Kefir vs Yogurt

Whether it is in a bottle, tube, cup, or your favorite smoothie, yogurt is a very common healthy breakfast food. As a good source of calcium and protein, it is great for bone health.  An essential part of yogurt making is the addition of good bacteria that breaks down sugar in milk to other substances.  This is called fermentation.  Naturally, your stomach and intestines have healthy bacteria, and the good bacteria in yogurt helps to keep your stomach and intestines healthy.

You may have seen a similar food item on the store shelf next to yogurt called kefir.  Like yogurt, kefir is made by fermenting milk, but in a slightly different way.  Kefir is made by fermenting milk with a group of yeast and bacteria known as kefir grains.  Both plain yogurt and kefir have a tart taste, but kefir is not as thick as yogurt, so it is most often consumed as a drink.  Kefir has a larger number of different types of bacteria than yogurt and may provide more health benefits for your stomach and intestines.

If you are looking to add a little variety to your morning breakfast routine, try this kefir inspired overnight oats recipe.

Overnight Oats with Kefir, Berries, and Toasted Coconut

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups plain kefir
• 2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted

Directions:

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight; stir. Divide oat mixture between 2 bowls. Top servings evenly with berries and coconut.

Recipe and photo sourced from My Recipes.  For more recipe ideas visit www.myrecipes.com.