Buttermilk vs. Kefir
Nutrition comparison of Buttermilk and Kefir
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
buttermilk
versus
kefir
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in buttermilk and kefir:
- Both kefir and buttermilk are high in calcium.
- Kefir has 65% less saturated fat than buttermilk.
- Kefir has more folate.
- Kefir is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Buttermilk (Milk, buttermilk, fluid, whole) and Kefir (Kefir, lowfat, plain, LIFEWAY) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Kefir and buttermilk contain similar amounts of calories - kefir has 43 calories per 100 grams and buttermilk has 62 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, buttermilk is lighter in protein, lighter in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to kefir per calorie. Buttermilk has a macronutrient ratio of 21:32:48 and for kefir, 35:44:21 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Buttermilk | Kefir | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 21% | 35% |
| Carbohydrates | 32% | 44% |
| Fat | 48% | 21% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both kefir and buttermilk are low in carbohydrates - kefir has 4.8g of total carbs per 100 grams and buttermilk has 4.9g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in kefir and buttermilk are both made of 100% sugar.
sugar
Kefir and buttermilk contain similar amounts of sugar - kefir has 4.6g of sugar per 100 grams and buttermilk has 4.9g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Kefir and buttermilk contain similar amounts of protein - kefir has 3.8g of protein per 100 grams and buttermilk has 3.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Kefir has 65% less saturated fat than buttermilk - kefir has 0.66g of saturated fat per 100 grams and buttermilk has 1.9g of saturated fat.
trans fat
Both kefir and buttermilk are low in trans fat - kefir has 0.04g of trans fat per 100 grams and buttermilk does not contain significant amounts.
cholesterol
Kefir and buttermilk contain similar amounts of cholesterol - kefir has 5mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and buttermilk has 11mg of cholesterol.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Kefir and buttermilk contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - kefir has 0.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and buttermilk does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Kefir is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 264% more Vitamin A than buttermilk - kefir has 171ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and buttermilk has 47ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin D
Kefir and buttermilk contain similar amounts of Vitamin D - kefir has 41iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and buttermilk has 52iu of Vitamin D.
Vitamin E
Kefir and buttermilk contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kefir has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and buttermilk has 0.07mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Kefir and buttermilk contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - kefir has 0.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and buttermilk has 0.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Kefir has more folate. Both buttermilk and kefir contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.
| Buttermilk | Kefir | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.047 MG | 0.03 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.172 MG | 0.135 MG |
| Niacin | 0.09 MG | 0.15 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.38 MG | 0.385 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.036 MG | 0.058 MG |
| Folate | 5 UG | 13 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.46 UG | 0.29 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both kefir and buttermilk are high in calcium. Kefir has 13% more calcium than buttermilk - kefir has 130mg of calcium per 100 grams and buttermilk has 115mg of calcium.
iron
Kefir and buttermilk contain similar amounts of iron - kefir has 0.04mg of iron per 100 grams and buttermilk has 0.03mg of iron.
potassium
Kefir and buttermilk contain similar amounts of potassium - kefir has 164mg of potassium per 100 grams and buttermilk has 135mg of potassium.
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, buttermilk has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than kefir per 100 grams.
| Buttermilk | Kefir | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.076 G | 0.006 G |
| DPA | ~ | 0.001 G |
| Total | 0.076 G | 0.007 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, buttermilk has more linoleic acid than kefir per 100 grams.
| Buttermilk | Kefir | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.122 G | 0.042 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.002 G |
| Total | 0.122 G | 0.044 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.
Note: The specific food items compared are: Buttermilk (Milk, buttermilk, fluid, whole) and Kefir (Kefir, lowfat, plain, LIFEWAY) .
Buttermilk g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Kefir g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | saturated fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
|
5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does kefir or buttermilk contain more calories in 100 grams?Kefir and buttermilk contain similar amounts of calories - kefir has 43 calories in 100g and buttermilk has 62 calories.
Is kefir or buttermilk better for protein?
Kefir and buttermilk contain similar amounts of protein - kefir has 3.8g of protein per 100 grams and buttermilk has 3.2g of protein.
Does kefir or buttermilk have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both kefir and buttermilk are low in carbohydrates - kefir has 4.8g of carbs for 100g and buttermilk has 4.9g of carbohydrates. the carbs in kefir and buttermilk are both made of 100% sugar.
Does kefir or buttermilk contain more calcium?
Both kefir and buttermilk are high in calcium. Kefir has 10% more calcium than buttermilk - kefir has 130mg of calcium in 100 grams and buttermilk has 115mg of calcium.