I know, the title makes this post sound scandalous. Not to be confused with the star of “24” – Kefir is an amazing – don’t get thrown off by this definition either – fermented milk product that is a drink or yogurt that contains probiotics and beneficial yeast. GREAT for boosting the immune system, or if you have recently taken antibiotics and have a depletion of flora, or if you are Pregnant and Nursing – it is FAB!
So since I couldn’t find Kefir from a person – supposedly the best way to get it- I had to do a Kefir starter that I got from my chiropractor. Its from Body Ecology.
You can make it with any kind of milk, including goat, soy, rice almond, regular, or coconut water.
The major part of the directions said “milk” or “coconut water” and since we only had whole milk – yuck – I decided to do the later. And since I didn’t read the packet thoroughly enough, I didn’t see that it could be made with all those options, and I decided to do coconut water.
I went out and bought 4 coconuts from Jewel – they had to be light brown in color. I found no place that sold just coconut water (not to be confused with coconut milk). Brian put the hole in with a screwdriver and we drained it out.
I warmed the coconut water to room temp and poured in the Kefir into the pot, and let that sit. Then I poured it into a closed container and let it ferment for the 24 hours.
I enjoyed putting some into my protein shakes each morning…but in reading the information closer, I realized that coconut water is the one exception where it has to ferment at room temp for 48 HOURS instead of the 24. And I was supposed to do NINE coconuts worth of coconut water and not one! OH WELL!
Then for the 2nd batch (and the next 6 or so) you take 6 TBS of the previous kefir and innoculate the next batch of the good bacteria. Well, I added about 2 or 3…all I had left…to 1 coconut worth of water (forgot about the 9 coconut things AGAIN), and I forgot to heat it to room temp. But at least I know now to ferment it longer.
Maybe I will get the hang of it on my THIRD TRY!
You can add kefir to your own homemade yogurt and not get one “iffy” strain of lactobacillus (like the kinds you buy at the store) but the whole SPECTRUM of probiotics and other beneficial yeasts.
Kefir itself contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt: Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, and Streptococcus species. It also contains beneficial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces Kefir and Torula Kefir, which help balance the intestinal flora, including promotion of beneficial yeast in the body by penetrating the mucosal lining. And once again Mother Nature has out done the laboratories, a natural kefir grain contains 42 different strains of friendly bacteria. There is no comparison here. Kefir grains are far superior to the probiotics (15 strains) you will find in a bottle.
They form a virtual SWAT team that housecleans and helps strengthen the intestines.
And like you read on a prior post, not only do probiotics keep you VERY healthy, but they also help you to lose weight for those of you interested in that.
Have you tried to make kefir? What is your experience?
What brand did you try? Thanks for posting, so we could all learn what mistakes we might avoid. (We will make other ones:)). How much did you pay for your kefer? HOw does it taste?
The brand I tried is body ecology. It has about 6 started packets, which you refrigerate. One packets lasts for rougly 6 innoculations for the next batch of kefir. It was like 20 or so dollars. You can purchase on Amazon I noticed. I haven’t had the guts to try it by itself, but I put the kefir coconut water into my protein shakes – I can’t tell a difference taste wise in the way it tastes. But it is supposed to taste somewhat sweet and somewhat tart.
I haven’t heard of it, but I should give it a try. Did it taste yummy in your protein shake?
Bonnie – if you want, I can next day you live kefir grains. We culture ours in raw milk (unpasterized)from grass-fed cows that I get straight from the farmer. Anyhow, if you don’t want to use cow’s milk, you can rinse the grains once you get them and try another milk source…
The only way to get live kefir grains is from someone that already has them. They are literally handed from one person to another, and have been for thousands of years. They multiply quickly, so they’re easy to part with!
Oh, and yes – kefir has helped our family to be much healthier! We’ve been drinking kefir for about 3 years now, and have seen SO many health benefits. Also, FYI, when you make kefir from whole milk, most of the carbs are changed into proteins. The final nutritional content of 1 c. raw milk kefir is 154 calories, 8 grams fat, 4 grams carb, 9 grams protein. We blend ours with frozen fruit and sweeten it with stevia to taste. I sometimes add protein powder and/or flax/fish oils, too…
Mary if you read this – I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to get some Kefir from you. Would I innoculate it the same way – 6 TBS of one batch to the rest? Any other special instructions? What if I don’t have raw milk – can I do soy or rice milk?