Apples, Blueberries and Chiles may be the ABCs of superfoods, but K belongs to Kefir, and more and more people are flocking to our powerhouse, protein-packed drink.
A new article in the
Press of Atlantic City names kefir to its list of superfoods for 2010, developed with the help of dietitians, kinesiologists and holistic-health experts. Among the reasons why they all love our fermented dairy drink:
“As a dairy product, it's high in vitamin D, essential for bone growth and development. Recent studies also suggest vitamin D may help the immune system and protect against tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis, hypertension and some forms of cancer. Also, while most yogurts contain one to three types of probiotics, which aid in digestion, kefir has 10; it also contains prebiotics, which help probiotics work better. Finally, because it's fermented, it's easier to digest by people who are lactose-intolerant.”
If you’re here reading our blog, we bet you already gulp Lifeway kefir every chance you get. But if you’re looking for more ways to incorporate it into your daily diet, try it as:
- a substitute for yogurt or sour cream in recipes
-a marinade for chicken kabobs
-as a topping for oatmeal
-layered with berries and granola in a parfait
-straight up
Other superfoods from the list included: Blueberries (packed with antioxidants, which help protect the body from disease, high in potassium, vitamin C and fiber, protective against heart disease, cancer and age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's); Quinoa (great source of complete protein, provides more iron than most grains, has high levels of potassium and B vitamins, gluten-free); walnuts (high in omega-3 fatty acids, shown to reduce the risks of heart disease and stroke, prevent blood clots, protect against irregular heartbeat, decrease blood pressure and enhance the immune system); and more.