A utilização do Kefir e seus benefícios para a saúde: Revisão integrativa

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Probiotics have live cultures of beneficial microorganisms that affect the intestinal ecosystem. A product of probiotic characteristics is Kefir, which is a fermented milk produced by the action of bacteria and yeasts. The beneficial properties of kefir are not only linked to its microflora, but also in the clinical treatment and control of some health problems, such as chronic non-communicable diseases. Several studies have shown that kefir and its constituents possess antimicrobial, antitumor, anticarcinogenic, immunomodulatory, lactose digestion, among others. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to perform a survey on the use of kefir and its benefits for the health and nutrition of the individual, presenting the results obtained from their consumption.JUSTIFICAVA: Seeing the potential of this product, which proves to have many beneficial properties, this research is justified by the need to disclose the benefits of kefir to the population, making a survey of existing studies. METHODOLOGY: This is an integrative review of the literature, which sought to evidence and discuss the use of kefir and its health benefits, from scientific publications indexed in the databases: Google academic and Pubmed, with reading titles and abstracts for selection of articles, excluding articles that did not fit the theme and proposed rules, between the years of 2002 and 2017. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: We found 06 studies referring to human interventions. The use of kefir in nutritional / clinical treatment showed beneficial effects in most studies, since there was weight reduction (in cases of overweight / obesity), improvement in glucose levels, insulin, improvement of lipid profile, immune response and colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by bacteria, in addition to the increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine levels and the improvement, reduction or delay of the development of certain complications. CONCLUSION: Kefir is a functional food that contains vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids that help in the treatment and maintenance of body functions. However, further research and clinical trials should be performed to confirm such effects in humans.