Kefir vs. Whole Milk
Nutrition comparison of Kefir and Whole Milk
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
kefir
versus
whole milk
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in kefir and whole milk:
- Both kefir and whole milk are high in calcium.
- Kefir has 65% less saturated fat than whole milk.
- Kefir has more folate.
- Kefir is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Kefir (Kefir, lowfat, plain, LIFEWAY) and Whole Milk (Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Kefir and whole milk contain similar amounts of calories - kefir has 43 calories per 100 grams and whole milk has 61 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, kefir is heavier in protein, heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to whole milk per calorie. Kefir has a macronutrient ratio of 35:44:21 and for whole milk, 21:32:48 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Kefir | Whole Milk | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 35% | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 44% | 32% |
| Fat | 21% | 48% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both kefir and whole milk are low in carbohydrates - kefir has 4.8g of total carbs per 100 grams and whole milk has 4.8g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in kefir and whole milk are both made of 100% sugar.
sugar
Kefir and whole milk contain similar amounts of sugar - kefir has 4.6g of sugar per 100 grams and whole milk has 5.1g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Kefir and whole milk contain similar amounts of protein - kefir has 3.8g of protein per 100 grams and whole milk has 3.2g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Kefir has 65% less saturated fat than whole milk - kefir has 0.66g of saturated fat per 100 grams and whole milk has 1.9g of saturated fat.
trans fat
Both kefir and whole milk are low in trans fat - kefir has 0.04g of trans fat per 100 grams and whole milk does not contain significant amounts.
cholesterol
Kefir and whole milk contain similar amounts of cholesterol - kefir has 5mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and whole milk has 10mg of cholesterol.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Kefir and whole milk contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - kefir has 0.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and whole milk does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Kefir is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 272% more Vitamin A than whole milk - kefir has 171ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and whole milk has 46ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin D
Kefir and whole milk contain similar amounts of Vitamin D - kefir has 41iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and whole milk has 51iu of Vitamin D.
Vitamin E
Kefir and whole milk contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kefir has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and whole milk has 0.07mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Kefir and whole milk contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - kefir has 0.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and whole milk has 0.3ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Kefir has more folate. Both kefir and whole milk contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.
| Kefir | Whole Milk | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.03 MG | 0.046 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.135 MG | 0.169 MG |
| Niacin | 0.15 MG | 0.089 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.385 MG | 0.373 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.058 MG | 0.036 MG |
| Folate | 13 UG | 5 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.29 UG | 0.45 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both kefir and whole milk are high in calcium. Kefir has 15% more calcium than whole milk - kefir has 130mg of calcium per 100 grams and whole milk has 113mg of calcium.
iron
Kefir and whole milk contain similar amounts of iron - kefir has 0.04mg of iron per 100 grams and whole milk has 0.03mg of iron.
potassium
Kefir and whole milk contain similar amounts of potassium - kefir has 164mg of potassium per 100 grams and whole milk has 132mg of potassium.
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, whole milk has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than kefir per 100 grams.
| Kefir | Whole Milk | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.006 G | 0.075 G |
| DPA | 0.001 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.007 G | 0.075 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, whole milk has more linoleic acid than kefir per 100 grams.
| Kefir | Whole Milk | |
|---|---|---|
| other omega 6 | 0.002 G | ~ |
| linoleic acid | 0.042 G | 0.12 G |
| Total | 0.044 G | 0.12 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: Kefir (Kefir, lowfat, plain, LIFEWAY) and Whole Milk (Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D) .
Kefir g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Whole Milk 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 whole milk contain more calories in 100 grams?Kefir and whole milk contain similar amounts of calories - kefir has 43 calories in 100g and whole milk has 61 calories.
Is kefir or whole milk better for protein?
Kefir and whole milk contain similar amounts of protein - kefir has 3.8g of protein per 100 grams and whole milk has 3.2g of protein.
Does kefir or whole milk have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both kefir and whole milk are low in carbohydrates - kefir has 4.8g of carbs for 100g and whole milk has 4.8g of carbohydrates. the carbs in kefir and whole milk are both made of 100% sugar.
Does kefir or whole milk contain more calcium?
Both kefir and whole milk are high in calcium. Kefir has 20% more calcium than whole milk - kefir has 130mg of calcium in 100 grams and whole milk has 113mg of calcium.