Difference between Kefir and Buttermilk
Kefir and buttermilk are both fermented milk products that contain probiotic bacteria. Kefir is fermented from whole milk, while buttermilk traditionally is the liquid that's left over after butter has been churned (and removed) from a vat of milk. Does this Spark an idea?
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What Kefir Is
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Milk kefir is a slightly effervescent fermented milk drink. The word "kefir" is believed to have come from the Turkish word "keif," which means "pleasure."
What Buttermilk Is
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Historically, buttermilk was the residual liquid that was present after churning butter from cream. Modern commercial buttermilk, more properly known as "cultured buttermilk" is derived by fermenting skim milk with lactic acid bacteria.
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Kefir Grains
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Kefir can be made only by kefir grains, which are colonies of bacteria, yeast, proteins and sugars in cauliflower-like structures. It is these grains that ferment the milk. Kefir grains can be commercially purchased and once suspended in milk at the right temperature, will produce more kefir grains in turn. These granules of active cultures are strained and removed from the fermented milk before it is drunk.
Cultured Buttermilk
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Traditional buttermilk was derived as a by-product of butter churning. Butter was originally made by letting whole milk stand to allow the cream to separate. Natural fermentation would occur, souring the milk slightly. Because milk nowadays is pasteurized, fermentation is performed on skim, or non-fat, milk. Lactic acid bacteria acidify the milk and cause protein formation, which is why buttermilk is tart and thicker than ordinary milk.
Other Differences between Kefir and Buttermilk
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Kefir and buttermilk also contain different microorganisms. While kefir may contain up to more than a dozen different bacterial strains and yeast cultures, buttermilk typically contains only one probiotic organism.
Health Benefits of Both
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Health benefits claimed for kefir include being a digestive aid due to the probiotics present in it, as well as controlling candida infections of the gut. Buttermilk is often drunk as a substitute for milk, as it is digested more readily by those who are lactose-intolerant. This is due to the lactose being converted by bacteria into lactic acid.
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References
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