Good for the intestines
It is refreshing, slightly sparkling and also good for the gut… kefir! A fermented drink that you can easily make yourself.
Originally, kefir is made with milk. In the Caucasus (Armenia, Georgia and several countries of the Russian Federation) milk kefir is very popular, probably the drink also originated in this area. Milk kefir is a bit like yogurt. But there is a big difference. The starter culture of yogurt consists of two bacteria and kefir contains a variety of bacteria and yeasts. Together they provide a sour, slightly alcoholic, effervescent and creamy product.
There is also water kefir, as the name suggests, made with water instead of milk. Kefir is for sale in health food stores, but you can also make it yourself.
Live kefir grains
To prepare kefir you need only a small portion of kefir grains. In the East, these are considered a gift from the Prophet Muhammad. The yellow-white irregular milk kefir grains are therefore also called ‘prophet’s millet’. Kefir is also called yogurt plant, but it is absolutely not a plant. Yet it does grow.
Kefir grains consist of healthy bacteria and yeast cells that live together. They are activated in lukewarm water. As a result, they grow and swell. What develops looks like wet cauliflower. With those grains, which you can buy online, you can then make kefir. Water kefir grains also look transparent, because no milk is involved.
No kefir grains are used for ready-to-use kefir drinks, but a precisely composed mixture of bacteria and yeasts. Manufacturers naturally want to guarantee a constant taste.
milk kefir
If you want to make milk kefir yourself, then next to kefir grains, all you need is milk. Use one part kefir grains to about eight parts milk. Put this in a preserving jar and put the jar at a temperature of about 16-18 °Centigrade in a dark place, for example in a kitchen cupboard. Do not fill the pot to the brim, otherwise it could burst due to the pressure created during fermentation. The bacteria and yeasts break down the milk sugar within 24 hours, creating lactic acid, carbon dioxide and alcohol (1 percent). Stir gently every now and then. After 24-48 hours, pour the thickened mass through a plastic sieve (metal affects the kefir) to separate the kefir grains from the drink. And your homemade slightly sour and tingling milk kefir is ready.
You can keep the drink in the fridge for a week. Then occasionally let the carbon dioxide escape from the jar or bottle. But it’s smarter to make a portion that’s right for you and then prepare a new portion. Put the remaining kefir grains in a clean preserving jar and start again. If you do it right and hygienic, you can continue to make your own drink endlessly. You can also use kefir instead of yeast when baking bread.
water kefir
When you make kefir from water, you need a food source for the living bacteria and yeasts. After all, you want them to continue to live and flourish. For water kefir, a sweetener and sweet dried fruit are used. That sweetener can be anything: (cane) sugar, super sweet, (maple) syrup and so on. Honey is not suitable, it has an antibacterial effect and can kill the kefir.
Use 4 tablespoons of water kefir grains (about 100 grams), 3 tablespoons of sweetener and 2 to 3 whole dried unsulphured dried fruits (figs, dates, apricots) in 1 liter of (spring) water. Dissolve the sweetener in the water in a pot and add the kefir and dried fruits. Place the pot in a bright place (for example on the windowsill) and let it stand for 1-2 days. Stir gently every now and then. A special spectacle is created in which the kefir grains bubble up to the surface. After 48 hours it is ready. Pour the drink through the sieve and remove the dried fruits. Rinse the grains, put them in a clean preserving jar and start over or let them rest in the fridge for a while. Season the sparkling drink with some lemon juice, if desired. You can keep water kefir in the fridge for about 6 weeks, but it will taste more and more sour. And occasionally let the carbon dioxide escape from the preserving jar or bottle.
Good for the intestines
Kefir is a so-called probiotic drink. Probiotics are live bacteria with a beneficial effect on health. The beneficial bacteria from kefir can help maintain the balance in your gut. As a result, unfavorable or pathogenic bacteria do not stand a chance and you support a healthy intestinal function and resistance. Milk kefir is also for sale online as a ferment (in freeze-dried form), useful if you are short on time or on holiday.
Although many people benefit from probiotics, the health claims in the field of intestinal complaints, allergic reactions and resistance are not sufficiently scientifically substantiated. However, there are also no known unwanted side effects.
