Kefir 1%: calories, protein, vitamins
USDA FoodData Central data, retrieved October 2026 · state: as eaten
Kefir 1%: 43 kcal, 3.8 g protein, 1 g fat and 4.8 g carbohydrate per 100 g. A typical portion is 1 glass (250 g): about 108 kcal. Below you will find a table with the share of the daily reference, a comparison with five similar foods and where the numbers come from.
- High in vitamin A · 21%
- Good source of phosphorus · 15%
- Good source of calcium · 13%
- Good source of vitamin B12 · 12%
- Good source of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) · 11%
- Low in carbohydrate
- Low in fat
| Nutrition | per 100 g | % daily value | portion (250 g) | % daily value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 43 kcal | 2% | 108 kcal | 5% |
| Protein | 3.79 g | 8% | 9.48 g | 19% |
| Fat | 1.02 g | — | 2.55 g | — |
| Carbohydrate | 4.77 g | — | 11.9 g | — |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0% | 0 g | 0% |
| Sugar(limit) | 4.61 g | 5% | 11.5 g | 13% |
| Saturated fat(limit) | 0.66 g | 3% | 1.65 g | 7% |
| Sodium(limit) | 40 mg | 2% | 100 mg | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 171 µg | 21% | 428 µg | 53% |
| Phosphorus | 105 mg | 15% | 263 mg | 38% |
| Calcium | 130 mg | 13% | 325 mg | 33% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.29 µg | 12% | 0.73 µg | 30% |
| Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) | 0.14 mg | 11% | 0.34 mg | 28% |
| Selenium | 3.6 µg | 7% | 9 µg | 16% |
| Vitamin D | 1 µg | 7% | 2.5 µg | 17% |
| Potassium | 164 mg | 5% | 410 mg | 14% |
| Zinc | 0.46 mg | 5% | 1.15 mg | 12% |
Typical portion: 1 glass, 250 g, about 108 kcal. % daily value is for a reference adult (average of men and women); "limit" marks a daily limit, not a target. "High" starts at 20% per 100 g.
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Calories from a photoThese are general estimates generated from published formulas, not a medical prescription. Not reviewed by a doctor or registered dietitian.
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Every number on this page (calorie targets, macro splits and any suggested meal plan) is produced by formulas (Mifflin-St Jeor for basal metabolic rate, standard activity multipliers) or, for AI-generated meal plans, by a language model applying those same formulas. On meal-plan pages the carbohydrate figure for each meal is calculated by difference: total calories minus protein and fat calories, divided by 4. It is not measured or estimated on its own, so read it as an arithmetic balance and not as an independent nutritional analysis of the dish. None of it is individualized medical or nutritional advice, and none of it has been reviewed by a registered dietitian, physician or other licensed healthcare professional.
Ask your doctor or a registered dietitian what is right for you before starting a new diet, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a diagnosed medical condition, take prescription medication, or have a history of disordered eating. If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, ask your clinician before raising protein.
Mealyno never recommends a calorie target below your calculated Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), the minimum energy your body needs at complete rest. Even the most aggressive weight-loss setting is clamped at that floor.
Calorie and BMR estimates use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990).
Generated: October 2026
Also searched as: kefir, plain kefir, lowfat kefir.
About this food: Kefir 1%
The USDA has one kefir entry in its legacy database, a plain lowfat kefir from a single brand, and that is what the figures here describe: 43 kcal and 1 g of fat per 100 g. Ukrainian kefir is sold at 1%, 2.5% and 3.2%, so check the fat percentage on the carton. Moving from 1% to 2.5% adds noticeably more fat per glass, which is the main reason two kefirs of the same size can log differently.
Log it as poured. A glass is usually 250 ml, which is about 250 g, giving 108 kcal and 9.5 g of protein. Kefir is a little denser than water, but a measuring jug and a kitchen scale agree closely enough for everyday tracking.
Flavoured kefir, drinking yoghurts and bottles with fruit pieces carry added sugar that the plain figures do not include. If you blend kefir with a banana, oats or honey, log each of those separately. A spoon of bran or seeds stirred in also adds calories that the carton never mentions.
A sealed pack keeps for roughly a week in the fridge, and an opened one turns sourer by the day, so finish it within a couple of days. Cold kefir works as the base for cold beetroot soup (kholodnyk) and replaces buttermilk in pancakes, where it helps the batter rise. Shake the pack before pouring, because it separates slightly.
What it is high and low in
Kefir 1% is high in vitamin A (21%) per 100 g (share of the daily reference in brackets). It is a good source of phosphorus (15%), calcium (13%), vitamin B12 (12%) and vitamin B2 (riboflavin) (11%).
It is low in carbohydrate (up to 5 g per 100 g) and fat (up to 3 g per 100 g). The rule is the same for every food: "high" means at least 20% of the daily reference in 100 g, "good source" means 10-19%. For protein it takes at least 8 g per 100 g and a fifth of the calories from protein.
How it compares with similar foods
We compared kefir 1% with the five foods in our table that are closest in composition (Milk 2%, Skim milk, Plain whole-milk yogurt, Whole milk 3.25% and Nonfat Greek yogurt), per 100 g.
Rank among the six: Protein (1 = most): 2nd of 6; Calories (1 = fewest): 2nd of 6; Carbohydrate (1 = fewest): 3rd of 6. The order is computed from the USDA values, so it moves if the table changes.
| Food | kcal | protein | fat | carbs | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kefir 1% | 43 | 3.8 | 1 | 4.8 | 0 |
| Milk 2% | 50 | 3.3 | 2 | 4.8 | 0 |
| Skim milk | 34 | 3.4 | 0.1 | 5 | 0 |
| Plain whole-milk yogurt | 61 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 4.7 | 0 |
| Whole milk 3.25% | 61 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 4.8 | 0 |
| Nonfat Greek yogurt | 59 | 10.2 | 0.4 | 3.6 | 0 |
All values per 100 g.
Where the numbers come from
The values on this page come from USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (entry 170904: "Kefir, lowfat, plain, LIFEWAY"). It is the US government's reference database and its data is public domain (CC0). We retrieved it on October 4, 2026 and show it per 100 g of the food in the stated state (as eaten). When USDA reports no value for a vitamin or mineral we write "no data", never zero.
About how the food maps to the USDA entry: The only kefir entry in SR Legacy: plain lowfat (Lifeway brand). A 2.5% kefir has more calories.
The daily value column compares each amount with a reference adult: the average of the adult male and female values in the US and Canada Dietary Reference Intakes (age 19-30), a 2,000 kcal day and 50 g of protein. Sodium (2300 mg), sugar (90 g of total sugars, the EU reference intake) and saturated fat (22 g, under 10% of calories) are limits, not targets. These are general guides for healthy adults, not medical advice.
The portion weight is a typical size, not a USDA value, so weigh your own portion.
Calorie and nutrient questions
How many calories are in 100 g of kefir 1%?
43 kcal per 100 g, with 3.8 g protein, 1 g fat and 4.8 g carbohydrate. A typical portion (1 glass, 250 g) has about 108 kcal.
How much protein is in kefir 1%?
100 g has 3.8 g of protein, which is 8% of a 50 g daily reference, and a typical portion (250 g) has 9.5 g. Protein supplies 35% of its calories.
Which vitamins and minerals does kefir 1% contain?
The most per 100 g, as a share of the daily reference: vitamin A 171 µg (21%); phosphorus 105 mg (15%); calcium 130 mg (13%); vitamin B12 0.29 µg (12%). Every other tracked vitamin or mineral is under 10% or has no USDA value.