Kefir
- a natural probiotic
Make it the easy
way with our
Kefir Culture Starter Kit
BBC
- 16th October 2006 - Fermented milk 'cuts allergies'
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How to make Kefir
Kefir is a natural probiotic. It means "feel good" in Turkish. It's easy and fun to make at home, and is superior to commercial yoghurt. Kefir contains live active cultures of normal flora that can repopulate the digestive tract. Kefir is superior to yoghurt because it is made with transient, less potent bacteria. The bacteria in yoghurt will last a few days in the digestive tract, and you need to keep reintroducing them. |
(Kefir Starter costs less than 48p per litre !!) |
Kefir contains more organisms than yoghurt, and the "normal flora" in kefir is made of very strong strains of micro organisms (unlike yoghurt). Kefir will repopulate the digestive tract with good organisms. It is considered to be a more natural way to add good bacteria to the digestive tract, and these strains are superior to any capsules which might contain organisms that have been dried. The cultures on kefir are active and growing when they enter the body. They thrive in dairy and use up the lactose and partially digest the proteins, making it a product that most people can ingest and benefit from. Even people with milk sensitivities can usually drink kefir.
These strong strains of digestive bacteria will also culture from any milk product. In addition to repopulating the digestive tract, enzyme stores are added to in the body. Many people currently take digestive enzymes. They have been told they are not digesting their food properly and that their enzyme stores have been depleted and they will have to take enzymes for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, their health care providers have missed something that Sally Fallon and the Weston A. Price Foundation, along with people like Donna Gates of Body Ecology have come to realize. Cultured foods will actually replenish enzyme stores into the enzyme banks of the body and aid the body in digesting other foods.
Kefir is a food full of vitamins and minerals, normal flora, and enzymes, all valuable foods and part of good traditional diets, that have become lost in today's society.
Is kefir different to yoghurt?
Yoghurt contains transient bacteria and will not repopulate the
digestive tract, but the active, growing, living cultures in kefir will.
The lactose in kefir is all digested by the time it is ingested, and some of the proteins have been broken down. Therefore, kefir can be used by many people who have sensitivities to milk. The same is not true with yoghurt. Kefir can be made from any milk - goat, cow, ox, sheep, buffalo, etc.
Are probiotics just as beneficial?Probiotics are capsules or tablets that contain some of the same healthy bacteria found in kefir. The differences between kefir and probiotics are significant, however. While probiotics contain good organisms that can repopulate the digestive tract, they need to be kept dormant (refrigerated) and are not actively replicating and growing when they arrive in your intestines. In addition, they are not in any medium that will coat the digestive tract and help them to become established, but rather they are in the process of being dormant and are actually slowly decreasing in population as they die off over time.
Kefir, on the other hand has massive quantities of healthy normal flora that are in the process of growing, increasing in number, and thriving. They are eaten in the medium they are thriving in, which will coat the digestive tract and help them to establish residence there. This is a tremendous boost to your system and will repopulate your digestive tract more quickly, efficiently, and thoroughly than probiotics.
In addition to all this, kefir is very easy to make and much less expensive - from only £3.33 per 7 litres (including postage and packing) if you purchase direct from Coconut Connections.
How to make Kefir
Instructions
to activate starter
- Mix together in a glass container the entire contents of one foil
package of kefir starter with 1 litre of slightly warmed milk (about skin
temperature or 92 degrees F). Shake,
stir or whip with whisk to mix well.
- Put on lid. Leave to
ferment at room temperature for approximately 18 – 24 hours depending on the the ambient
temperature. You will notice it is
ready if the milk has thickened and has a distinctive, sour fragrance. Final consistency is pourable but not thick.
Shake or stir vigourously and place in the refrigerator. Even in your refrigerator the fermentation process continues, but
chilling will slow down the fermentation of the healthy bacteria and beneficial
yeast.
After initial activation each packet can be used to make 6 additional batches. Instructions are included here for creating 1 litre of kefir at a time.
Transfer
instructions
- For 1 litre of organic milk use 2 – 4 tablespoons of the previous batch (or experiment to find what suits your taste). If you want a really thick Kefir you may have to use up to 200ml of kefir from the previous batch, and this may result in a more sour taste.
Enjoy
your kefir plain or add sweetener, non-alcoholic flavourings, fruits, or spices
like nutmeg or cinnamon.
Making Kefir Cheese
- Make kefir as instructed, but let the freshly made kefir remain at room
temperature for several hours longer.
The curds (milk protein) will separate from the whey. - Line a strainer with cheesecloth. Place strainer over a bowl and pour the curds and whey mixture through
the strainer. The strainer will
catch the “cheese” or curds and the whey will go into the bowl. Place the bowl and strainer into your refrigerator and let it drain for
several more hours. Store in a
covered container for up to 5 days.
Warning: Once the kefir is
placed into the refrigerator and cooled, the fermentation process is inhibited.
You cannot then bring it back out to room temperature to turn your kefir
into cheese.
Uses
for Kefir Cheese
Uses
for Whey
Special Tips
- Refrigerate starter culture packets until ready to use
- Once kefir is made it will last approximately 1 week in the fridge
- When making kefir at home you can choose the best kind of milk for your
own taste
- Goats milk requires more starter when making an initial batch.
Use one foil packet to ½ litre of milk
Kefir tastes great on its own, with your favorite fruit, poured over cereal, and it makes a great base for dips, smoothies, and salad dressings.
If you refrigerate your Kefir starter upon receipt it will keep for up to a year.
KEFIR STARTER PACKAGE
One starter package contains three foil packets together with instructions
for making up to 21 litres of kefir. You can make as many as six additional
batches from one packet and each batch will last up to a week when
refrigerated. At the low price of only £9.99 per package, each litre of kefir
starter costs you less than 48 pence!
Order your incredibly nutritious kefir starter now...