The Keto diet is amongst the most trendy nutritional regimes recently.
Let’s remind that Keto is a high-fat, and low-carbohydrate diet that puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. So, could milk Kefir be considered a good fit for a keto diet? Let’s see …
First of all, let’s see what are the standards for the intake of carbohydrates in a keto diet. To stay within the state of ketosis, the goal with most keto diets is to limit the carbs intake to between 20 and 50 grams per day. This is normally achieved by avoiding high-carb foods, like pastry, bread, pasta, or cereal.
What are the nutritional facts for milk Kefir?
A glass (8 oz.) of plain milk Kefir contains:
- Calories: 140
- Fats: 8 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Sugars: 7 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Calcium: 300 mg
As we can clearly see, the intake of two or even three glasses of Kefir per day stays well within the recommended limit of 20 to 50 grams.
But why Kefir still contains carbs, while it is an animal product, normally associated with low levels or lack of carbohydrates? The answer here is called lactose.
Indeed, milk contains a sugar (a carbohydrate) called lactose. Yet, as we know, the fermentation of Kefir converts most of the lactose into lactic acids. So, compared to an 8-ounce glass of full-fat milk, containing about 20 grams of carbs, an 8-ounce glass of Kefir has no more than 10 grams. Yet, it still contains some carbs, so you have to take into account the quantity of daily intake of Kefir so to avoid disruption of your ketosis state.
The extra benefits
But there is also another significant benefit of using Kefir with your keto diet! Kefir is a valuable addition to any diet that focuses on weight loss. Here’s why:
As we have stated in our article called “Can Kefir help with weight loss?“, Kefir not only increases the sense of satiety but also speeds up metabolism thus directly contributing to any diet targeted at weight loss.
Moreover, obesity is rarely caused by just “eating too much”. In most cases, being overweight is a sign of various imbalances in the body, and Kefir is known to restore these balances which are one more way Kefir contributes to weight loss.
Yet, it is worth reminding that Kefir is not entirely carbs-free and the quantity of intake must be taken into account. The best results, when Kefir will be in synergy with your keto diet and will boost it, could be achieved through the consumption of about two glasses of Kefir (~ 16 oz) per day.
Summary
Kefir is made from milk which is a carbohydrate source. Even though it has a lower lactose content than regular milk, it still contains some amount of carbs.
Depending on the type of Kefir and the serving size, it can contain around 10g-12g of carbohydrates per 8 oz serving. This carbohydrate content may not be suitable for those following a strict ketogenic diet, who need to keep their carbohydrate intake really low or nil.
Briefly, Kefir can be keto-friendly, depending on the type of kefir and the amount consumed. Kefir is a fermented dairy product made from milk, and it still contains carbohydrates in the form of lactose (milk sugar).
Full-fat milk Kefir typically contains around 11-12 grams of carbohydrates per cup (240 ml), while low-fat milk Kefir contains slightly less, around 9-10 grams of carbohydrates per cup (240 ml). While these carbohydrate levels are relatively low, they can still add up quickly if someone is following a strict keto diet, which typically involves consuming 20-50 grams of carbohydrates per day.
Ultimately, whether or not Kefir is keto-friendly depends on an individual’s carbohydrate goals and the type and amount of Kefir consumed. It’s important to check the nutrition labels and track your daily carbohydrate intake to ensure that you are staying within your keto goals.
