harm than good.
- People with disorders and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, lactose intolerance. Kefir can cause diarrhea and dehydration, stomach pain and flatulence. Ethyl alcohol in the composition is also harmful to the intestinal mucosa.
- Children, pregnant and nursing women. A variety of foods is vital for them. Depriving the body of fats and carbohydrates, even for several days, means inhibiting development and growth.
- People with eating disorders. Let's be honest, few people are thrilled with the flavor of kefir without additives. You will literally have to force yourself to drink. If this continues for more than a few days, the probability of a collapse increases exponentially.
Kefir Diet Professionals
Simplicity, efficiency, very liquid. Potential gastrointestinal benefits and microflora. A large amount of calcium has a beneficial effect on the condition of bones, nails and teeth.
Cons of Kefir Diet
Stress for the body due to nutritional deficiencies, lack of vitamins and flavor. Possibly indigestion, flatulence, constipation or diarrhea, stomach discomfort. The increase in the acidity of the product can worsen the condition of people with gout, rheumatism and high acidity in the gastric juice.