Kefir Ranch Dressing Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between yogurt and kefir? ›

Kefir and yogurt are both dairy foods made from fermenting milk to create healthy living bacteria cultures. Kefir is higher in nutritional value, has a runnier texture, and more prevalent "good bacteria." Yogurt has a much thicker consistency than kefir does and has more transient bacteria.

Kefir has a tart and tangy flavor and a consistency similar to drinkable yogurt. Due to the fermentation process, kefir may taste slightly carbonated. This happens because the microbes produce gases as they digest the sugars in the milk.

The biggest nutritional difference between the two is that kefir contains more probiotics than yogurt. While yogurt also contains some probiotics, kefir is more potent. If you are looking to improve digestion or gut health, kefir is the better choice.

Well, it really depends on what you are looking for. If a lower-calorie option with lots of calcium and vitamin D suits your needs, go for kefir. If you want a higher-calorie option with lots of B12 and protein, greek yoghurt is your best bet.

Even when a restaurant does start with premade ranch, they will often fold in extra fresh herbs, and maybe even more buttermilk, to lighten and bring in some brighter flavors that can be lost in shelf-stable bottling.

Because while some restaurants do use a bottled shelf stable dressing, what you are referring to is a powdered ranch mix (typically the Hidden Valley brand) that the restaurant cooks add milk/ buttermilk and sour cream to make their dressing.

The ranch packet has a fresher taste, because you add your own mayo and milk. Even though all the herbs and spices in the mix are dried, they rehydrate quickly and leave you with a product that feels homemade. This version of Hidden Valley Ranch is more flavorful than the bottled version and much, much thicker.

At the end of the study, those in the kefir group had significantly lower blood sugar levels than those in the other group.

Kefir milk will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. I always give it a good shake before using. If you need to give your kefir a break because you are going out of town or have too much kefir, you can put the grains on pause.

Is it safe to drink kefir everyday? ›

Most people can drink kefir every day without any problem. But if you have a weakened immune system, talk to your doctor before you start drinking it. Some studies show probiotics can cause infection in people who are immunocompromised.

We do not recommend mixing maple syrup, agave, or honey with your kefir. Maple syrup and agave have a high GI rating, which disrupts your microbiome. Honey is a natural antibiotic, which interferes with the good probiotics in the kefir.

Don't mix kefir with turmeric or honey or hot food items. Store your kefir drinks in the fridge.

Dried apples, apricots, peaches and plums are all low GI and nice to work with. If you need to increase sweetness levels, you can top up with stevia until it's sweet enough for your taste. Now that we've talked about adding stevia to your diet, let's talk about what you need to let go of: Sugar.

Kefir recipe

Put ½ tsp kefir grains in the jar. Add a pint of milk, leaving about 2cm head room if using a clip top jar, or at least 5cm for a cloth-covered jar. Leave on the worktop for 18-24 hours to ferment. It's turned to kefir when the milk has thickened.

Eat things like kimchi, yogurt, and kefir

"At the moment, the current evidence suggests you're better off not taking commercial probiotics, but just taking fermented foods," Spector said. "Fermented foods are basically probiotics — live microbes — but actually in food, as opposed to in a capsule."

How much should you drink? Kefir can be a healthy and delicious addition to a well-rounded diet. For best results, stick to around 1–3 cups (237–710 mL) per day and pair it with a variety of other fermented foods and beverages to increase your intake of probiotics.