FAQ

• What is kefir?
  Kefir is a cultured probiotic beverage similar in taste and texture to drinkable yogurt, and made from milk fermented with kefir cultures. Originating over 2000 years ago in the Caucasus Mountains-where many people live well over 100 years-kefir has been collecting a long list of health benefits. These include potential benefits such as:
  •    Enhancing the immune system
  •    Stimulating digestion
  •    Easing lactose intolerance
  •    Lowering cholesterol
  •    Controlling the growth of harmful yeast overgrowth.
• How long does Lifeway Kefir stay fresh for after opening?
  Lifeway Kefir should be consumed prior to the expiration date printed on the bottle, regardless if it has been opened or not.
• What are probiotics?
  Probiotics, which literally mean "beneficial to life," are live cultures that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Most probiotics include the live active cultures often added to foods like yogurt. Researchers have studied bacteria extensively and considerable evidence indicates that there are several strains of essential good-for-you bacteria that have an ability to promote healthy gastrointestinal functions, increase immunity and help prevent the development of cancer-causing toxins throughout the body. Lifeway Kefir contains seven to ten billion CFU’s of ten live and active cultures per cup to produce a wide array of health benefits.
• What kinds of bacteria (probiotics) are in Lifeway kefir?
  All Lifeway products contain seven to ten billion CFU's of the following 10 live & active Kefir cultures per cup: 
  •    Lactobacillius Lactis
  

  Produces exclusively L(+) lactic acid
  Increases digestibility of milk
  Improves stomachal digestion
  

  •    Lactobacillus Rhamnosus
  

  Inhibits the growth of most harmful bacteria in the intestine. It is used as a natural preservative in yogurt and other dairy products to extend the shelf life.
  

  •    Streptococcus Diacetylactis
  

  Has the same properties of Streptococcus lactis
  Produces diacetyl and CO2. Diacetyl is a characterictic aroma of kefir
  

  •    Lactobacillus Plantarum
  

  Exhibits antagonistic activity against Listeria monocytogenes
  Produces plantaricin, a bacteriocin inhibiting microorganisms which cause spoilage.
  Strong producer of lactic acid.
  Tolerates high concentrations of bile salts
  Adheres to intestinal mucosa
  

  •    Lactobacillius Casei
  

  Produces L (+) lactic acid
  Produces large quantities of lactic acid
  Colonizes intestinal tract
  Adheres to intestinal mucosa
  Creates a favorable environmental for the desirable microbial balance.
  Limits intestinal putrefaction, thus controlling production of toxins and their noxious effect upon vital organs and body cells
  Inhibits pathogenic bacteria and prevents diseases caused by intestinal infections.
  Limits lactose intolerance. Contributes to Immunity.
  

  •    Saccharomyces Florentinus
  

  Boosts immune system after taking a course of antibiotics
  

  •    Leuconostoc Cremoris
  

  Produces lactic and acetic acid
  Produces acetyl-methyl carbinol and diacetyl, two aromatic agents of kefir
  

  •    Bifidobacterium Longum
  

  Keeps the digestive system running smoothly, blocks the growth of harmful bacteria, and boosts the immune system
  

  •    Bifidobacterium Breve
  

  Modifies the intestinal flora, helps balance intestinal flora
  

  •    Lactobacillus Acidophilus
  

  Ferments lactose into lactic acid
  Protects against some unhealthy organisms
  Benefits include improved gastrointestinal function, a boosted immune system, and a decrease in the frequency of yeast overgrowth
  
• Are Lifeway Kefir Products Gluten Free?
  All of Lifeway's products are Gluten Free except for the Probiotic Wellness Bars. The bars are produced at a different facility separate from where Lifeway Kefir is produced. Therefore there is no nut and gluten contamination.
• Why should I add probiotics to my diet?
  The bacteria in the digestive system plays a very important role in our health and can easily be thrown out of balance by everyday lifestyle stressors. Factors that can offset this precious balance include: antibiotics (which sometimes kill both "good" and "bad" bacteria), infections (bacterial, viral and fungal), alcohol consumption, chronic diarrhea, travel, a highly processed low fiber diet and stress. Probiotics are the easiest way to help combat these factors, keeping harmful bacteria in check.
• How do probiotics work?
  Imagine the path that food takes through the digestive system. Food is passed through the mouth, enters the very acidic stomach and goes into the small intestine where the breakdown of bacteria continues. It is in these last two digestive processes that most bacteria is found. Depending on the balance of "good" and "bad" strains, bacteria can stay in the intestines for quite some time, taking up a significant amount of intestinal wall room and growing surpluses of harmful pathogens like Candida (an overgrowing of yeast). Each time you consume probiotics, they compete for this space and push the harmful bacteria out. For example, bacteria that can turn lactose (milk sugar) into lactic acid can lower the PH of the colon, thereby inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria.
• How can I identify a probiotic?
  A probiotic must contain live and active cultures. Typically, probiotics can be taken in supplemental form or added to products able to ferment such as yogurt, which is a common source of beneficial bacteria. However, different brands of yogurt can vary greatly in their bacterial composition and potency. Some (particularly frozen) yogurts do not contain any live bacteria. Similarly, through processing and other disruptive factors, supplements can contain probiotics that have long since died and are no longer useable and beneficial to the body. To ensure that you are getting the best form of probiotics, they should be active and traceable to their original bacterial strains, such as kefir - a bundle of seven to ten billion CFU’s of ten live active cultures.
• What kinds of Lifeway kefir are available?
  Lifeway Foods makes kefir from original bacteria strains and is the only authentic manufacturer of kefir in the U.S. Lifeway also makes the only non-dairy kefir in the U.S. by using soy milk, and is also offering an Organic variety to accommodate all lifestyle needs and tastes.
• What can I expect when I try it?
  Kefir is similar in consistency to a smoothie and tastes like yogurt. You might think of a drinkable yogurt the first time you taste it, but remember the difference: kefir has more than twice as many live and active cultures as yogurt!
• Why is Kefir sometimes either too tangy, carbonated, acidic, bubbly, or has a
  ‘bite’, that tingles on the tongue?
  Since Lifeway Kefir contains Live and Active Cultures, there should be a small, varying degree of effervescence, or "fizz". Kefir contains one strain in particular that creates CO2 as it works. This is what makes Lifeway Kefir unique and healthier than most yogurts or similar products. Sometimes this strain can be more active than other times and therefore will create this fizz or bubbly sensation. In addition, the products consistency can vary depending on the amount of time passed after it was produced. All this means is that the Probiotic Kefir cultures are ACTIVE AND WORKING. This does not mean the product is spoiled or harmful in any way. Spoiled Kefir will resemble actually be bitter, and is very rare due to the unique production process. The vast majority of the time, the product should be similar, however, things like temperature have an effect on the amount of Probiotic activity. When the bottle is exposed to warmer temps, there is more probiotic activity, and the activity of these cultures speeds up. This higher temperature range generally occurs in the summer, when it is most common for the product to be stored in warmer temperatures either in the truck after leaving our warehouse, at the store level where someone might leave the product out of the cooler for a while, or at some point in this delivery process. You can see this out by leaving a closed bottle out at room temp and see the bottle expand. In any event, and as with any product, if you do not like the taste, for whatever reason, you should be able to return the bottle to the store for a refund. We can also send out a replacement coupon.

   
• What is the difference between kefir and yogurt?
  Although kefir and yogurt are similar in taste, Lifeway Kefir has more than double the amount of live and active cultures - each cup contains seven to ten billion CFU’s of 10 strains of bacteria, where as most yogurts generally have only two or three. Some (particularly frozen) yogurts do not contain any live bacteria or could have bacteria that have long since died, due to processing and other disruptive factors. Always check the label, and if that does not provide enough information, check with the company.
• Is there any research concerning the benefits of kefir?
  Yes. Elie Metchnikoff, a Nobel prize winner, was the first to extensively study kefir and its links to longevity, documenting how kefir is an extremely effective natural ingredient that combats intestinal infections(4). Through his research, he detailed how kefir activates the flow of saliva, contributing to easier digestion, greater gastrointestinal health and a prolonged life. Further research of its protective mechanisms have found that several of the bacteria in kefir produce lactic acid, which alters the Ph of the colon and may help prevent some types of cancer by preventing the growth of harmful bacteria that favor tumor growth(5). Through the years, several other researchers have followed in Metchnikoff's footsteps to study lactic acid fermenting dairy products, and much of their evidence supports his initial theory.
  Some of the findings so far have indicated that the bacteria in kefir help:

  • Traveler's diarrhea(6), viral diarrhea in children and Irritable Bowel Syndrome(7) or IBS
  • Prevent vaginal yeast infections(8)
  • Boost the immune system(9)
  • Reduce the risk of heart disease by reducing cholesterol(10)
  • Reduce the symptoms of food allergies such as lactose intolerance (11)
  • Suppress the development of certain cancers, such as bladder or colon cancer(12)
• Who can benefit from Lifeway kefir?
  Everyone!! Particularly:
  •    Health conscious consumers
  •    Individuals with compromised immune systems
  •    Pregnant, nursing women
  •    Seniors
  •    Kids
  
• Where can I find the probiotic Lifeway kefir?
  Lifeway Foods has become the largest supplier of kefir in the country and the only company making real kefir in North America. Lifeway Kefir is available nationwide in major supermarkets and health food stores. If you can't find it at your local store, ask your grocer to carry it, and we will be sure to supply it.
• How many bacteria should be in a probiotic to be beneficial to our health?
  A probiotic may have only one strain of bacteria targeted to produce a particular health benefit, but Lifeway Kefir has ten different live and active cultures that help promote myriad health benefits. These cultures multiply in large numbers throughout the fermentation process, and increase what is known as the bacteria count. This bacteria count is measured in "CFU," which stands for colony forming unit and allows you to know how many good bacteria you are getting. Lifeway Kefir contains seven to ten billion CFU’s per serving, depending on certain factors such as the number of days from the expiration date.
• Where does the milk in non organic Kefir come from?
  Lifeway Foods ONLY uses milk that is rBGH free (Bovine Growth Hormones). The milk also comes from farms that take great care for the cows, treating them in a humane way.