Kefir - What is it? Why do I need it? How do I make it?!
Lately my love for Kefir has really blossomed. With that blossoming came the want to share all the information I know about it to all my friends and family.
What a better way to share that information than to compile it all in one place here on my blog =)
At the bottom of this post you can find the video I made on how I prepare the Kefir and how I use it in my Green Smoothies.
So here we go!
Good question! First let me start off by telling you that there are 2 different kinds of Kefir ... well there's more than just 2 kinds, but I'm talking about Milk Kefir and Water Kefir. Milk Kefir is what we're going to talk about today, and maybe in the near future - Water Kefir.
Milk Kefir (pronounced "keh-feer") is a fermented milk product that is a complex symbiosis of more that 30 micoflora that form a grain-like structure of proteins, lipids and sugars. It consists of white/cream-colored 'grains' (looks kinda like cauliflower) made by fermenting the milk of a cow, goat, sheep and/or milk substitutes, such as coconut, soy, or rice milk. And just to cover all sides ... Water Kefir is dairy-free and consists of small, transparent 'grains' made by fermenting sugar water.
The various types of beneficial microbiota found in Kefir are some of the most potent probiotics available. It contains essential vitamins such as - B12, B1, and Vitamin K. It is an excellent source of Biotin, a B Vitamin which aids the body's assimilation of other B vitamins. It has amino acids, enzymes, minerals and beneficial bacteria & yeasts.
While yogurt may be really good for you (especially if you consume Greek yogurt), as it contains some good bacteria's, but they aren't transient. Meaning - they must be replenished by continuing to eat the yogurt. Kefir on the other hand, contains beneficial bacteria that can actually colonize in the intestinal tract. Meaning that even if you don't consume Kefir every day, it will continue to help your gut over a period of time.
Kefir also contains additional friendly bacteria not found in yogurt and species of yeast that can help to control the harmful yeast that can fester in the body.
Okay, now you know what it is and somewhat of how good it is for you ... Now why do you need it?
Well here's a rundown on all the possible benefits of consuming Kefir on a regular basis. Please note: these are all *possible* conditions Kefir has helped. If it can help all of these listed below? Why not take the leap and add it to your diet?!
It's also said that when taken regularly, Kefir can lower cholesterol levels, regulate blood pressure, treat diabetes, regulate metabolism, help produce bile, improve digestion (all those good probiotics!), cleanse the digestive tract, flush out pathogens, slow the aging process (yippeee!), helps with food cravings and increases energy. Wow oh wow, what a cure-all kind of drink don't you think? Just think, you've got this army of good bacteria and yeast that is fighting to cleanse your gut and flush out those bad pathogens that are causing bad health. Cool.
Here's some neat little tidbits ...
Now that you know how good it is for you. Here's how you make it ...
To make my own Kefir drink, I add about 1 tablespoon of milk kefir grains to 1 quart of milk, place a cloth or paper towel on top and secure it with a rubber band or jar ring (to keep the bugs out, but allowing the gasses from fermenting to escape) and let the grains ferment in the milk on my counter for 24-48 hours. Depending on the temperature of the room the milk will ferment slower (cold room) or faster (hot room). The milk kefir cultures will grow as they feed on the lactose and produce the kefir drink, or 'liquid kefir' as I've heard it referred as. After it has fermented, I simply strain the kefir grains out, store the liquid kefir in the fridge and place the grains in a clean glass jar and cover with milk for another batch. It's really that simple =)
What do I do with my Kefir drink?
I personally add sweetener, such as Stevia and coco powder to mine (recipe below). It tastes like a fizzy, dark chocolate smoothie. I also like to 2nd ferment my chocolaty drink (I just leave it out on the counter for a couple hours before refrigerating), making it more fizzy, more vitamin dense and adding a bit more alcohol content. Alcohol? Yes. Kefir can have up to 4% alcohol content. Don't worry! You're not accidentally going to get drunk off it. You have to purposely ferment the Kefir, more specifically - water Kefir, to get it to that point. Milk Kefir that has been fermented/cultured for 24-48 hours is more likely to contain between .08% and .1% alcohol. So really nothing to worry about =) Just to throw this out there ... ALL fermented drinks/foods will contain a small percentage of alcohol.
Other ideas for your Kefir:
Fruit smoothies
Exchange Sour Cream for Kefir in recipes
Kefir Cheese
There's rules to making Kefir? Yep there sure are! If you want your Kefir to last indefinitely you'll want to follow these few rules ...
Okay, now that we have the rules out of the way. Here's some FAQ's. If you have a question that I've not answered, please message me or leave your comment below =)
Q. Why should I make my own milk kefir?
A. In the case of milk kefir grains, homemade kefir will contain a much larger number of probiotics than commercial kefir, which is made from a powdered starter culture. Making kefir at home costs significantly less than store bought and you have complete control over the milk you use.
Q. I want to consume kefir but I'm allergic to dairy. What can I do?
A. You might want to try water kefir. Water kefir grains contain no dairy and are grown/cultured/fermented in filtered water and sugar. If you're just lactose intolerant, you may be able to consume milk kefir because the cultures "feed" on the lactose/sugar produced in milk. So the end product has very little to no lactose.
Q. Are milk kefir grains reusable? And how long will they last?
A. Yes, milk kefir grains are reusable. Once a batch of milk kefir has finished culturing, simply remove the milk kefir grains and place them in fresh milk. As long as you don't kill your grains (by going against the rules stated above) you should have kefir grains indefinitely. And not just indefinitely, but it will continue to grow & multiply to the point where you can share your grains with friends and family. Just like sourdough bread starters or the like.
Q. Do I need to stir the kefir during the culturing process?
A. You can stir the kefir while it's culturing, but it's not necessary.
Q. How do I know if I've successfully made kefir? Can I culture it for too long or not enough?
A. The milk will thicken (like buttermilk) and will start to look slightly chunky, that's how you know when it's done. You can't really culture it for too little or too much. Too little will just mean you end up with milk with slightly more nutrients. Too much culturing and you'll end up with curds and whey and a VERY tart tasting kefir drink. You can still consume it at this stage, as whey is VERY good for you, but it just won't taste as good.
Q. How long can I store the kefir in the refrigerator?
A. The finished milk kefir product can be stored as follows:
In the picture below, you can see the Kefir fermenting in the top 2 pictures. The bottom left shows the straining process. And the pic on the bottom right shows where I've left the kefir out too long and it's started to turn into curds and whey. The slightly cloudy liquid on the bottom is the whey. If it gets to this point I just give it a good stir to break up the curds and strain as usual. Although I might add a bit more sugar to take the bite away =P
If you are interested in purchasing Kefir grains there's tons of places to buy it. We personally bought ours on ebay. However, feel free to msg me to see if we have any extras, for the cost of shipping we'll send you enough to start your own!
~E
*******************************************
Kefir Chocolate Smoothie
Fill jar with the Kefir leaving about 2 inches headroom. Add the sugar and coco; mix well and enjoy!
*******************************************
***Disclaimer: I am not a physician, nor do I have any formal training in any medical field. The information presented here is not meant to replace your Dr's advice or prescribed medications, but only to suggest additional options to explore, based on your conditions. Always seek the advice or your Doctor before using any oils or natural remedies. **These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
What a better way to share that information than to compile it all in one place here on my blog =)
At the bottom of this post you can find the video I made on how I prepare the Kefir and how I use it in my Green Smoothies.
So here we go!
What is it?
Milk Kefir (pronounced "keh-feer") is a fermented milk product that is a complex symbiosis of more that 30 micoflora that form a grain-like structure of proteins, lipids and sugars. It consists of white/cream-colored 'grains' (looks kinda like cauliflower) made by fermenting the milk of a cow, goat, sheep and/or milk substitutes, such as coconut, soy, or rice milk. And just to cover all sides ... Water Kefir is dairy-free and consists of small, transparent 'grains' made by fermenting sugar water.
The various types of beneficial microbiota found in Kefir are some of the most potent probiotics available. It contains essential vitamins such as - B12, B1, and Vitamin K. It is an excellent source of Biotin, a B Vitamin which aids the body's assimilation of other B vitamins. It has amino acids, enzymes, minerals and beneficial bacteria & yeasts.
While yogurt may be really good for you (especially if you consume Greek yogurt), as it contains some good bacteria's, but they aren't transient. Meaning - they must be replenished by continuing to eat the yogurt. Kefir on the other hand, contains beneficial bacteria that can actually colonize in the intestinal tract. Meaning that even if you don't consume Kefir every day, it will continue to help your gut over a period of time.
Kefir also contains additional friendly bacteria not found in yogurt and species of yeast that can help to control the harmful yeast that can fester in the body.
Why do you need it?
Okay, now you know what it is and somewhat of how good it is for you ... Now why do you need it?
Well here's a rundown on all the possible benefits of consuming Kefir on a regular basis. Please note: these are all *possible* conditions Kefir has helped. If it can help all of these listed below? Why not take the leap and add it to your diet?!
- Ulcers
- Arthritis
- Bronchitis
- Diarrhea
- Cancer
- Bloating
- Indigestion
- Constipation
- Gastritis
- Pancreatitis
- Psoriasis
- Rheumatism
- Gout
- Eczema
- Anemia
- Osteoporosis among others.
It's also said that when taken regularly, Kefir can lower cholesterol levels, regulate blood pressure, treat diabetes, regulate metabolism, help produce bile, improve digestion (all those good probiotics!), cleanse the digestive tract, flush out pathogens, slow the aging process (yippeee!), helps with food cravings and increases energy. Wow oh wow, what a cure-all kind of drink don't you think? Just think, you've got this army of good bacteria and yeast that is fighting to cleanse your gut and flush out those bad pathogens that are causing bad health. Cool.
Here's some neat little tidbits ...
- Diabetics: Of 200 subjects with Type 2 Diabetes, an incredible 85% of them achieved normalized glucose levels after a month of drinking 3 cups of Kefir a day!
- Weight Loss: By aiding in digestion & helping the body to detox, it is helpful with weight-loss in conjunction with a balanced diet & exercise. Two cups of Kefir a day is the recommended amount to achieve optimum results.
- Kefir: is often referred to as a "miracle milk" in light of its optimal health properties.
How to make it ...
Now that you know how good it is for you. Here's how you make it ...
To make my own Kefir drink, I add about 1 tablespoon of milk kefir grains to 1 quart of milk, place a cloth or paper towel on top and secure it with a rubber band or jar ring (to keep the bugs out, but allowing the gasses from fermenting to escape) and let the grains ferment in the milk on my counter for 24-48 hours. Depending on the temperature of the room the milk will ferment slower (cold room) or faster (hot room). The milk kefir cultures will grow as they feed on the lactose and produce the kefir drink, or 'liquid kefir' as I've heard it referred as. After it has fermented, I simply strain the kefir grains out, store the liquid kefir in the fridge and place the grains in a clean glass jar and cover with milk for another batch. It's really that simple =)
What do I do with my Kefir drink?
I personally add sweetener, such as Stevia and coco powder to mine (recipe below). It tastes like a fizzy, dark chocolate smoothie. I also like to 2nd ferment my chocolaty drink (I just leave it out on the counter for a couple hours before refrigerating), making it more fizzy, more vitamin dense and adding a bit more alcohol content. Alcohol? Yes. Kefir can have up to 4% alcohol content. Don't worry! You're not accidentally going to get drunk off it. You have to purposely ferment the Kefir, more specifically - water Kefir, to get it to that point. Milk Kefir that has been fermented/cultured for 24-48 hours is more likely to contain between .08% and .1% alcohol. So really nothing to worry about =) Just to throw this out there ... ALL fermented drinks/foods will contain a small percentage of alcohol.
Other ideas for your Kefir:
Fruit smoothies
Exchange Sour Cream for Kefir in recipes
Kefir Cheese
Rules ...
There's rules to making Kefir? Yep there sure are! If you want your Kefir to last indefinitely you'll want to follow these few rules ...
- Never put a tight fitting lid on the container/jar you're using to ferment in. Fermenting causes gases to release and thus risk of exploding containers - or at least a giant mess for you to clean up. Just use a clean cloth - like cheese cloth, or a paper towel and secure it with a rubber band or metal ring if using jars. This allows the gases to release and keeps the bugs OUT!
- Never rinse your grains in water. This will damage the grains. If needed, you can rinse your grains with regular milk.
- Never use ultra pasteurized milk. It will deprive your grains of the nutrients it needs to grow and thrive. You can still use pasteurized milk, just not ultra pasteurized. Raw milk is the preferred base for Kefir. But if you're like me - I don't have access to raw milk at this time.
F.A.Q.'s
Okay, now that we have the rules out of the way. Here's some FAQ's. If you have a question that I've not answered, please message me or leave your comment below =)
Q. Why should I make my own milk kefir?
A. In the case of milk kefir grains, homemade kefir will contain a much larger number of probiotics than commercial kefir, which is made from a powdered starter culture. Making kefir at home costs significantly less than store bought and you have complete control over the milk you use.
Q. I want to consume kefir but I'm allergic to dairy. What can I do?
A. You might want to try water kefir. Water kefir grains contain no dairy and are grown/cultured/fermented in filtered water and sugar. If you're just lactose intolerant, you may be able to consume milk kefir because the cultures "feed" on the lactose/sugar produced in milk. So the end product has very little to no lactose.
Q. Are milk kefir grains reusable? And how long will they last?
A. Yes, milk kefir grains are reusable. Once a batch of milk kefir has finished culturing, simply remove the milk kefir grains and place them in fresh milk. As long as you don't kill your grains (by going against the rules stated above) you should have kefir grains indefinitely. And not just indefinitely, but it will continue to grow & multiply to the point where you can share your grains with friends and family. Just like sourdough bread starters or the like.
Q. Do I need to stir the kefir during the culturing process?
A. You can stir the kefir while it's culturing, but it's not necessary.
Q. How do I know if I've successfully made kefir? Can I culture it for too long or not enough?
A. The milk will thicken (like buttermilk) and will start to look slightly chunky, that's how you know when it's done. You can't really culture it for too little or too much. Too little will just mean you end up with milk with slightly more nutrients. Too much culturing and you'll end up with curds and whey and a VERY tart tasting kefir drink. You can still consume it at this stage, as whey is VERY good for you, but it just won't taste as good.
Q. How long can I store the kefir in the refrigerator?
A. The finished milk kefir product can be stored as follows:
- At room temperature (68*-78*F): 1 to 2 days
- In the refrigerator (40*-45*F): 2-3 weeks
- In the freezer (0*-25*F): 1-2 months or longer (kinda like ice cream)
In the picture below, you can see the Kefir fermenting in the top 2 pictures. The bottom left shows the straining process. And the pic on the bottom right shows where I've left the kefir out too long and it's started to turn into curds and whey. The slightly cloudy liquid on the bottom is the whey. If it gets to this point I just give it a good stir to break up the curds and strain as usual. Although I might add a bit more sugar to take the bite away =P
If you are interested in purchasing Kefir grains there's tons of places to buy it. We personally bought ours on ebay. However, feel free to msg me to see if we have any extras, for the cost of shipping we'll send you enough to start your own!
~E
*******************************************
Kefir Chocolate Smoothie
- 1 TBLS Coco Powder
- 4 TBLS Sugar (you can use honey, raw sugar, stevia. Adjust the amount of sugar to your liking. I have quite the sweet tooth)
- 1 Pint size Jar
Fill jar with the Kefir leaving about 2 inches headroom. Add the sugar and coco; mix well and enjoy!
*******************************************
***Disclaimer: I am not a physician, nor do I have any formal training in any medical field. The information presented here is not meant to replace your Dr's advice or prescribed medications, but only to suggest additional options to explore, based on your conditions. Always seek the advice or your Doctor before using any oils or natural remedies. **These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Excellent and informative blog, Emily! I would like to purchase some of your Kefir grains. I will be in your neck of the woods tomorrow (Wednesday) if it would be possible. I would also like to use Coconut Almond milk to feed it and get ready for a summer of green smoothies and Kefir!
ReplyDeleteThank you =) If you're interested in using Coconut and/or Almond milk, there is a slightly different method you have to use. Because milk kefir feeds on lactose, you'll need to feed your grains milk about once a week. I'll send you a link with more information on using Coconut milk for Kefir.
Delete