Kefir ~ Superfood or Latest Trend

Yesterday I attended a Kefir making workshop. If you're not sure what the heck kefir is, stay with me!

Kefir is a fermented drink made with dairy, almond, soy, rice or coconut milk. The word is derived from the Turkish word keyif which means feel good. That is what you're told you feel if you drink this magic elixir! 

We began the workshop with a taste of some kefir our instructor had made earlier. I am already a vegetarian and am toying with the idea of going vegan so as you can imagine, as she came closer to me with the jug of milky liquid, I felt a bit strange and unsure. She told us that kefir is often referred to as 'the champagne of milks.' Hmm. Really??

Well, surprise surprise; I loved it! It has a slight fizz to it which I know sounds disgusting for a milk but it worked! She then proceeded to blend the kefir with a blender full of fruit to make a smoothie for us. As a massive smoothie lover, I was completely sold! 

Our instructor began to model the making of the kefir. You begin with the kefir grains which, you cannot make or grow, you simple have to get them from someone who already has some! Once you take care of them they will multiply but you cannot grow them from scratch. All they require is hourly feeds and nappy changes. Wait... that's wrong. Yes, these cauliflower looking 'grains' sounded like precious babies that I have to now guard with my life. I felt like Frodo with the ring as I cradled my jar of grains on the way out to the car.

Now, where was I? Yes, you soak the grains in a glass container (she used jam jars) of milk. She suggested RAW, UNPASTEURISED, UNHOMOGENISED milk which, apparently, is incredibly difficult to buy. We had a whole discussion on raw milk, the details of which, I won't go into now. There's plenty of articles about it if you're interested. So, leaving the jar of milk and grains out for at least 12 hours (she suggested 24), you give them a shake every now and again as the grains will rise to the top.

After about 24 hours, you pour the liquid through a sieve into a container. The grains should collect in the sieve (so you'll need a very fine one) and the kefir in the container. The kefir is now ready to drink. The grains should be washed in clean water (preferably fluoride and chloride free) and put into a new batch of milk to allow the process to begin again, or a jar of water, if you want to take a break. 

I don't know if the buzz of the workshop will wear off but I woke up this morning feeling excited to go and check of my kefir babies! I strained off the magic juice and whipped up this smoothing using strawberries, blueberries, kale and bananas. Delicious. And I look so healthy drinking it...

The power in the kefir is that you allow the probiotics to grow. It is packed full of healthy bacteria. I have a hiatus hernia and as a result suffer from a lot of stomach problems and discomfort after eating. I am really hoping that by adding a bit of kefir to my diet, I can improve the symptoms of this. It boasts cancer curing properties, assists in good bone health and is great for the gut. 

Earlier I mentioned that kefir can be made with a variety of non-dairy milks. When I asked the instructor about this she said that it was possible to make it with an alternative milk but that it would be less potent. She explained that the kefir grains feed off the lactose (a sugar) and that if I wanted to try another milk, perhaps I could add sugar to it to feel the bacteria. I'll do some experimenting and report back!

If you are allergic to LACTOSE, do not fear. The instructor explained that most of the lactose is eaten up in the fermentation process and that studies have shown that most lactose intolerant people can drink kefir.

I'd love to hear if you have any experience with kefir! Please comment below.

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