KEFIR - a living food, long-life secret

Kefir is a refreshing, probiotic cultured milk drink that originated in the northern Caucasus Mountains many centuries ago. It has a thick creamy sticky consistency, tastes a little like yogurt, and has a milky, yeasty smell. Many aromatic compounds contribute to its unique flavour and distinctive pleasant aroma. Kefir has a slight natural carbonated effervescence, and contains between 0.08 - 2 % alcohol

Kefir is unlike most other dairy products because it is easily digestible and contains little sugar (lactose), especially if you let it ferment for a longer period. The proteins in the milk are also broken down, and are virtually in a pre-digested state. I drink it on its own, as a meal in itself, and a source of protein. Some people combine it with fruit or muesli, or use it to make a smoothie. The whey makes a great starter for sourdough breads, cakes, and all forms of baking. If, like most people, you have a damaged digestive system, a glass of kefir is a soothing and healing product. You may find that during the hours after drinking it, your stomach feels settled and stable

Unlike yogurt, kefir contains around thirty strains of bacteria and yeast, including lactobacillus bacteria. The culture comes in little translucent balls called grains, though these grains have nothing to do with any kind of cereal. They are a complex bio-matrix structure of soluble gel-polysaccharide, organic acids, yeasts and bacteria. This polysaccharide called Kefiran is made from two mono-saccharides, Glucose and Galactose in almost equal proportions. Kefiran has anti-tumour properties, preventing the development of metastasis. It is an anti-inflammatory and is an excellent stimulant for your immune system. The grains produce their own antibiotics. Kefir is rich in minerals and vitamins, particularly the B group, and vitamin K2. Kefir slows the ageing process and has many healing properties, helping with heart and artery disease, lowering cholesterol levels and regulating blood pressure. It assists your digestive system, healing the liver, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, gall bladder and stomach ulcers, and soothing your digestive and urinary tracts

Kefir Recipe

How to make kefir: put 1-2 tablespoons of kefir grains in 1 cup (250 ml) of milk, and leave it to ferment for 12-48 hours at a temperature of 18-30C. It needs a longer period with less kefir grains or lower temperatures. At first the milk thickens, then it starts to set. Next, it separates into curds and whey. You can eat it at whatever stage you like

When your kefir is ready, remove the grains with a fork. If you do not want to make another brew immediately, you can store the grains covered with milk or kefir in the refrigerator. If you freeze the grains, you will probably destroy them

You can use pasteurised, raw milk, full cream or low fat milk. I have even made it with whey powder mixed with water. Traditionally it is made with raw, unhomogenised milk, and that is what makes the best kefir, and is by far the most nutritious and digestible. I have also made kefir with nut milks. The nut kefir was delicious, but the kefir grains were destroyed by the nut milk

Do not keep your kefir in a metal container like copper, iron or aluminium. Preferably store it in a glass or ceramic container

There is no need to wash the kefir grains between each brew - this may even damage them. However, it is good practice to give the grains a 'rest' in filtered water once every few months. This rest can be 12-24 hours, and the water produced is a nourishing drink

Cheese and Whey

If you leave the kefir for a few days, it will start to clabber - the cheesy creamy looking curds start to separate from the clear whey. If you plan to separate them, don't stir or shake them for a day. Line a large funnel, plastic sieve or colander with a thin cloth, and gently pour in the mixture. Let the whey gently drip into a container - it can take 24 hours or more. Do not try to squeeze out the cloth or speed the process, or the whey will be cloudy. You can use the curds as a cream or cottage cheese. The whey will store in the refrigerator for many weeks, and has many amazing healing properties (see the Grow Youthful books)

Secondary Fermentation

This is the traditional or 'no-fridge' method of storing kefir. You can bottle the liquid and store it at room temperature for up to one week. This will cause secondary fermentation, and the kefir will be fizzy. It will have higher levels of folic acid, alcohol (but less than 2%) and B group vitamins. The secondary fermentation will consume most of the remaining lactose in the kefir, making it suitable for lactose Intolerant people, or those who need to watch their sugar intake (e.g. Diabetics). The longer you leave it, the sourer its taste. Fill the bottle only 3/4 full. Release the build-up of CO2 gas daily, and give the bottle a gentle shake at least once a day. The agitation is necessary to mix the yeast colonies back into the kefir and minimise the chances of mould developing. You can pour out kefir to use at any time, or top it up with fresh kefir made that day - as an ongoing storage method

Kefir Grains

The kefir grains vary in size from the size of this 0 to that of an egg. They look like a piece of translucent cauliflower. They can take from days to weeks to double in size. They are also highly nutritious to eat - that is where the Kefiran is concentrated

Some suppliers on the web sell dry kefir starters, or powder to produce kefir. Neither of them are the real thing. Get living kefir grains which reproduce and grow, and have all the nutrient complexity I described above

Get a kefir starter