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Kefir

Kefir is a cultured fermented milk beverage commonly served chilled or used in drinks, marinades, and baking.

Kefir — illustrative ingredient image

About Kefir

Kefir is a fermented milk beverage made by culturing milk with kefir cultures, which include bacteria and yeasts. It is commonly served chilled or blended into drinks, and is also used in marinades, dressings, and baking, where its acidity and liquid texture affect the surrounding mixture.

The finished drink is usually pourable, smooth, and lightly effervescent, with a mildly to distinctly tangy flavour. Thickness, sweetness, and degree of fermentation vary, particularly between plain and flavoured commercial products.

Kefir generally appears as a smooth liquid and may range from relatively thin to thicker. It is sold plain or flavoured, with differences between products reflecting milk type, fermentation, straining, and added ingredients; these changes affect its pourability, tang, and use in recipes.

Ingredient type
derived ingredient

Forms & related ingredients

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Where kefir appears

3 linked foods

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Showing 1–3 of 3

Soups

Breads

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for kefir

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Kefir

English

Kefir cream 10%

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Kefir, lowfat, plain, LIFEWAY

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Kefir, lowfat, strawberry, LIFEWAY

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

mild kefir

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

mild whole kefir

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

whole kefir

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Kefir nutrition & diet

Kefir nutritional value

Reference: Milk kefir

Per 100 g of the edible portion of the explicitly named reference food.

Calories
61.1kcal
Protein
3.1g
Carbs
4.5g
Fat
3.4g

Per 100 g edible portion. ANSES Ciqual 2025; energy and protein follow EU Regulation 1169/2011 (protein = nitrogen × 6.25); carbohydrate excludes fibre. Values describe this food form, not every brand or recipe. Reused under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0: https://www.etalab.gouv.fr/licence-ouverte-open-licence/.

Portions & preparation

Identify whether the kefir is plain or flavored, dairy-based or another substrate, and whether it is drinkable or thickened. A serving poured plain differs from one blended with fruit, sweeteners, cereal, or cream, while baking changes the final food context.

Compare the right form: Match plain or flavored cultured kefir, including dairy source, fermentation style, thickness, and whether the reference concerns the beverage alone.

Diet considerations

Traditional milk kefir is animal-derived, while water kefir and plant-substrate versions require separate identification. Compatibility changes with milk source, sweeteners, fruit, cereal ingredients, or flavoring. A recipe using kefir may also include eggs, gelatin, honey, or other animal additions.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically incompatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically compatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    Depends on the version
  • Paleo
    Typically incompatible
  • Low-carb
    Depends on the version
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically incompatible
The ingredient profile identifies an animal-derived food or derivative.
Vegetarian · Typically compatible
Permitted by the lacto-ovo vegetarian pattern used here, in its plain form.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
Permitted by the pescatarian pattern used here, in its plain form.
Keto · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Paleo · Typically incompatible
This profile falls outside the conventional paleo pattern used here (grains and pseudograins, legumes, dairy or refined sugar).
Low-carb · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: ANSES Ciqual 2025 — Kéfir de lait ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .