Question: is kefir the same as buttermilk?
Answer: Kefir (kuh-FEAR, not KEE-fur) is fermented from whole milk using special kefir grains (more about them in a minute). Buttermilk, more formally called cultured buttermilk, is made by fermenting skim milk with lactic acid bacteria, Streptococcus lactis. ... Kefir and buttermilk have almost the same number of calories.