Kefir

 

My daughter is really into health and nutrition and from time to time she talks me into trying something different. She introduced me to kefir and I have been making it for a while now. It has become routine to drink a small cupful every morning. 

There are two types of kefir, water and milk. They are small cauliflower-like live grains used to make a probiotic fermented drink. The water kefir grains, also called tibicos, are mixed with water and brown sugar and left to ferment for a couple of days and then you drink the resulting liquid and use the grains to start another batch. The grains will multiply and you end up having to give or throw some away. The liquid tastes a bit like lemonade but if you let it ferment for too long it can become vinegary. It is full of all sorts of beneficial bacteria for a healthy gut.

Milk kefir is made by putting the grains (different to the water ones - they are not interchangeable) in milk which they then ferment. After a day you strain the fermented milk (start another batch with the grains) and can drink the milk, put it in a smoothie or personally I like to further strain the milk through a coffee filter and it becomes thicker like a natural yoghurt. I eat this most mornings with some chopped fruit. Like the water kefir, it is also full of good bacteria. If you let it strain even longer and add some herbs it becomes like a flavoured cottage cheese.

Both types of kefir drinks are made commercially and can be bought, but I prefer to make my own so there are no chemicals or other additives. Kefir has been around for hundreds of years and both types of drinks are highly regarded for their health benefits. I´m sure my gut must be very pleased with me!