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A healthy human gut harbors 100 trillion microorganisms representing 500 different species.http://www.health.harvard.edu/vitamins-and-supplements/health-benefits-of-taking-probiotics These microflora outnumber our human cells 10 to 1.https://nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics/introduction.htm The good news is that most of them are our allies. They aid digestion, boost immune function, and help us absorb nutrients. It’s no wonder more and more people are taking probiotics.
Luckily, you don’t need to spend a bundle on supplements to boost your gut biome. Eating probiotic-rich fermented foods – as people have done for thousands of years – has the same gut health benefits. If fermentation sounds like a scary science experiment, then it’s time to learn how to make kefir, one of the healthiest and easiest-to-make probiotic-rich foods.
Kefir is tangy, mildly carbonated, fermented milk. It tastes like drinkable yogurt and has been a regular part of Russian and Eastern European diets for centuries. It’s a true superfood packed with calcium, protein, potassium, and other minerals and vitamins, and it abounds with healthy bacteria, yeasts, and enzymes.
ConsumerLab.com tests showed that a serving of store-bought kefir beats supplements when it comes to the number and diversity of probiotics. Every brand of kefir they tested teemed with “live organisms, ranging from 150 billion to 950 billion per cup – far more than found in a serving of most probiotic supplements.”https://www.consumerlab.com/news/Probiotic_supplements_kefir_drinks/11_06_2015/
Homemade kefir contains even more microorganisms than store-bought varieties, because most home fermenters use kefir grains that contain between 30 and 50 different strains of healthy bacteria and yeast. In one study, just one tablespoon of milk kefir contained 150 billion colony-forming units (cfu), a measure of viable bacterial or fungal cells. Compare that to most supplements, which usually contain between 3.4 billion and 30 billion cfu.
The probiotics present in kefir vary per batch, but here’s a list of bacteria strains commonly found in homemade kefir:
These yeast strains are common to kefir:
The best part is that kefir is simple, fast, inexpensive, and safe to make at home. If you've struggled to ferment vegetables or yogurt in the past, don’t let those experiences scare you away from DIY kefir. The entire fermentation process only takes 24 hours at room temperature.
Not into dairy? No problem. Milk kefir can be made with coconut milk. Or you can make water kefir, a delicious and popular soda substitute. Read on to learn the basics of both.
First off, milk kefir grains aren’t really grains. They’re a mixture of lactic acid, bacteria, and yeasts in a matrix of proteins, lipids, and sugars, and they contain the wonder bugs that turn milk into kefir.
Kefir grains are not available at stores, but they can be purchased online from a number of vendors. Or they can be found locally on message boards or via friends. If the grains are well cared for, they can be reused indefinitely to brew batch after batch of kefir. And they grow, which means you’ll eventually have some to share.
Kefir can also be made from a powdered starter culture, which is how it's brewed commercially. However, the grains contain more strains of probiotics and are a more economical choice, since you can use the same ones to make kefir indefinitely.
Water kefir grains contain fewer strains of bacteria and yeast than milk kefir grains, and resemble sugar rather than milk curds. Similar to milk kefir grains, they can be purchased from a number of online vendors, and they can be used over and over again.
Choose one of these options:
Pasteurized milk works great, but avoid ultra-pasteurized and reduced-lactose varieties. The milk can contain any percentage of fat.
Milk kefir grains can also ferment coconut milk. It may take the grains a few brews to adjust to non-dairy milk. Revitalize them every few days by covering with dairy milk and leaving overnight.
Kefir is acidic, so avoid letting it come into contact with metal, which can cause a reaction.
Milk and water kefir are delicious, and it's quick and easy to whip up abundant supplies. But be cautious about drinking too much too soon. Remember, these beverages contain a lot of probiotics. Your body probably isn’t used to digesting foods that contain that many good bugs. Start with small quantities (maybe just a couple of tablespoons) and increase gradually to let your body adjust. If you experience any digestive upset, slow down.
Kefir is a powerhouse beverage for most healthy people, but it may not be the right drink for people who have compromised immune systems or artificial heart valves, or who are taking certain medications. If in doubt, ask your doctor first.
People who abstain from alcohol may want to skip kefir. Milk kefir contains a very small amount of naturally occurring alcohol from the fermentation process. Water kefir that is fermented a second time with fruit contains more alcohol but usually has less than 1 percent alcohol by volume (compared to 3.5 to 10 percent for beer).http://kellythekitchenkop.com/does-kefir-soda-have-alcohol/ The actual amount varies per batch by the sugar content of the fruit and the length of fermentation time.
The word “kefir” is said to come from the Turkish word kief, which loosely means “good feeling.” http://journals.usamvcluj.ro/index.php/agriculture/article/download/930/926 Once you start making it, it’s easy to understand how this substance got its name. Making kefir is an ancient art that easily fits into busy, modern lives. If you want the benefits of probiotics without the supplements, it’s time to discover this wonder drink.
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