Renewed Interest in Kefir, the Ancient Elixir of Longevity

Kefir is an Old World food that has been attributed with exceptional health promoting and curative properties since the beginning of recorded history. It is a tangy, slightly fizzy (about 1% alcohol), fermented milk beverage that looks a little like yogurt. It is rich in protein, calcium, vitamin B12, niacin, and folic acid. Kefir and yogurt were popular at the turn of the 20th century, when scientists first studied claims about their contribution to better health and increased longevity. The current rise in popularity of these fermented beverages around the world has sparked new research into claims about their curative properties and their mechanisms of action. Much emphasis has been placed on research providing manufacturers of fermented milk products with the evidence needed to support their claims about the healthpromoting properties of their products. Many people have been told by their physicians, at one time or another, to eat yogurt after taking a course of antibiotics in order to help restore the microflora in their digestive system. Claims that consuming fermented milk foods can boost the immune system, alleviate symptoms of diarrhea and chronic constipation, and lower the risk of colon cancer have been popular, along with the perception that commercial yogurt and kefir are inferior to those fermented at home from natural starters. While anecdotal accounts to support such claims abound, they are usually tossed aside as unsubstantiated. What most people are not aware of is that these and other claims about the health promoting and therapeutic properties of fermented milk products have been validated by sound, evidencebased, scientific research. Much of the scientific data, including the studies discussed in this article, are available online. While kefir is believed to have originated in the northern Caucasus, similar fermented milk products are found in other parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. A beverage similar to kefir that shares kefir’s properties is found in Tibet, where it is known as the Tibetan Yogurt Mushroom, or “tara.” The name kefir is believed derived from the Turkish word “kef,” a word still used in Middle Eastern languages to refer to “pleasure” or “good feeling.” Kefir grains can ferment any fresh mammalian milk, but Step 1. Place fresh kefir grains in a container of fresh milk. Step 2. Leave covered at room temperature for 24 hours. Step 3. Pour through a sieve to retain grains. M E D I C I N A L M U S H R O O M S