Kefir has a very vivid history of origin and an aura of a wonderful product. Not surprisingly, other qualities in the collective consciousness are mixed with true healing properties: rapid and painless weight loss without negative consequences. We will find out what kefir is good for and study kefir diets from all sides, looking for the pros and cons.
The story of kefir
Just imagine: in the glass of kefir you drink today, there is a trace of the drink hundreds of years ago.
Kefir is made from cow's milk, a "fungus" obtained from streptococci and chopsticks, acetic acid bacteria and yeast. This fungus is said by researchers to have most likely come from a drink made from mare’s milk, kumiss, and was introduced into cow’s milk when tribal tribes in the Caucasus switched from a nomadic lifestyle to a sedentary lifestyle. Scientists have not yet been able to artificially remove the kefir mushrooms, and new parts of the starter culture are obtained by propagating existing mushrooms.
Today, kefir is drunk everywhere from Kazakhstan to Australia, but the specific bacteria that form the basis of a modern product can be traced back to a specific location, the Elbrus region. Those living on the northern slope of the Caucasus ridge saw kefir as a gift from Allah itself, so the drink was surrounded by special rituals and superstitions.
For example, it was forbidden to sell kefir mushrooms, they thought they would lose their healing power. But they can be stolen - with the tacit permission of the owner.
Another ritual: the mountain people poured kefir milk into a leather hose and put it in the sun, by the path to the house. Passers-by were able to show their respect for the owner by kicking the wine skin - the shaking intensified the fermentation process.
The first official message about the benefits of kefir was given in 1867 by physician Jogin Tiflis. But the production of the drink at that time was still a carefully kept secret of the Highlanders. The situation has changed thanks to an employee of a well-known large dairy company. During his mission, he visited the property of a wealthy Karachay and, for the first time in history, received 10 pounds of kefir mushrooms as a gift or as legal redress for a failed courtship. Thus, kefir was eventually produced industrially.
The benefits of kefir
As early as the end of the 19th century, doctors launched a truly large-scale campaign to promote the beneficial effects of kefir, the repercussions of which still affect us today. The legendary Nobel Prize-winning scientist has studied the benefits of living microorganisms in fermented dairy products and probiotics throughout his life.
Further research confirmed his conjecture. Kefir has a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora and metabolism in general, preventing the formation of pathogenic flora. It also has an immunostimulatory, sedative and mild diuretic effect, meaning it frees the body from excess fluid.
Kefir exceeds the content of vitamins A, D, K and E in yoghurt, contains useful organic and amino acids, enzymes and important trace elements - iron, iodine, calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc - in human quantities. needs.
The older the kefir, the more sour it tastes and the more ethyl alcohol it contains. In any case, there is not much of it: by the end of the shelf life, up to a maximum of 1 fortune, we can sit behind the wheel even after a whole bottle of kefir. But kids still need to be fed fresh one-day kefir.
For people with lactose intolerance, kefir helps with the normal absorption of this carbohydrate. Kefir is low in calories and high in moisture, helping to maintain water balance and a feeling of fullness. Not surprisingly, the product has become the basis of a whole galaxy of diets.
The essence of the kefir diet
Kefir is nutritious and light, improves the work of the digestive system and helps you lose weight fast, dramatically reduces the amount of calories consumed and removes excess fluid. Many people consider the kefir diet to be a monodiet, i. e. a diet made from a single product, but this is the most radical option: only kefir is allowed to be consumed for up to 24 hours without harm to health. More often, kefir is combined with other low-calorie foods for 3, 7, or 9 days. The kefir-buckwheat diet, the kefir-banana diet, the kefir-curd diet and the cucumber-kefir diet are particularly popular.
Kefir, by the way, was glorified by the famous kefir diet of a popular singer: history is silent on whether a truly famous singer used it, at some point in her career she really lost a lot. The star diet menu, of course, includes kefir as well as low-fat cottage cheese, chicken breast, fruit and mashed potatoes.
The kefir diet for weight loss is certainly appropriate. But it severely limits the supply of nutrients, is based on hunger, and puts the body in a state of severe stress. Is the result worth it? This is how they write about the kefir diet on the net:
- "Minus 12 kg in 3 weeks. I lost weight, but I will never repeat it !!! I thought I was going to starve. "
- "The kefir diet is effective if followed correctly. But without physical effort, there will be no effect. You need to do at least a few exercises. Try drinking only kefir for 1 day. If you feel bad, you better stop. . . "
- "A week without a meal. Usually. A kefir and water. The consequences have come. Maybe the hardest diet I’ve tried. "
General rules of the kefir diet
- Kefir is the main product in the diet. Drink about 1, 5 liters per day. The other low-calorie, fat-free carbohydrates and protein are meat, fish, vegetables, fruits and cottage cheese.
- It should be eaten in small portions, at least five times a day.
- Kefir can be eaten as a snack between main meals.
- Despite the fact that kefir quenches thirst well, you should drink at least 1. 5 liters of water a day.
- All flour, greasy, heavy, fried and spicy foods are excluded. Sugar and salt are kept to a minimum (or it would be better to exclude them altogether).
- Quitting the kefir diet should be done carefully and smoothly: partying or eating pizza is not the best idea if you want to keep the results.
How to choose the right kefir
Choose fresh kefir - up to 2-3 days from the date of manufacture - low in fat. Completely fat-free food is not the best choice because the body needs fat.
The preparation must contain exactly "kefir sourdough" from mushrooms, yeast and fermented milk cultures. Do not buy kefir or fermented milk.
In the right kefir, the protein is not less than 3% - it is necessary that weight loss does not lose too much muscle mass.
Attention: we do not need additives, dyes, sugars, palm oil and milk powder in the preparation. The ideal is farm kefir.
The shelf life of natural kefir is 7-10 days from production. If a longer period is indicated on the label, the product may contain preservatives. Don’t buy kefir that has spoiled before: it splits into whey and flakes, turns yellow, has a bitter taste and a sour smell. Unscrupulous manufacturers may try to disguise the damage with opaque bottles or packaging.
How can you replace kefir in your diet?
If for some reason kefir is not available or does not taste good at all, you can try alternatives:
- Yogurt without additives.Choose a product carefully, because of its taste and thickness, starch and sugar are often added.
- Other low fat fermented milk products- fermented milk, brown or ayran.
- Sleeping milk.Easy to make at home: just leave the milk in an enamel bowl at room temperature for a day.
Table of approved products
| Can | This is forbidden |
|---|---|
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Kefir diet for 3 days
If we leave out the most difficult solution for the body, the kefir monodiet, then the 3-day kefir diet will be the strongest in terms of the effect on the body. When time is short, it helps to attack weight and shock quickly.
The general principle is one: about 1. 5 liters of kefir for 5-6 servings per day. In addition, other low calorie foods are acceptable. The most popular options are buckwheat, cottage cheese, apples, vegetables. You can only replace kefir with one product - an apple, for example. But it is better to make the food as varied and interesting as possible by dieting.
For example, the kefir diet menu might be:
One day
- Breakfast:oatmeal, tea with honey.
- Dinner:stewed vegetable soup.
- Dinner:lettuce.
- Snacks:kefir.
2 days
- Breakfast:boiled eggs, rosehip soup.
- Dinner:salad with vegetable soup.
- Dinner:vegetable salad with tea.
- Snacks:kefir.
3 days
- Breakfast:cottage cheese casserole with tea.
- Dinner: boiled fish with salad.
- Dinner:buckwheat porridge with chamomile tea.
- Snacks:kefir.
Kefir diet for 7 days
The kefir diet allows you to achieve impressive results for a week: minus 7-10 kg. As this takes longer, it is important to eat as varied as possible.
In one dietary option, kefir should only be combined with a low-calorie product, such as an apple, each day, but you can simply extend the three-day diet by eating according to the "porridge" pattern. for breakfast, protein and vegetables for lunch and dinner, between kefir.
Sample menu:
- One day:Approximately 200-250 g of cooked lean meat and 1. 5 liters of kefir are divided into 5 portions.
- 2 days:5 large apples and 1, 5 liters of kefir per day.
- 3 days:300 g of 3-5% fat cottage cheese and 1, 5 liters of kefir.
- 4 days:250 g of steamed white fish and 1, 5 l of kefir.
- 5 days:500 g of cucumber-tomato salad and 1, 5 l of kefir.
- 6 days:250 g of chicken fillet and 1. 5 liters of kefir.
- 7 days:2 liters of kefir and prunes to taste.
Kefir diet for 9 days
An opportunity for the most persistent. Eating only meat or cottage cheese every day is boring, but to avoid cooking something new every day, take the 3-day menu as a basis and take turns. For example:
Days 1, 4, 7
- Breakfast:oatmeal, eggs, tea with honey.
- Dinner:roasted lettuce.
- Dinner:vegetables, dried fruits.
- Snacks:kefir, apple.
Days 2, 5, 8
- Breakfast:toast and rosehip soup.
- Dinner:boiled fish with vegetables.
- Dinner:an apple, a slice of low-fat cheese.
- Snacks:kefir, cottage cheese.
Days 3, 6, 9
- Breakfast:steamy omelette with green tea.
- Dinner:chicken soup with salad on a slice of black bread.
- Dinner:steamed fish, buckwheat porridge.
- Snacks:kefir.
Recipe: Kefir with cinnamon and ginger
Mostly, those who lose weight with kefir don’t have enough sweets. A simple recipe will help: add cinnamon and ginger to the kefir. Ginger has warming and fat burning properties, while cinnamon smells and tastes pleasantly sweet. The finished mixture can be drunk in the morning, for the sake of vibrancy, in the evening to start debugging the work of the digestive system, or we can take it with us.
Ingredients:
- kefir 500 ml
- ground ginger 1 tsp
- ground cinnamon 1 tsp
- Other spices: cloves, pepper.
Using a whisk or blender, mix the kefir with the spices and pour into small jars. The drink should be drunk on the same day. Be careful with peppers and other brightly colored spices if your stomach is sensitive or your intestinal mucosa is damaged.
How to properly complete the kefir diet
Nutrition experts warn that the kefir diet is suitable for completely healthy people without the slightest signs of gastrointestinal problems and eating disorders.
And even they can experience unpleasant symptoms like stomach pain and almost inevitably regain their already lost weight, as with any short-term, effective, high-pressure diet.
To prevent weight from returning immediately, exit your diet smoothly. Continue to eat in fragments and limit your total caloric intake to 1000-1500 kcal for at least a week. Continue to drink at least 1. 5 liters of water a day and avoid starchy foods, heavy foods and fatty foods for at least 2 weeks. The diet is based on light soups, vegetable salads, cereals and cooked meats. Introduce the other products gradually, one product every 2-3 days.
Why is the kefir diet bad?
Any diet that severely limits the variety of diets simply cannot be beneficial in the long run. The kefir diet is definitely not appropriate every day. There are three groups 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 bloating. The ethyl alcohol in the formulation is also harmful to the intestinal mucosa.
- Children, pregnant and lactating women. A variety of foods are vital to them. Depriving the body of fats and carbohydrates for up to several days means inhibiting development and growth.
- People with eating disorders. Let’s be honest, few are enthusiastic about the taste of kefir without additives. You literally have to force yourself to drink it. If this continues for more than a few days, the probability of failure increases exponentially.
Benefits of kefir diet
Simplicity, efficiency, lots of fluids. Potential benefits of gastrointestinal and microflora. High amounts of calcium have a beneficial effect on the condition of bones, nails and teeth.
Disadvantages of the kefir diet
Stress for the body due to nutritional deficiencies, lack of vitamins and taste. Possibly indigestion, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, upset stomach. Increased acidity of the product may worsen the condition of people with gout, rheumatism and high acidity of the gastric juice.