Why Kefir Is The Secret Ingredient For Your Good Health
Kefir: The Secret Ingredient In Your Good Health
Fascinatingly complex at their core, kefir (pronounced kuh-FEER) grains can be a charmingly simple “secret ingredient” in the recipe for better health … and I’ll let you in on a little something – kefir is a gateway culture that may just hook you on fermented foods for good.
Kefir grains are not truly grains at all, but a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (aka: S.C.O.B.Y.).
What the heck does that mean? In simple terms, it means that these oddly shaped living masses contain all kinds of beneficial bacteria and yeasts that work together in a mutually beneficial way.
In a short time, they work to ferment the suspension medium (simply, milk kefir consumes lactose, and water kefir consumes sucrose) and imbue this medium with vast amounts of beneficial bacteria known as PROBIOTICS, not to mention beneficial enzymes, calcium, protein, and vitamins.
The strains and numbers of bacteria and yeasts vary between milk kefir and water kefir, with milk kefir leading by a clear margin; not to say water kefir should be discounted!
Water kefir is a probiotic powerhouse in its’ own right, and between milk kefir and water kefir, you’ll have a world of fermented options.
How you can change your GUT HEALTH for the better with kefir
These hardworking probiotics can have a profound effect on gut health, which in turn affects your overall health in all systems – from your immune system, right down to your behaviour.
Your digestive system is HUGE in relation to your body. What happens there changes everything. In fact, the number of bacteria in your body outweighs the number of human cells by a factor of 10.
Sorry to break it to you, but you are mostly bacteria.:\
Clearly, bacteria is going to have a huge impact on how you look, feel and function.
When unfavorable gut flora (bacteria) begin to overpopulate your system, things can begin to break down. Constant stress, exhaustion, medication or illness, depression, anxiety, or a wide array of other factors can help the bad bacteria to take over.
It may start out as small things. You aren’t regular without laxatives. Your skin is dull. You feel run down and tired.
Over time, these little things can tax your system and build up. Before you know it, without intervention you are taking 6 medications to function regularly – to FEEL GOOD.
Milk Kefir over Cream of Wheat topped with Blueberries.
ANTIBIOTICS
Most of us have taken antibiotics at one time or another, and you may have been told that upon finishing the course of antibiotics you should eat yogurt.
Antibiotics work by destroying bacteria – which can be a necessary and lifesaving event. The problem with antibiotics is that they are not at all selective. They will also destroy the beneficial bacteria that help your body thrive.
Probiotics counter this effect by replacing healthy gut flora.
Yogurt is often a recommended recourse. Assuming the yogurt contains LIVE bacterial cultures (check the label), it will in fact help – for a limited time.
Kefir contains the strains found in yogurt in MUCH higher numbers, as well as containing MANY strains not found in yogurt.
Additionally, kefir has been found to actually colonize the intestinal tract, while yogurt does NOT.
What this means is you’ll have to continue eating yogurt daily to replace gut flora population, whereas the bacteria in kefir actually colonizes the intestinal tract and takes up residence there.
These feisty little specimens can improve your overall health in a big way – and do it while adding a new tasty variety of food products to your daily health arsenal. But the best part of this charming secret ingredient for good health is the variety of new food products and flavors you’ll have at your disposal…
You’ll find endless ways to enjoy either water kefir or milk kefir, ranging from a simple carbonated beverage, to smoothies and healthy icings, to pressed milk kefir cheese and ice cream. Milk kefir can stand in as sour cream or yogurt, kefir whey tastes amazing added to breads, soups, and beverages…and there is always more ideas you’ll want to try!
I enjoy them so often, I even travel with my cultures!
If you want a simple, natural way to change your health for the better while enjoying tasty foods (and a cool, possibly nerdy, new hobby), pick up these ‘secret ingredients’ today! You’ll love it!
You can purchase authentic LIVE cultures from Yemoos by clicking the links below:
Click here to purchase Water Kefir Grains
Click here to purchase Milk Kefir Grains
Yemoos provides several cultures at reasonable prices and also has many helpful articles for further reading.
Citations:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/05/030530081555.htm
http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/060112p58.shtml
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0069868
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080603085914.htm
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/05/12/dr-campbell-mcbride-on-gaps.aspx
posted by Mai Tran on May 25, 2015
Kefir is a very new concept to me. I’d like to base my diet on it if possible. The process of self making seems a bit impossible here where I live.
posted by YogurtHydro on May 25, 2015
Oh, that’s too bad. Which part do you think would be difficult for you Mai?
posted by Jenny From the Garden on May 25, 2015
Great info. I love water keifer! My house loves it flavored with strawberries.
posted by YogurtHydro on May 25, 2015
My favorite water kefir is with raspberries, the flavor is just so intense, and it gets such a deep red coloring. :) Do you do milk kefir as well?
posted by Jamie Satterwhite on May 28, 2020
That’s exactly how I make mine! Drinking some right now!
posted by Sandra Watts on May 28, 2015
I have always wanted to try this. I have heard a lot about it.
posted by YogurtHydro on May 29, 2015
It has really gained a lot of publicity in the last couple of years thanks to bloggers.:) I love it, the fact that it’s good for you is a bonus!
posted by allthatsjas on June 9, 2015
I have been consuming kefir for years, but only store bought, which is almost like buttermilk, some flavored with fruit. Never heard of growing your own cultures. Interesting. Thank you so much for linking up with Thursday Favorite Things
posted by YogurtHydro on June 9, 2015
Funny – I’ve made Kefir for years and have yet to see it in a store.:) I was surprised to find it mentioned in the Canada Food Guide (my mind must have skipped right over it before knowing what it was lol).
If you make your own, depending on fermenting times and temperature, it can be made to taste like yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, or cream cheese without adding anything. Once you start adding to it, you have a lot of options; and you are able to use different types of milk.
I find goats’ milk kefir tastes very much like buttermilk.
posted by Linda Manns Linneman on July 7, 2015
I have never heard of this before. This article was so interesting to me. As I am aging I know I have to do things to help my system stay in check. Thank yo so much for sharing this. I will be checking it out soon
posted by YogurtHydro on July 24, 2015
You’re most welcome Linda, thanks for reading.:)
posted by Amanda Whitley on July 7, 2015
very good to know. i saw a drink in stores named kefir and just thought it was a brand name.
posted by YogurtHydro on July 24, 2015
I’ve never tried the kefir from stores, but I am starting to see it in a few now that more people are interested in kefir. I’ll have to try one out as a comparison to making it from the grains.:)
posted by K Davis on July 19, 2015
I’ve heard of Kefir, but I haven’t tried it yet. If it tastes good then I’m on board.
posted by YogurtHydro on July 24, 2015
You could try finding a pre-made kefir at supermarkets to see if you like it. If you do, buying grains is the way to go. When cared for the grains will live indefinitely, so you only need to buy them once.
posted by Kelly on August 25, 2015
I love Kefir. I do both the “milk” Kefir as well as the water kefir. The water version is awesome as it can be used in so many great ways.
posted by YogurtHydro on September 4, 2015
They are so different, I love the combination of having both because it gives so many options. What is your favorite way to flavor the water kefir?
posted by Mitch on November 28, 2015
What if you are lactose intolerant?
posted by YogurtHydro on November 28, 2015
Milk Kefir grains convert lactose into lactic acid. If you do the first ferment for 2 days, then remove the grains and ferment it for another 5 days, MOST of the lactose should be converted to acids.
If you are very intolerant you may want to stick with water kefir or try well fermented milk kefir in a small dose to determine the effects.
There are studies that have shown MK to actually help improve the symptoms of lactose intolerance by colonizing the gut with probiotics, allowing people to slowly build a tolerance and begin consuming dairy again.
posted by Mark Warren on December 4, 2015
very informative blog!
posted by Melissa on February 28, 2016
I’ve never tasted the kefir, thanks for sharing, I have no idea about this!
posted by Lyndsey R. on March 11, 2016
Thanks for sharing. I try to stay clear of taking antibiotics when at all possible. I typically am able to use Colloidal Silver (not protein silver and not ionic silver, be careful to choose your silver wisely) and this not only kills the bad bacteria but also leaves the good bacteria alone. Just my little two cents :)
posted by krysprincess on March 19, 2016
Thanks for sharing this post is very informative