Yes, people with diabetes can drink milk kefir.
Three out of 10 Indians have Diabetes. The so-called ‘lifestyle’ problem has snowballed in the last 20-30 years. Diabetes is a long-term condition that many Indians today manage through a combination of medical guidance, food habits and lifestyle changes. If you have diabetes we suggest you work closely with your doctor and nutritionist to understand which foods suit you best and how to build sustainable routines around diet and activity.
Kefir can become an easy part of food habits for diabetics as it is typically low in sugar. The bacteria and yeast present in kefir grains eat up the lactose (milk sugar) present in the milk, thereby reducing the sugar content.
Milk Kefir or kefir yoghurt is an easy fermented food that you can add to your regular diet
Please contact us if you want help in choosing the the right kefir for you.
Which type of Diabetes do you have?
Diabetes is typically divded into two types. Type 1 Diabetes is a genetic inheritance. Type 2 Diabetes, which often called as T2D, results from poor lifestyle and food choices.
Some studies have explored fermented foods in relation to dietary patterns and found milk kefir works well with most people and can easily bcoem part of their daily food habits.
How does kefir work?
In this section, we will talk specifically on how milk kefir works. The mechanism is same irrespecific of milk kefir or water kefir. Kefir grains contains different families of bacteria and yeast that came together naturally to form a symbiotic culture. When we feed them with milk, the bacteria and yeast eat the lactose sugar and breaks it into lactic acid, carbon dioxide, and tiny amount of alcohol. This process acidifies the milk, creating a thick, tangy, and slightly fizzy beverage. In Indian context, it is similar to curd, but the taste is slightly different and fizzy. Nutritionally milk kefir is low on sugar and high on taste.
Several studies have explored how fermented foods like kefir impacts the gut microbiome. Individual response to fermented food may vary. If you are curious to know which kefir is right for you, please talk to us.
Kefir versus regular curd
You might wonder why switch to kefir when you can use regular curd? After all, curd is easier to make and costs nothing extra. It is also more desi than kefir.
True, Curd is desi, free, and easier to make.
But it cannot do what kefir does. Curd is obtained by Lacto fermenting milk. This fermentation is typically caused by one or two strains of Lactobacillus bacteria.
In comparison, kefir fermentation uses about 50-60 different types of bacteria and yeast. This results in fermentation with a broader range of bacteria which results in a broader fermentation profile compared to regular curd.
Can you drink any kefir?
The short answer is yes. But different kefirs have different fermentation characteristics and taste profiles. Milk kefir has different nutrional ingredients than water kefir because the raw material used is different. Typically milk kefir is the most preferred drink, while cococnut water is the gentlest of all.
The bacteria eats the lactose sugar in milk. So the actual sugar content will be very minimal in fermented milk. Water kefir made from sweet water could contain some sugar even after 24 hours fermentation.
For example, 100 ml of water kefir drink usually has more sugar than 100 ml of milk kefir. So, we recommend milk kefir more often than water kefir.
However, if you have milk allergies or dislike milk and its products, you can consume water kefir by fermenting it for a longer duration. Alternatively, you can ferment coconut water and drink that.
How to find the right kefir for you?
Ask yourself: Can you tolerate milk and curd? If you experience any problems with milk but curd is ok for your body, you can drink milk kefir.
But if your body cannot handle any milk products, we recommend either coconut water kefir or water kefir made from palm jaggery. As always, please start slow and follow the kefir user guide.
Why should you buy kefir from Kefirwala?
Talk to us and we can recommend the right kefir for you. be it kefir grains or kefir drink.
This simple step can help you save hours of research and dilemma. We base our suggestions and recommendations on hundreds of hours of discussions with existing customers, testing and constant fine-tuning.
You get to benefit from the collective wisdom of hundreds of other customers who have made kefir a part of their diet.
Read through our customer experience page to see why our customers recommend us to their family and friends.
