Introduction
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Kefir's tart and refreshing flavor is similar to a drinking-style yogurt, but it contains beneficial yeast as well as friendly 'probiotic' bacteria found in yogurt. The naturally occurring bacteria and yeast in kefir combine symbiotically to give superior health benefits when consumed regularly. It is loaded with valuable vitamins and minerals and contains easily digestible complete proteins. For the lactose intolerant,
kefir's abundance of beneficial yeast and bacteria provide lactase, an
enzyme which consumes most of the lactose left after the culturing process.
The Eight edition Body Ecology Diet is now available!
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Kefir can be made
from any type of milk, cow, goat or sheep, coconut, rice or soy. Although
it is slightly mucous forming, the mucous has a "clean" quality to it that
creates ideal conditions in the digestive tract for the colonization of
friendly bacteria.
Kefir is made from
gelatinous white or yellow particles called "grains." This makes kefir
unique, as no other milk culture forms grains. These grains contain the
bacteria/yeast mixture clumped together with casein (milk proteins) and
complex sugars. They look like pieces of coral or small clumps of cauliflower
and range from the size of a grain of wheat to that of a hazelnut. Some
of the grains have been known to grow in large flat sheets that can be
big enough to cover your hand!. The grains ferment the milk, incorporating
their friendly organisms to create the cultured product. The grains are
then removed with a strainer before consumption of the kefir and added
to a new batch of milk.
A kefir starter culture
is available by calling Body Ecology at: 800-511-2660, or click
here
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