Alegações de propriedades funcionais e de saúde atribuídas ao kefir : uma revisão

Abstract

Kefir is a type of refreshing fermented milk, with a slightly acid flavor, traditionally produced from the fermentation of milk, by kefir grains. The objective of this research was to carry out a bibliographic review on the claims of functional and health properties attributed to kefir. This study is a systematic review that sought evidence and discussed the use of kefir and its health benefits, based on the analysis of scientific publications indexed in the Google academic database. The present study had as inclusion criteria, articles in journals in English and Portuguese free of charge, published from 2010 to 2020 that contained in the title and in the abstract the word kefir. Studies completed at the end of the course, dissertations, theses and articles published with more than 10 years were excluded from the research, as the interest was to carry out an updated search regarding the proposed theme. Currently, several scientific studies have proven the health benefits of kefir, historically reported as a drink with great potential in promoting health because it has probiotic microorganisms, in addition to being a safe and inexpensive food, easily produced at home. The results, based on data collection, of the 19 articles discussed in this research, 8 reported allegations of functional properties, with the main factor reported being the effect of modulating mechanisms for improving the gastrointestinal system, such as lactose intolerance, and 11 articles presented claims of health properties, the most mentioned of which were a reduction in serum glucose levels and an improvement in the lipid profile associated with health problems such as diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia. This research presented evidences that kefir can be used as a food for prevention and help in the control of some health problems, being, therefore, a food with high potential to be considered with claim of functional and health properties.