Surely you have heard or seen kefir at some point in your life , you just don’t have to be very clear about what it is.
Kefir is a dairy product that looks very similar to liquid yogurt . It is also called kefried milk or Bulgarian yogurt. The granules or nodules with which this product is prepared are also called kefir.
It is obtained through fermentation through the action of yeasts and bacteria that give it its consistency.
In general , water kefir and milk kefir are prepared , which are the two main types that exist.
Milk kefir can be prepared with cow, sheep or goat milk , depending on the result you want to obtain and the properties you want the product to have.
We currently live in a society in which cow’s milk is the main option when it comes to dairy products, however, it is always good to have another option, especially if you are lactose intolerant or if you want to try a different flavor that will bring you benefits. additional.
Goat’s milk kefir provides a series of extra properties to this food, so you should consider trying this food so that you have another option to choose from when you are shopping for your home.
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What really is goat kefir?
Goat kefir is a compound that has a consistency very similar to yogurt and is made up of proteins and polysaccharides, plus the combination of yeast and bacteria. This composition is called kefir mushroom.
This compound is grown in milk because bacteria prefer the sugars in animal milk , in this case, goat’s milk.
It is considered a powerful probiotic much stronger and better for health compared to yogurt because it helps with the regulation of the intestines and with good intestinal health in general.
The big difference between yogurt and kefir is in the bacteria they contain, since yogurt contains “transient” bacteria that are eliminated during the digestive process .
While goat kefir contains “non-transient” bacteria that survive the digestive processes, and then go on to exert a beneficial effect on the intestines.
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How is goat kefir made?
For many years, the secret of kefir preparation was kept as a recipe that was only passed down from generation to generation whose origin lies in the Balkans and the Caucasus mountains.
But thanks to its popularization , the mystery of its preparation could be unraveled and it is available for anyone to prepare it, even you can also make kefir very easily!
To prepare goat kefir you need to have kefir granules and goat milk, and a few utensils that anyone has in their kitchen.
It should be prepared in a glass container maintaining a ratio of 3 tablespoons of kefir for each liter of goat’s milk , and then covered with a cloth to allow the fermentation process to begin, which can last from 12 to 36 hours.
The number of hours that the fermentation process is left will allow to obtain a different product , since with 12 hours you get kefried milk, with 24 hours you get a consistency similar to that of yogurt and with 36 hours you get a kefir with more whey and heartburn.
After the time has elapsed, only the preparation must be strained and the final product is obtained . Very easy!
Benefits and properties of goat kefir
Goat kefir is a wonderful product that has a lot of benefits for our health, and for that reason the healthy community recommends it.
The properties of kefir granules are unalterable and are always the same, however, the properties of the final product may vary , depending on the type of milk used. This means that different properties can be obtained when using cow’s milk than when using goat’s milk.
So goat milk will provide its own properties to this food , while kefir will provide its own, so you can get a food that has many benefits thanks to the power that this combination of properties gives it.
The main benefit and property of goat kefir is that it is more easily digestible than other kefir preparations. This is due to its fat content, which is much lower since it has a high content of fatty acids, so the digestion process will be much easier.
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Additionally, its high digestibility is also due to its low content of casein , which is a protein found in cow’s milk as well, but in greater quantities. The proteins that make up goat kefir are smaller in size, and this also makes it easier to break down when digesting.
Its easily digestible property makes it the first choice when it comes to choosing a kefir , since it can be safely ingested by those who do not tolerate cow’s milk. If this is your case, you should still try goat kefir and determine if it has a positive effect on your digestion because it can vary for each organism.
Among the effects it causes is that it has the ability to partially regenerate the intestinal flora , which helps to facilitate the digestive process and therefore relieves constipation.
Another of the excellent properties of this product is that it has the ability to regenerate the stomach lining , which is essential for a healthy digestive system and to improve the digestion process.
Goat kefir also regulates blood lipid and glucose levels , thus promoting good cardiovascular health.
It is an excellent source of nutrients for our body as it contains proteins, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B12, riboflavin, magnesium and vitamin D. In addition, it contains a wide variety of bioactive compounds that exert a positive action on health.
Thanks to being a great source of calcium and vitamin K2 , people who include goat kefir in their diet can improve the health of their bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
How do you eat goat kefir correctly?
Due to the consistency of goat kefir, you may not know how it is consumed, at what times of the day to consume it and with what to accompany it.
Do not worry, with this information you will be able to clarify all your doubts so that you can start consuming goat kefir and start taking advantage of the wonderful properties of this product.
You can consume goat kefir with any of your meals since it is an excellent companion due to its delicious flavor, but you must bear in mind that meals should not be too heavy, try to accompany it with lighter meals.
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Since goat kefir has a consistency very similar to yogurt , you can use it in the same way as you would use that dairy product, so the possibilities and options are endless.
So you can eat it alone, with sugar, with fruits and even add it to cereals, in order to obtain a very complete and delicious meal.
Another way to eat goat kefir is by using it to make fruit or vegetable smoothies that will provide you with a wide variety of nutrients. You can also prepare a delicious cream cheese.
You can consume goat kefir by including it in the preparation of certain pastry dishes such as sponge cakes or bread, just as if it were yogurt. However, it is possible that with the heat and the cooking process some of its probiotic properties are lost, so it may not be the most correct way to consume it.
The best option is as a side or alone , without the need to process or cook it so that it can maintain its excellent characteristics.
It is important that you remember not to exceed the size of the kefir servings , you must measure it according to the portions of your food and your daily requirements of its nutrients. The best thing about accompanying your meals with goat kefir is that it will help you digest food better once you have finished eating.
Goat kefir vs cow kefir
Both cow’s milk and goat’s milk can be used to make kefir , however, goat’s milk has a number of additional benefits.
The casein content is lower in goat’s milk than in cow’s milk, so it can be recommended to facilitate the digestive process for some people .
Another reason goat kefir is easier to digest is because it is made up of proteins that break down into smaller particles when digested.
One of the main characteristics of goat milk is that it contains less fat than other milks , so it can be an excellent option when it comes to losing weight.
Additionally, goat’s milk contains selenium , which is a mineral that helps keep our immune system strong.
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In general, goat kefir makes the person have fewer side effects compared to cow kefir .
Medicinal uses of goat kefir
Goat kefir has excellent properties that make it ideal for treating certain ailments because it works as a natural medicinal product. With this food you can prepare a series of recipes that will help you obtain the best medicinal benefits and thus improve your health.
Goat kefir for irritable bowel
Due to the high content of probiotics that this product has , it is a very effective and totally natural treatment for people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome because it helps in digestion.
Being a product that has strains of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, it helps regulate the activity of the intestines making the digestion process much more normalized and therefore you can alleviate the symptoms caused by irritable bowel.
You can accompany your meals with a portion of kefir so that the effect on the colon is much less when the digestion process is taking place, and little by little you can begin to feel the relief that your digestive system needs.
Goat kefir for pregnancy
If you are a pregnant woman , you are surely taking good care of your diet in order to maintain good health during pregnancy and that your baby acquires all the possible nutrients so that it develops strong and healthy.
So you evaluate everything you can and cannot eat, and therefore you will wonder if goat kefir will be suitable for pregnant women .
The probiotic consumption during pregnancy is highly recommended to help the health of the mother and baby in a variety of ways.
Since goat kefir is rich in a variety of probiotics, it is completely safe to consume during pregnancy and can actually provide certain benefits.
The main thing is that it helps maintain a healthy microbiome by reducing the risk of vaginal infections, gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia. In addition, it helps to control the weight gain of the mother and the baby, and to prevent the development of allergies during pregnancy.
Goat kefir against yeast infection
The women ‘s health is a very important issue to which you should pay close attention. In addition, you should know that your diet greatly influences this aspect.
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Urogenital infections such as vaginal yeast infection can be fought and prevented by including goat kefir in your diet, since probiotics promote the growth of beneficial bacteria.
These beneficial bacteria are good for preventing the risk of urogenital diseases such as yeast infection. This is because by having a diet with natural products , imbalances in our vaginal flora are avoided .
Goat kefir to control cholesterol
By consuming goat kefir you will be able to lower the level of cholesterol in the blood as long as it is consumed regularly, in fact, some studies have shown that its consumption for more than six months in addition to reducing LDL cholesterol caused an increase in cholesterol ” good ”HDL.
This is so because being a lactic ferment increases the elimination of bile acids , and this causes the liver to begin to manufacture more bile by using the cholesterol found in the blood.
Goat kefir for gastritis
Goat kefir is a highly recommended food for the treatment of gastritis , as well as for a variety of other stomach diseases due to its ability to regenerate the lining of the stomach.
Additionally, goat kefir promotes gastrointestinal cleansing , which helps to renew the digestive system and heal diseases that may be affecting it.
Recipes with goat kefir
If you are wondering how to include goat kefir in a delicious recipe that you can share at home, or that you can consume in a snack, then read on to learn two recipes that are very popular and very easy to prepare.
As goat kefir is a dairy product , you will surely know how to include it in many more recipes , so do not be afraid to use your creativity to be able to incorporate this food into delicious meals that provide you with many benefits.
Goat kefir with blueberries
The preparation of goat kefir with berries for breakfast is excellent because it will help you to perform more during the day and it will provide the amount of nutrients to your brain so that you feel much better until lunchtime.
Because of the fiber content that goat kefir provides, you will feel a greater satiety effect throughout the morning, so forget about eating foods high in carbohydrates and sugars for breakfast and start eating healthy foods.
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The first thing you should do is wash the blueberries and then add them to a bowl with the amount of kefir you prefer and stir until everything is well mixed.
You can add other red fruits such as blackberries, raspberries and strawberries to obtain more antioxidants and nutrients. You can also add a walnut topping and chia seeds for a more complete breakfast.
Sponge cake with goat kefir
A delicious nutritious cake is what you need to enjoy an excellent snack. You can prepare a traditional cake with all the ingredients it deserves , and add goat kefir to make the result much juicier and richer.
To prepare a cake with this product, as it is wet, you must take great care of the proportions, so that for every 175 g of goat kefir you must use 2 eggs and 60 grams of melted butter to make the mixture.
You can add some strawberries on top to make it a nice decoration and get a much sweeter result.
Does goat kefir have lactose?
If you are lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy products , we have good news for you: goat kefir is 100% lactose free, as it is consumed during the fermentation process.
Many people suffer from lactose intolerance, which is a condition in which they cannot properly digest this natural sugar found in dairy products.
When goat kefir undergoes the fermentation process , the bacteria converts the lactose into lactic acid, and it also contains enzymes that help break down the lactose even more.
Does goat kefir constipate?
You may think that goat kefir is constipating, but it really isn’t. In fact, it is widely recognized for its use to relieve constipation thanks to its properties of regenerating the intestinal flora and increasing bowel movements.
This means that bowel movements will be more frequent when you start consuming goat kefir , which helps relieve constipation.
Does goat kefir make you fat?
If you are a person who cares about your weight , and that is why you take great care of the food you eat, you will surely wonder if goat kefir will make you fat.
The reality is that this product, being prepared from goat’s milk, is much healthier because goat’s milk has a lower fat content and its calorie content is also low.
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In addition, its great contribution of liquid to our body will help us to keep it purified. However, you should know how to include it in your diet so that it does not make you fat.
Nutritional value of goat kefir
Goat kefir is a product that provides a wide variety of nutrients to our body . In just a 175 ml serving you can obtain an amount of nutrients and minerals to meet your daily requirements that will make your body function properly.
A 175ml serving of goat kefir provides you with 4 grams of protein, 10% of the daily requirement of calcium , 15% of the daily requirement of phosphorus, 12% of the daily requirement of vitamin B12, 10% of the daily requirement of B2 , and 3% of the daily requirement of magnesium.
Additionally, this serving only has 100 grams of calories , 7 grams of carbohydrates and 4 grams of fat, making it a very healthy food.
Contraindications of goat kefir
Although the kefir goat can be beneficial for many people , there are some for which its use is contraindicated because they can cause more harm than good.
It is basically contraindicated in relation to the probiotics it contains and the effect they can cause on the digestive system and intestines.
It is contraindicated for people who have an intolerance to casein protein , since due to the content in goat kefir they can begin to suffer adverse symptoms.
In the case of children between the ages of 1 and 5 , it is not recommended that they consume goat kefir without first consulting a pediatrician.
Also, people who suffer from a sensitive stomach should not consume goat kefir because it can worsen their symptoms and present pain, cramps and diarrhea.
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Kathie Sand always saw the world of beauty as the terrain on which to build her professional career, a goal that was clear to her when she was only 15 years old. Her great concern to expand knowledge led her to settle in Paris where she studied hand in hand with the best beauty professionals and with the most advanced techniques for skin care.