Kefir vs. Yogurt
Nutrition comparison of Kefir and Yogurt
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
kefir
versus
yogurt
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in kefir and yogurt:
- Both kefir and yogurt are high in calcium.
- Kefir has 69% less saturated fat than yogurt.
- Kefir is an excellent source of Vitamin A.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Kefir (Kefir, lowfat, plain, LIFEWAY) and Yogurt (Yogurt, plain, whole milk) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Kefir and yogurt contain similar amounts of calories - kefir has 43 calories per 100 grams and yogurt has 61 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, kefir is heavier in protein, heavier in carbs and much lighter in fat compared to yogurt per calorie. Kefir has a macronutrient ratio of 35:44:21 and for yogurt, 22:30:48 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Kefir | Yogurt | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 35% | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 44% | 30% |
| Fat | 21% | 48% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both kefir and yogurt are low in carbohydrates - kefir has 4.8g of total carbs per 100 grams and yogurt has 4.7g of carbohydrates.
The carbs in kefir and yogurt are both made of 100% sugar.
sugar
Kefir and yogurt contain similar amounts of sugar - kefir has 4.6g of sugar per 100 grams and yogurt has 4.7g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Kefir and yogurt contain similar amounts of protein - kefir has 3.8g of protein per 100 grams and yogurt has 3.5g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Kefir has 69% less saturated fat than yogurt - kefir has 0.66g of saturated fat per 100 grams and yogurt has 2.1g of saturated fat.
trans fat
Both kefir and yogurt are low in trans fat - kefir has 0.04g of trans fat per 100 grams and yogurt does not contain significant amounts.
cholesterol
Kefir and yogurt contain similar amounts of cholesterol - kefir has 5mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and yogurt has 13mg of cholesterol.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Kefir and yogurt contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - kefir has 0.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and yogurt has 0.5mg of Vitamin C.
Vitamin A
Kefir is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 533% more Vitamin A than yogurt - kefir has 171ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and yogurt has 27ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin D
Kefir has 19 times more Vitamin D than yogurt - kefir has 41iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and yogurt has 2iu of Vitamin D.
Vitamin E
Kefir and yogurt contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - kefir has 0.02mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and yogurt has 0.06mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
Kefir and yogurt contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - kefir has 0.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and yogurt has 0.2ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Both kefir and yogurt contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6, folate and Vitamin B12.
| Kefir | Yogurt | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.03 MG | 0.029 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.135 MG | 0.142 MG |
| Niacin | 0.15 MG | 0.075 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.385 MG | 0.389 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.058 MG | 0.032 MG |
| Folate | 13 UG | 7 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.29 UG | 0.37 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both kefir and yogurt are high in calcium. Kefir has a little more calcium (7%) than yogurt by weight - kefir has 130mg of calcium per 100 grams and yogurt has 121mg of calcium.
iron
Kefir and yogurt contain similar amounts of iron - kefir has 0.04mg of iron per 100 grams and yogurt has 0.05mg of iron.
potassium
Kefir and yogurt contain similar amounts of potassium - kefir has 164mg of potassium per 100 grams and yogurt has 155mg of potassium.
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, yogurt has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than kefir per 100 grams.
| Kefir | Yogurt | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.006 G | 0.027 G |
| DPA | 0.001 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.007 G | 0.027 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both kefir and yogurt contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Kefir | Yogurt | |
|---|---|---|
| other omega 6 | 0.002 G | ~ |
| linoleic acid | 0.042 G | 0.065 G |
| Total | 0.044 G | 0.065 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.
Kefir g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Yogurt 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 yogurt contain more calories in 100 grams?Kefir and yogurt contain similar amounts of calories - kefir has 43 calories in 100g and yogurt has 61 calories.
Is kefir or yogurt better for protein?
Kefir and yogurt contain similar amounts of protein - kefir has 3.8g of protein per 100 grams and yogurt has 3.5g of protein.
Does kefir or yogurt have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both kefir and yogurt are low in carbohydrates - kefir has 4.8g of carbs for 100g and yogurt has 4.7g of carbohydrates. the carbs in kefir and yogurt are both made of 100% sugar.
Does kefir or yogurt contain more calcium?
Both kefir and yogurt are high in calcium. Kefir has a little more calcium ( 10%) than yogurt by weight - kefir has 130mg of calcium in 100 grams and yogurt has 121mg of calcium.