Kefir is a drink that improves intestinal flora, promotes immunity and improves intestinal transit, since it is composed of probiotic bacteria and yeasts, that is, they promote the overall health of the body.
Kefir bacteria can be safely grown at home and drink production is easy and resembles the production of natural yogurt. There are two types of kefir, milk and water, which contain the same bacteria and yeasts, but are suitable for different environments. In addition, these two types of kefir can be differentiated according to the enzymes present in their composition.
As a probiotic food, the main benefits of kefir are
In addition, kefir balances intestinal flora and improves nutrient absorption, making it ideal for those who have undergone antibiotic treatments and need to regulate intestinal transit. See what probiotics are and what they’re for.
Kefir is a low calorie food because 100 g contains only 37 calories, making it a good choice for use in the diet. It can be used to replace milk or yogurt, making it an excellent choice for those with a trapped intestine.
It can be consumed once a day, such as breakfast or snack, for example. To make the taste more pleasant, you can soften it with a little honey or add fruits like banana or strawberry, in the form of a vitamin.
Kefir helps release the intestine and therefore during a more regular evacuation, you may notice that your belly is less swollen the first week because it improves digestion and combats constipation, but for weight loss to be lasting, you should if you follow a weight-loss diet and exercise regularly. See more recipes to end constipation.
It is possible to buy kefir grains on websites, and kefir milk can be found in supermarkets or health food stores, but donations between friends or on websites are very common as grains are grown in a liquid environment, multiplied and some should be eliminated to avoid overgrowth. , so anyone who has it at home usually offers it to their family and friends.
Kefir grains are also called Tibetan mushrooms, yogurt plants, yogurt mushrooms, yogurt mushrooms and snow lotus. They are native to the Caucasus and are formed by different microorganisms good for the regulation of the intestine.
The preparation of kefir is very simple, similar to the homemade preparation of natural yogurt. You can use any type of milk, cow’s milk, goat, sheep or vegetable, coconut, rice or almond.
Ingredients
Preparation mode
Place kefir grains, fresh, pasteurized or unpasteurized milk, skimmed, semi-skimmed or whole in a glass container. The contents are left at room temperature for approximately 24 hours. The fermented milk is filtered to separate and recover the grains that are added to the freshest milk, repeating the process.
The filtered fermented liquid kefir can be consumed immediately or stored in the refrigerator for later consumption.
Water kefir is made of coconut water or mineral water to add brown sugar or brown sugar.
Ingredients
Preparation mode
Put the water and brown sugar in a glass jar and dilute well. Add kefir grains and cover the bottle nozzle with a paper towel, gauze or layer, fastening it with an elastic to be sure. Leave in a dark place at room temperature, ferment for 24 to 72 hours. The more fermenting, the less sweet the final drink will be. After fermentation, filter the grains for use in the next fermentation.
Water kefir tasting
After fermentation, the water kefir can be mixed with fruit juices, teas, ginger and nuts or fresh or dried to taste. Fermentation makes the drink slightly carbonated, allowing it to be enjoyed to create a homemade soft drink.
The water kefir lasts 3 days 1 week in the refrigerator and can be consumed as a snack or as an accompaniment to lunch or dinner. Another fermented drink option to accompany meals and improve health is kombucha. Learn more about the benefits of kombucha and how to do it.
To keep the kefir always healthy and productive, you should always keep it in a container with milk or sugary water after each fermentation, reminding you not to use metal utensils and always covering the container with a gauze or a clean cloth or paper towels, so that it does not come into contact with flies or ants. On warmer days or to delay the fermentation process, you can keep the kefir in the refrigerator, but if you want to go more days without using kefir for fermentation, the beans should be stored in a covered, frozen container.
Gradually, kefir develops with fermentation and creates a thicker paste or liquid, which requires washing the grains with water at least once a week. It is possible to store some of the grains in the freezer to always have a reserve, and the remaining leftover can be given to other people to produce their kefir at home, remembering that the milk kefir grains must be separated from the kefir grains of water. .
Green, yellow or brown kefir grains should not be used as this indicates that they can no longer be consumed.
Yes, but the process is not so simple and may not be as effective, so it is recommended not to use all milk kefir grains, only part.
To do this, it is first recommended that milk kefir be active, it is important to rehydrate it before converting it into water kefir. Then follow the steps below:
At this point, the grains have become water kefir and are expected to continue to grow for another 24 to 48 hours.
Kefir is counterprogated in cases of cancer of the gastrointestinal system, it should not be consumed 2 hours before and after taking medicines containing bisphosphate, fluorides or tetracyclines, only to avoid interfering with the absorption of the medicinal product. Fermentation of kefir causes a small production of alcohol and can therefore be harmful to people with liver diseases.
Excessive kefir consumption can also cause problems such as abdominal pain and diarrhea, so consuming more than one glass of kefir a day is not recommended.