Kefir
Serving sizes
Kefir changes rating with portion size. These are the amounts tested in the literature behind our ratings.
- About 1 tablespoon (25mL)
- Larger portions
- Much larger portions
Kefir is High FODMAP at a usual serving, though about 1 tablespoon (25mL) is low.
- A splash of 1 tablespoon (25mL) is low.
- Fermentation trims but does not clear out the Lactose, so larger portions reach moderate and much larger portions reach high.
- Flavored versions with added fruit or sweeteners can bring in other ingredients.
If you want a bigger drink, lactose-free milk or lactose-free kefir gives you the tang without the lactose.
Why kefir is rated high
Kefir is a high FODMAP drink, and the reason is lactose. Culturing the milk trims some of it, but it does not clear it out, so the lactose that is left builds up quickly as the glass gets bigger. The serves do carry a lower rung, which is the most useful thing on this page: about 1 tablespoon (25mL) reads LOW, larger portions read MODERATE, and much larger portions read HIGH. The overall answer to whether kefir is low FODMAP is still no, because a normal glassful is far more than a tablespoon, but a splash is treated very differently from a drink.
What changes your risk
- Serving size This is the whole story for kefir. About 1 tablespoon (25mL) is low, larger portions are moderate, and much larger portions are high, so the size of the pour decides everything.
- Lactose free versions Lactose free kefir and lactose free milk are ordinary dairy with the lactase enzyme added, which splits the lactose before you drink it. That is the cleanest fix available for a lactose problem. They are not dairy free and are not suitable for a milk allergy.
- Stacking other lactose foods A low rating for about 1 tablespoon (25mL) is per serving, not per meal. A splash of kefir alongside ordinary milk on cereal, a pot of ordinary yoghurt or ice cream later the same afternoon puts the day's lactose well past where any single serving sat.
- Flavoured and sweetened kefir Plain kefir and a flavoured bottle are different products. Added fruit and syrups bring their own FODMAP load on top of the lactose already in the drink, so the plain version is the one these serves describe.
- Spreading servings across the day Fermentation does not remove what is left, so the only lever besides the size of the pour is timing. The same daily total is easier to manage spread out than poured into one sitting.
Swaps
The direct swap is lactose free kefir where it is sold, and lactose free milk or lactose free yoghurt for the drinking and cooking jobs kefir usually does. All of these are ordinary dairy with lactase added rather than dairy free products, so they are not an answer to a milk allergy, but they are genuinely low in lactose. For the tangy, savoury role in a dressing or marinade, lactose free yoghurt does the same work. If you want the dairy flavour without a drink at all, hard aged cheeses such as cheddar, parmesan and swiss lose nearly all their lactose in the making and are low FODMAP. Do not reach for ordinary milk, cream, ice cream, ordinary yoghurt or a soft fresh cheese such as ricotta, cottage cheese or cream cheese, since they carry the same lactose that put kefir high in the first place.
How to lower the load
Pour kefir into a glass rather than drinking from the bottle, because free pouring is how a tablespoon quietly becomes a glassful. Using it as a splash in a smoothie with strawberries, blueberries or a firm just yellow banana, or spooning it over oats, keeps the pour small while still giving you the tang. In the supermarket, look for lactose free on the front of the bottle and plain rather than flavoured, and check the ingredient list of anything fruit flavoured. In a dressing or a marinade, lactose free yoghurt thinned out stands in for kefir without changing the flavour much. Keep it cold and shake before pouring, since the drink separates in the fridge.
Common questions
how much kefir is low fodmap
About 1 tablespoon (25mL) is low. Larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high, so kefir is rated high overall even though a splash is lower.
is kefir high in lactose
Yes, lactose is the reason it is rated high. Culturing the milk reduces the lactose but does not remove it, so it adds up as the pour grows.
can you drink kefir during the elimination phase
Kefir is a high FODMAP food, so it is not one to keep during elimination in the usual way. Lactose free kefir or lactose free milk fills the same role, and reintroducing ordinary kefir later is work done with a dietitian.
what can i drink instead of kefir on a low fodmap diet
Lactose free kefir where you can find it, otherwise lactose free milk or lactose free yoghurt. They are ordinary dairy with the lactase enzyme added, so they are low in lactose but are not dairy free.
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Where this rating comes from
Kefir is rated from published lab measurements of its FODMAP content, using the low, moderate and high cutoffs of Varney et al. (2017).
Feedback sent through the FODMAP Foods app has led to changes in this list.
Sources
- Fructan and free fructose content of common Australian vegetables and fruit. Muir et al. (2007), J. Agricultural and Food Chemistry 55(16):6619-6627.
- Measurement of short-chain carbohydrates in common Australian vegetables and fruits by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Muir et al. (2009), J. Agricultural and Food Chemistry 57(2):554-565.
- Quantification of fructans, galacto-oligosaccharides and other short-chain carbohydrates in processed grains and cereals. Biesiekierski et al. (2011), J. Human Nutrition and Dietetics 24(2):154-176.
- Dietary sorbitol and mannitol: food content and distinct absorption patterns between healthy individuals and patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Yao et al. (2014), J. Human Nutrition and Dietetics 27(Suppl 2):263-275.
- FODMAPs: food composition, defining cutoff values and international application. Varney et al. (2017), J. Gastroenterology and Hepatology 32(Suppl 1):53-61. Supplies the low, moderate and high cutoffs used on this page.
Informational only, not medical advice. Individual tolerance varies. Talk to a healthcare professional or a dietitian for personal guidance.