Looking at a bottle of kefir on a grocery store shelf, you might ask yourself: is it milk? Is it yogurt? In fact, kefir is a bit similar to both products. This is a fermented milk drink, in many ways similar to yogurt.

Kefir is usually obtained by fermenting cow's, goat's, or sheep's milk using a bacterial culture of polysaccharides called kefiran. As these bacteria participate in fermentation, they create high doses of probiotics and a carbonated drink that some people think is similar to beer. In taste and consistency, kefir has a liquid substance similar to drinking yogurt. Its taste is strong and sharp.

Kefir, long touted by practitioners as a remedy for everything from acne to depression, is not just for alternative medicine lovers. This creamy drink with Eastern European roots, rich in calcium and probiotics, has proven its health benefits, so everyone can enjoy it.