Okay everyone that is interested in finding out about Kefir. So Ive taken a lot of this info from some online sites that specialise in fermentation of this kind (Ill acknowledge them at the end of this little brief so that you can read more!). Essentially, Kefir is a cultured milk drink that is believed to have originated in the Caucasus Mountains around 1000 years ago! The tribe’s folk living in this region where Kefir was cultured and consumed liberally, had an active life span of over 100 years. Traditional Kefir can only be prepared by using fresh milk with the ‘grains’. The Kefir grains are a symbiotic mixture of lactic acid bacteria, vinegar producing bacteria and yeast strains. The term ‘grain’ has no association with any other grain such as wheat, rye etc, it simply refers to the look of the Kefir (I think it resembles small cauliflower bits!). Water Kefir is cultured using water or coconut water and sugar. Typically it takes 24-48 hours to ‘culture’ either the milk or water using the Kefir grains. The end result is a slightly sour, effervescent liquid that you can then use in a secondary fermentation or smoothie if you choose. I love a milk Kefir smoothie in the morning (I pop it in Thermie with fruit, nuts, natural sweetener and whizz up!) and I use an organic apple juice to do a second ferment of my water Kefir that results in a bubbly, sweeter taste (like a bought fizzy drink). There are tons of recipes online for both milk and water Kefir! Many people use the whey from the milk Kefir in their baking, and if you ferment it longer you can even make your own ricotta type cheese. Kefir is easier to make than yoghurt and has more probiotic benefits too. Both milk Kefir and water Kefir are known to treat and alleviate symptoms of tuberculosis, ulcer, diarrhea, colitis, reflux, urinary tract infection, prostate cancer, colon cancer. They also help control hypertension, blood sugar and diabetes. Users also observe a calming sensation, and so Kefir is known around the world as a ‘cure’ against depression, anxiety and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) Remember our GUT is like a second brain in our bodies, so gut health equals mental health. benefitsofkefir/probiotic-benefits-of-milk-kefir-and-water-kefir/ I could go on forever about this amazing natural miracle, but I’ll just pop another favourite link with stacks of info for you to read and if you have more queries, feel free to message me! users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html Stay tuned for a little write up on Kombucha!!
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 11:32:11 +0000