Kefir + Health-Helping Reasons to Try It

Kefir Smoothie - Drink Your Way to Gut Health

What is KEfir? It is a probiotic, Protein PAcked beverage. The word kefir comes from the Turkish word, keyif, which means “Good feeling”.

There are dairy-based and non-dairy versions of kefir. Dairy-based kefir as a drinkable and lightly bubbly yogurt, sometimes it is referred to as the champagne of dairy. And non-dairy kefir a lightly bubbly sparkling drink.

Kefir Cherry Smoothie Bowl (Image: iStock)

HEALTH HELPING CONNECTIONS

PROBIOTIC-RICH

Both the dairy and non-dairy versions of kefir are probiotic rich. For example, dairy-based kefir is a has 12+ types of probiotics.

Probiotics are important because they can positively impact the diversity of microbes in your gut, and diversity of your gut microbiome is linked to a wide variety of improvements in overall health from weight control to mental health. (Journal of Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology 2013)

IMPORTANT HEALTH BENEFITS

Research links kefir to many important health benefits including anti-microbial, anti-tumor, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-diabetic properties. (Journal of Food 2021)

ANTI-HYPERTENSIVE

In addition to the health benefits listed above, kefir has been linked to keeping blood pressure in check. Research has linked kefir to creating biologically active peptides, including ACE-inhibitory peptides, which ultimately can influence a decrease in blood pressure. Research continues to evaluate the potentially protective effects. (Journal of Functional Foods 2020)

Dairy Section of the Grocery Store (Image: iStock)

WHERE TO BUY KEFIR?

Look for dairy-based kefir in the dairy section of the grocery store and look for non-dairy kefir in the “health food” section of the grocery store.

Brand Examples:
Dairy-Based Kefir, Lifeway Kefir or Maple Hill Kefir
Non-Dairy Kefir, Kevita Probiotic Refresher

Or make your own kefir at home (recipes in my book Drink Your Way to Gut Health).

Wild Blueberry Probiotic Smoothie (Image: iStock)

QUICK TIPS TO ADD IN KEFIR

• Add dairy-based kefir to smoothies and shakes. See the Blueberry smoothie recipe below or click here for Tart Cherry Kefir recipe.

• Add plain kefir to cereal or oatmeal.

• Make overnight oats with kefir as the liquid of choice, click here for 3 Overnight Oats recipes.

• Add-in a glass of kefir at meals or snacks.

• Have a glass of sparkling non-dairy kefir for a refreshing drink.

• Make a smoothie bowl using kefir or a kefir-based smoothie as the base.

WILD Blueberry Probiotic Smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen wild blueberries
1 cup blueberry kefir

Directions:

1. Combine the berries and blueberry kefir in a blender. Blend until icy and smooth. Serve.

Nutrition Facts (per smoothie): 220 calories, 3 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 10 milligrams cholesterol, 125 milligrams sodium, 35 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 31 grams sugar, 11 grams protein

5 Holiday Stocking Stuffer Ideas

If you fill stockings as part of your holiday traditions, we have some stocking stuffer ideas for you! This is a collection of some healthier ideas at a variety of price points to help finish up your list.

SNACK PACKS

A smapler bag of healthier snacks like trail mixes and pistachios will fill up stockings with delicious snacks! We love this mix from Nuts.com which has some of our favorites including PB & J Trail Mix, Raw Almonds, and Organic Trail Mix.

Each sampler bag has 10 single serve snacks, which can be wrapped up separately!

MINI SPATCHULA

A mini spatchula like this one from OXO is a kitchen staple! It’s the perfect size at about 1.85 x 1.65 X 9 inches and is great to for cooking and serving.

It has a sharp edge that will cut through dishes when serving dishes like Baked Zucchini Parmesean or Mango Crumble Bars.

HIKING SOCKS

Tough and comfortable hiking socks like those from Darn Tough, make a great stocking stuffer and perfect for keeping feet warm and dry on upcoming adventures.

We especially love this pair with a tree line in the design (pictured here).

Another favorite classic hiking socks are from Smart Wool, also perfect for moutain biking, skiing, and other outdoor adventures..

OUTSIDE MAGAZINE

Outside Magazine is a great gift for those who love to be outside with great gear reviews, highlights of adventure sports, and travel coverage that is incredible.

Each edition has well written content that is informative and entertaining to read.

It is a monthly magazine and the subscription through Amazon will get you access to the print and digitial version.

DRINK YOUR WAY TO GUT HEALTH

A great gift for the smoothie lover on your book! This book is a collection of 140 probtioic-rich smoothies and drinks by Creative Nutrition Solutions owner and registered dietitian, Molly Morgan.

Included are recipes for DIY staples like: kombucha, almond milk, and yogurt. Along with favorite drinks like Icy Ginger Blue, Creamy Blackberry Smoothie, Tart Cherry Kefir, and more!

Q: What brands of kombucha do you like?

Kombucha Tea, Image Source: Getty Images

A: It’s hard to pick just one brand of kombucha! Because I like so many.

If you aren’t familiar with kombucha, it is a probiotic-tea based drink that is refreshing and lightly bubbly. It is a bit of an acquired taste so I have included a recipe below that is a refreshing way to try kombucha and get used to the taste.

A bonus is that because kombucha has grown in popularity, it is now more widely available at stores and online! For example, when I was working on my gut health drink book, Drink Your Way to Gut Health (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) just 5 years ago, there were less widely available brands of kombucha. Now you can find it widely available at major stores like Walmart, Wegman’s, Price Chopper, Target, and more.

I also like to make my own kombucha which takes some time but makes it much more affordable to drink kombucha routinely, for more on making your own kombucha, check out my book (Drink Your Way to Gut Health) for a DIY recipe to make your own.

So, if I had to narrow it down… here are three of my very favorite kombucha brands and flavors (plus one more for all those based in Canada!):

Health-Ade Kombucha, especially their Pink Lady Apple (pictured below) and their Jalapeno Kiwi Cucumber is really delicious too with a hint of spice! Each bottle of Health-Ade Kombucha has about 80 calories and 12 grams of added sugar. For more on Health-Ade, check out their website: https://health-ade.com/

I really enjoy GT’s Synergy Kombucha too! It was one of the first kombucha brands that I ever tried, and their favor varieties are incredible. Although, I enjoy a lot of the different flavors too, I especially love one of their Gingerade (pictured below). Each bottle of GT’s Synergy Kombucha has about 50 calories and 12 grams of sugar with 0 grams added sugar. For more on GT’s check out their website: https://gtslivingfoods.com/

Kevita Kombucha has a lot of great flavor options too! My favorite flavors of Kevita are Pineapple Peach (pictured below), Ginger, and Tart Cherry. Each bottle of Kevita Kombucha has about 70 calories and 16 grams of carbohydrates with 15 grams of added sugar. For more on Kevita, check out their website: https://www.kevita.com/

Lastly, if you are Canada-based, check out my all-time favorite brand of komubcha, Tonica! It is made in Toronto. My favorite three flavors are Peach, Blueberry, and Mango! What’s unique about Tonica kombucha is that the base is organic green and black tea and rooibos which results in a super smooth flavor and it only has 4 grams of sugar per 1 cup serving (250 ml). For more on Tonica, check out their Web site: https://tonicakombucha.com/

Tonica Kombucha (Canada Only) - click here

Cherry-Ginger Kombucha - Photo: Molly Morgan

Cherry - Ginger Kombuhca
Serves 1

Ingredients:
1 cup tart cherry juice (we love Cheribundi)
1 cup ginger kombucha (GT’s Gingerade)

Directions:

1. Fill a glass with ice.

2. Add cherry juice and kombucha. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 130 calories, 0 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 0 grams cholesterol, 5 milligrams sodium, 31 grams carbohydrates, 31 grams sugar (0 grams added sugar), and 1 gram protein