Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Low FODMAP, Nut Free, Paleo, Pescatarian, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Serves: 6
Total Time: 24 hours

Take care of your gut with this unique cultured drink recipe that is centuries-old. It will keep in the fridge for weeks!

Description

Kefir is a cultured, fermented milk drink with a tart, sour taste and a slight ‘fizz’.

It is typically made from either kefir grains or a powdered kefir starter culture. Despite what you may be thinking, kefir grains are not actually grains but are actually small gelatinous beads that contain a variety of bacteria and yeasts (but the good kind!).

The starter culture is placed in a glass container, covered with milk and then left to stand at room temperature for a minimum of 24 hours to ferment the lactose (the natural sugar in milk) into lactic acid. This activates the bacteria to grow in much higher numbers.

Traditional milk kefir is made using cow’s milk and has a low lactose content, as the lactose sugars are eaten by the bacteria. If you want to avoid cow’s milk then kefir can also be made from goat or sheep’s milk and also from coconut milk, too (kefir will always feed off the natural sugars found in the food that is being fermented).

As the kefir ferments over a period of time, carbon dioxide is produced as an end-product of this process, which creates the fizziness in the final drink.

The Health Benefits

The reason kefir is hailed as so good for us is because it is rich in probiotics and enzymes which are supportive for digestive health.

As healthcare researchers have now discovered, the bacteria that lives in our digestive tract plays a pivotal role in our health and wellbeing.

Kefir is particularly high in lactobacillus species of bacteria, known particularly for their benefits on the digestive system. Researchers are now studying the role of lactobacilli bacteria in improving clinical symptoms in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, amongst other conditions (Saez-Lara et al. 2015).

This probiotic content of kefir is beneficial for anybody fighting inflammatory conditions, due to the connection between our microbiome and our immune system. Did you know that 80% of your immune system resides in the wall of your intestines?

Several animal and human studies have shown evidence that specific strains of probiotics are able to stimulate and regulate immune responses (Gill et al. 2008). These findings show how strains of beneficial bacteria can help to treat or prevent specific diseases that involve the immune system.

Not only that, but kefir can also help to replenish the microflora of the gut. The term ‘microflora’ refers to the collective bacteria and other microorganisms residing in the digestive system. In an era where antibiotics are so heavily prescribed (disrupting our beneficial microflora, known as dysbiosis), fermented drinks like kefir can provide benefits by restoring healthy levels of beneficial bacteria into the colon (Wischmeyer et al. 2016).

Fermenting milk in such a way enhances overall nutritional value. This is because the beneficial microorganisms that are involved in the fermentation process add live enzymes, B vitamins and increase the bioavailability of minerals present in the milk, which helps our bodies to assimilate better nutrition.

The enzyme content is also fantastic for helping us to digest the proteins in kefir and consuming kefir once daily is a great way to support our gut health. Try it yourself and give yourself the happy tummy you have long been hoping for!

Ingredients

• Large Kilner or glass jar (big enough to carry 1 litre of kefir)
• Muslin cloth
• Rubber band (or elastic)
• Wooden spoon
• Non-metal strainer or sieve
• 1 sachet kefir starter culture or 1 tbsp kefir grains
• 1 litre of coconut milk or if you can tolerate dairy you can use whole-fat organic cow's milk (unhomogenised) or sheep/goat's milk

Method

1. Add the kefir starter culture or kefir grains into the glass jar and pour over the milk. Stir with a wooden spoon.
2. Cover the jar with a muslin cloth and wrap a rubber or elastic band around it. If you want the kefir to be more fizzy, fix the kilner jar lid on top.
3. Leave the jar to rest at room temperature for 24 hours, making sure to stir with a wooden spoon occasionally.
4. After 24 hours, strain the kefir from the grains using a non-metal strainer, but don't discard them. Pour the kefir into a glass jar with a lid and refrigerate. The kefir will thicken more as it starts to cool.
5. Place the kefir grains in a clean jar, covering them with another litre of milk and repeat the process. The grains will start to multiply and grow and after a couple of days you will be able to increase the amount of milk you can add to the jar or give away some of the grains.
6. When your kefir is ready, enjoy. It will keep in the fridge for weeks!

Additional Tips When Making Kefir:

• Always use clean utensils and jars
• Try not to expose the grains to hot temperatures
• Feed the grains regularly (e.g using milk or coconut milk)
• Avoid using any metal equipment when handling kefir grains
• Enjoy kefir on its own, as a drink or use it in raw, cooked and baked recipes!

 

References:

Gill, H and Prasad, J. (2008). ‘Probiotics, Immunomodulation and Health Benefits‘,  Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 606, pp. 423-454 NCBI [Online]. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18183940?dopt=Abstract (Accessed: 15 August 2018).

Saez-Lara, M.J. Gomez-Llorente, C. Plaza-Diaz, J. et al. (2015). ‘The Role of Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria and Bifidobacteria in the Prevention and Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Other Related Diseases: A Systematic Review of Randomized Human Clinical Trials’, Biomed Research International, pp. 1-15 NCBI [Online]. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25793197 (Accessed: 15 August 2018).

Wischmeyer, P.E. McDonald, D and Knight, R. (2016). ‘Role of the Microbiome, Probiotics, and ‘Dysbiosis Therapy’ in Critical Illness’, Current Opinion in Critical Care, 22 (4), pp. 347-353 NCBI [Online]. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5065053/ (Accessed: 15 August 2018).