Kefir is a cultured, fermented probiotic drink that has become increasingly popular for its transformative effects on the microbiome. It has become my best friend. I want to introduce it to everyone. Although you can make kefir with several non-dairy alternatives, I will be referring specifically to kefir made with cow’s milk. The lactose turns into lactic acid during the fermentation process, so it works out just fine for those who have dairy sensitivities.
Milk kefir grains
I lived thirty-three years of life before learning about the ‘champagne of dairy’. When I was trying to lose some baby weight, I read about the keto diet and stumbled upon kefir in several posts. One of my favorite publishers shined the spotlight on an author who was an expert in the field of fermented foods, and I learned a bit more from her. I realized that homemade kefir is even more nutrient-dense than store-bought kefir. Depending on where the milk is sourced, you could be getting a good dose of Vitamin B12, magnesium, Vitamin K2, biotin, folate, and enzymes along with the typical doses of calcium, Vitamin D, and probiotics. It became apparent to me that this drinkable yogurt was obscenely beneficial and impossible to pass over. After watching a YouTube video about making your own kefir at home, I ordered some grains online. I also got some chice mason jars, a large measuring cup, and a plastic strainer. The time had come for me to get some good bacteria in my gut!
After ‘waking up’ my carefully transported grains, I got into the groove of letting them sit in milk for a day, straining them, adding them to new milk, and letting the newly strained milk sit out for another day. A double ferment tasted just right to me. However, I didn’t enjoy drinking it plain. I played around with putting berries in the batch that was ready for another 24-hr ferment, and then blending it in the Magic Bullet. It was a fabulous homemade drink. Within days, I noticed that I felt wonderful!
After a few of weeks of managing the kefir jars around the same time every day, I became a little beleaguered with the process. As a homemaker and mom with a part-time job, I would get caught up in other tasks and forget about my time-sensitive chore. Sometimes, I let the kefir sit too long, and it didn’t turn out well. I would make renewed commitments to the routine only to stumble again and again for this reason and that. I would run out of fruit. I didn’t want to drink it plain. I wanted to pull my hair out. I wanted to eat something else. I found myself experiencing dread over this special thing that had once excited me.
I ended up not making it at home anymore, so I guess I lose some ‘crunchy points’ for that. Hats off to the domestic goddesses who keep that strainer going every day! I felt bad about failing at this routine that is honestly not that difficult compared to other things in life. I imagined that I would one day recommit to it if I had literally nothing else to do around the house.
Anyways, I missed the kefir, if not the work that went into it. The health benefits were undeniable, and I wanted to try out the store stuff. Much to my delight, the popular store brand was not only reasonably priced, but it came in several different flavors. It’s hard to say whether or not it tastes better. It’s different. It is delectable. I don’t get sick of it. It’s right there waiting for me in the fridge, and I can drink it now or later. It isn’t hanging over my head. My favorite flavors are peach and blueberry. I drink at least 16 ounces a day, and I enjoy excellent health. It is the elixir of life that I have recommended to many people with digestion issues. I would recommend it to anyone who is slightly irregular, fatigued, or vaguely depressed most of the time. We all know that our health is largely dependent on the state of our gut flora. It’s easy to forget to cultivate a garden that we can’t even see. I would like to encourage anyone who feels the calling to do their own research on kefir and other sources of probiotics to dive in and give it a try! By replacing the harmful bacteria with beneficial bacteria, you could be doing yourself the greatest service by far. You could be a few weeks away from having a vibrant glow and mental clarity that you never thought possible!
Leave a Reply