Kefir

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What’s Kefir?

Kefir is a cultured, enzyme-rich food filled with friendly micro-organisms that help balance your “inner ecosystem.” More nutritious and therapeutic than yogurt, it supplies complete protein, essential minerals, and valuable B vitamins.

Kefir is simple and inexpensive to make at home.
Kefir is used to restore the inner eco-system after antibiotic therapy.
Kefir can be made into a delicious smoothie that kids love.
Kefir is excellent nourishment for pregnant and nursing women, the elderly, and those with compromised immunity.

What if I’m lactose intolerant, and don’t do dairy? Or don’t digest milk products well? Is kefir right for me?
The beneficial yeast and friendly bacteria in the kefir culture consume most of the lactose (or milk sugar). Eat kefir on an empty stomach first thing in the morning before (or for) breakfast and you’ll be delighted to find it can be easily digested — as numerous people who have been lactose intolerant for years have discovered.

Why Kefir is better than Yogurt

How to Introduce Kefir Into Your Diet

Some people thrive on kefir right from the start and others may need to proceed more slowly. Remember that people with candidiasis lack milk-digesting bacteria, so you may have to build up your “tolerance” of kefir. Start with about four ounces in the morning on an empty stomach. Every second day increase the amount until you are able to drink a full eight ounce glass.

If you are just beginning the therapeutic version of the Body Ecology Diet’s health recovery program, it might be best to wait three to six months before introducing kefir. You may first need to clear your body of accumulated toxins and see your symptoms disappear. Moreover, people with candidiasis have what Chinese medicine calls the condition of dampness. Unfermented and improperly combined dairy products can lead to even more dampness and excess mucus. Here are some suggestions for introducing kefir while conquering dampness.

Eat Body Ecology Diet foods, which are drying.
Use proper food combining techniques to make kefir less mucus-forming (see the Body Ecology Diet 7th Edition).
Drink plenty of water and eat grains that have been soaked and then cooked. These add moisture and fiber to the colon.
Clean your colon. If a colon is free of blockages, kefir is tolerated more quickly. We have found that people who report having trouble with kefir, often have not followed the advice on colon cleansing. You probably also need to add acidophilus and bifidus bacteria to your small and large intestines. These wonderful bacteria also help to clean and improve the health of your entire digestive tract.
Be sure to get adequate exercise. Exercise stimulates the colon and improves elimination.

Why Kefir is better than Yogurt

Tips for making perfect kefir from milk.

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Time and temperature are two important factors that determine how thick and tasty your kefir will be. In the warmer months kefir may be ready to drink in 18 hours. If you let it sit out too long at room temperature, it will become thick and eventually start turning into cheese and whey. If your kefir is “lumpy” and too sour, you are definitely leaving it out too long. It should be creamy and “drinkable”…a little thicker than milk. At this point, shake it well and place the kefir into your refrigerator. It will thicken a little more since it is continuing to culture, but at a much slower pace. Making kefir is an art, not an exact science. With each batch you make, adjust the time until you get it just the way you like it. Each area of the country and each kitchen seem to be a little different. Donna finds that her kefir always cultures faster for her in California than in Atlanta.

Body Ecology’s starter culture is just that…a starter. After you start your first batch of kefir (in milk or the liquid from the young coconut), you can use a small amount of that first batch to make your second batch. How much to use is included in the instructions found in each package of starter. If you transfer too much kefir from one batch to the next, you’ll create a product that cultures too fast and tastes too sour. You can make about 7 such “transfers” from one batch to the next. After that, the yeast start to get crowded out by the more aggressive lactobacillus.

Kristin Mosman

Home-made- it’s so fun to have such an expert on here and read all your advice and comments. I am loving the kefir grains I got from a friend recently. I don’t think I understand the difference between the mother culture and the grains. Can you explain? Also, I have heard that (just liek with breastmilk) it may be bad to shake or blend kefir since that will break up the long-chain-fatty acids that are so hard to come by in foods. True? I have heard other rumors- such as metal being bad for the grains. Any advice? Is there any actual alcohol in the product?
Jared

Hey kefir fans!

I just want to write this note about milk kefir to help clarify some confusion I come across a lot:

Milk kefir can be made three ways. From starter, Mother culture, or grains.

-STARTER = usually from a powdered culture. Will culture milk and successive batches (usually no more than 7)
The advantage of starter is that it has a long shelf-life (in powdered form) and can be used periodically.
-MOTHER CULTURE = basically fresh kefir made from grains (initially), used successively in daily batches (4-10% culture added to fresh milk)
The advantage is that it can be reproduced indefinitely. The disadvantage is that it has to be maintained daily.
(in other words, a batch of kefir milk culture left unattended for an extended period of time (4+ days, unrefrigerated) will become rancid and useless) [Also difficult to ship or preserve]
-GRAINS = Kefir grains are the source for original kefir culturing and can be used directly in the culture, or removed from partially cultured mixes (creating starter and mother culture batches) and also used indefinitely.
The advantage of grains is that they produce the most thoroughly cultured batches and are resilient to some neglect.
The disadvantage is that they are more difficult to acquire and require tending (like a pet) for the duration of their life.

Hope this answers some questions, feel free to add, ask or respond!
Happy Kefirring!
- Ruth Parson
  
  Hello Jared! Sounds like you might know the answer to my question. I have been using kefir pearls with milk, very satisfactorily. Now, I will need to be dairy-free for a few months. Is there a way to store my kefir pearls in the meantime, keeping them alive but not producing kefir? Can kefir be made with almond milk successfully?
  - Alexia Hoyt
    
    I’m not sure about almond milk. But if you leave the kefir grains in the fridge with new milk, they should be fed for a month like that , perhaps even longer. If you put it in the coldest part of the fridge where it wont freeze, it will last longer. You could tip out the milk and add some fresh milk to get it going longer. I have not tried this, but I was told that you could do this. it may even be that you don’t need to replace the milk, that it will slowly grow for months in the fridge without replacing the milk, but I don’t know that for certain.
    - Jacqui
      
      I have very successfully frozen kefir grains! I rinse them, put them into a glass jar, add enough milk to cover the grains, add a lid and freeze. I have also frozen the grains alone, no milk added, with no problems. Even after a year in the freezer, the grains are ok.
Lisa Lash

Hi Everyone! Exciting news for those in Australia and other countries. I was searching the web and there is a non-profit organization who you can get different types of grains from. They are localized there but ship elsewhere as well. Their website is: http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html#order
They also have a lot of information about kefir. Best wishes!!!
Lisa
- Lisa Lash
  
  Well, I found another website for those international seekers/buyers of kefir. http://www.torontoadvisors.com/Kefir/kefir-list.php
Steve

Hi, I have started making Kefir a week ago but seem to be getting a curds and whey result now, the whey is separating out into a pale sourish liquid. Drinkable but not great, and the curds seem not to have the “mushrooms” in there but rather lots of bits.
Please help…
- home-made
  
  Try reducing your kefirring time or temp, or (if using grains) try removing grains 1/2 through culturing and continue to culture mix without the grains. Either your culture is still unbalanced (e.g. excess yeast) or it is simply over-culturing. I’m not really sure why, but I’ve found that adding a tablespoon of sugar to a quart of culturing kefir (after the grains are removed!!) keeps it from curdling and makes it thicker. Worth a try with starter born or secondary culturing batches?
  
  Hope this helps, good luck!
Jared

Anyone- want to trade your active milk kefir grains for some of my active water grains?

I recently purchased some dehydrated water and milk kefir grains from a local and reliable producer. My milk kefir grains are less than impressive though, (They are culturing a couple cups of milk decently, but after three weeks, they have virtually not grown at all) I have been very scientific and consistent with my culturing, I think they are simply a week strain, and I am losing patience with them. (room temp pre-warmed, organic, whole milk cultured between 70-80 f, strained and refreshed every 24-36 hours, in breathable sterilized glass jars and non-metallic tools -what else could I do?)

However, the water kefir grains I have been tending are growing and culturing like crazy! (I use 70 degree spring water and raw Demerara sugar on a 24-48 hour cycle to culture and propagate it)

(if you’ve never tried water, or juice kefir, kefir soda, kefir beer, or coconut kefir, you may be missing out:! It is not closely related to milk kefir grains, but it is similar in concept, culturing requirements and health benefits)

I’m hesitant to buy more milk grains, and I like sharing better than buying, so if anyone is interested, I’ll give you a nice big clump of water kefir grains, ready to culture, for one healthy little “cauliflower”.

Email me at [email protected] if you can help me, Thanks!
Lisa Lash

Hi everyone!!! I have tryed the keifer in the local health food store and love it! I have candidiasis and an aspergillus fungus too and really need to start a regular routine of drinking it for breakfast and then an hour after dinner I’ve read. Problem… it cost too much in the store and I don’t think it had the yeast in it anyway. I’m finding out that with every batch that is made that you get more and more keifer grains. So, I would love to find someone reading this, with extra grains who wouldn’t mind selling/sending me some. I’m in Tucson,AZ.
These companys (you know who you are…) are making big bucks off us and it’s not right. As a community of people who know the benefits of keifer, we need to help one another and hope that maybe we can make a difference for others and send “these companys” a message. I’ve already bought the “Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) book and it’s great, but I’m done there. They only sell the ‘culture starter’ which only makes 3 to 4 batches, and it costs about $20 or so.
I hope someone will respond with an offer to sell/send some starter. If someone else reads this later (give me some time to create more keifer grains) and I’ll return the favor. This shouldn’t be a hidden secret. We should be sharing this with the world. Thanks in advance for your help and to the others who’ve read this long read. 🙂

If you can help, please email me at [email protected].
- MEmge
  
  See the Kefir lady at kefirlady.com.
  - Lisa Lash
    
    I bought milk/water kefir grains a while ago now and they are really producing some great kefir! I don’t have much extra of the milk grains but I do have two jars of water grains.
    If you don’t mind paying for the shipping (about $5 usually), I would be glad to send some your way. I have given some away and would love to give away more. Email me @ [email protected].
    I love the water kefir!!!
    
    Happy Kefiring!!!
maria

vill någon vara säll och förklara för mig om hur ni får kornen och hur jag ska följa stegen i detaljer, för att kunna göra kefir? varifrån kommer kornen, från början, som alla pratar om ? snälla! jag har lagt mjölk i en burk och ny efter ca 20 timmar har det klumpat sig blivit lite tjokare men utan korn.Har jag gjort rätt? hjälp mig!!! snälla ! snälla!
Clark

Looking for Kefir grains in Northern VA, Falls Church area. Anybody out there? I’m currently culturing from commercial kefir (say THAT 5 times fast) bought at Giant; it’s ok, but just not the same. How do we communicate privately after making contact here? I’d rather not spread my e-mail address or phone number on the ‘net.
- Bonnie
  
  I have been making kefir for 6 weeks now. I mail ordered the grains (this is crucial) from a guy on the internet, along with a video course. It was way too expensive but I’m making plenty of kefir for myself and son and have given away grains to a friend. Once you get it going, it may take a few weeks, you will be producing more then you need. It doesn’t taste as good as the stuff from the market, nor is it anywhere near as expensive, but I add vanilla extract and find it acceptable. Pureeing fruit with it would be good too. I like the fact that I control the process and know exactly how and with what it was made from. I can’t stand milk, never liked it but kefir I enjoy and I am happy that now I can reap the benefits of milk.
- Lisa Lash
  
  Hi Clark, I’m looking for some as well. As far as the email goes, I made one that I can use for stuff like this. I like to use live.com but there is yahoo and a lot of others of course. Just an idea. I wish you the best and hope we all come up with some keifer!!!
  - home-made
    
    I’ve posted my personal email address on this forum before, and never got spammed. I also made some good connections by doing so. Just a thought. Happy kefirring!
- Paige
  
  Did you get any grains yet? I am not too far from Winchester.
  - Judi
    
    I am going to be in Virginia( D.C. area, in April for Easter weekend, I have lots of grains some fresh some frozen( easy to reestablish) if you are interested in some. The frozen ones are stored in powdered milk in a container to keep them “fed” during transport, (as per Dom’s site) let me know what you are interested in and I can give you a very reasonable price.
    [email protected]
jamila

Glad att hitta denna discussion kring kefir. Har provat och mår mycket bättre!
- home-made
  
  Me too! Kefir is fascinating!
Cess

I use to make kifer about 3 years ago and I recently got another grain and started to brew my own again but I”m having trouble. It doesn’t look how I remember it and I can’t tell if its just spoiled milk or kifier…. I am allergic to normal milk so I don’t think its wise to just try it… any tips to be able to tell if its kifer? I don’t know if my grain is working right. thanks
- home-made
  
  Simple test. Cultivate your kefir as usual, but also, set a similar sized glass of the same milk, uncultured, next to your kefir. Simply compare the two. Also, the grains can take a while to acclimate to their new environment, so give them a week or two before you can expect balanced growth and full culturing.
  
  Hope this is helpful
  Happy Kefirring!
- Professor Chaos
  
  Simple. If it smells like yeast, it’s kefir. If it smells like sour milk, it’s sour milk.
Nicole

I drank it in a smoothie first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, I was wondering why i then felt so sick. I felt like i couldn’t get warm enough and my gut felt horrible. After about an hour it subsided. Should I then eat before i drink it for a while until my body gets used to it, or would it even be better if i let it ferment longer?
- home-made
  
  Ive struggled with digestive issues for years. (and still do)
  
  There are so many potential causes of indigestion that it’s hard to pinpoint.
  
  From experience, I can say that the simplest test for food allergies or intolerance, is how they make you feel.
  
  If you haven’t been consuming cultured foods, then they can shock your system, from dairy to water based.
  
  If you are like me, you can let your stomach be your guide.
  
  I stopped drinking dairy a few years ago because it made me sick. Now I can drink as much as 1/2 gallon of whole milk per day without feeling ill. I tribute this to the discovery of probiotics.
  
  Try plain kefir. When trying to pinpoint digestive issues, it often helps to break things down to basics.
  
  Hope this helps.
Melissa

I bought some kefir grains off ebay for under $3 with shipping. I only got about a teaspoon, but after a couple of months, I have probably a cup of kefir grains (WAY too much for what I brew in a day!). Check out ebay!
Miles Roberts

Hey everybody! I make kefir from homogenized cows milk, and sometimes from “real milk”. I put the grains into the milk and put a paper towel over it. When I look at it in the morning, there is a really thick, and sometimes yogurt like layer on top, and water on the bottom layer… Any ideas as to what is wrong?
Miles
- home-made
  
  It’s possible that you are culturing too warm. It also depends on what you are using as starter (grains, starter, previous batches)
  
  Once it has separated and stratified, it doesn’t mix well, but you can try blending it. But if the whey (the ‘water’ at the bottom) is bitter or extra sour, then you may not be able to save it (by the way, this can sometimes be strained and used to make soft or even hard kefir cheese (so don’t toss it just because it looks unappetizing .) Usually stratification is an indication that something is wrong. Usually kefirred too long, or too warm. (overnight is definitely not too long)
  
  good luck
- Professor Chaos
  
  There’s nothing wrong with the whey seperating. It may be more sour though but it will have more B vitamins. Simply stir it or swirl it every couple of hours to re-milk the grains on top if you find the whey disturbing. When I “strain the grains” I tap on the strainer to get all of the liquid.
- boris
  
  hi you doing it right your kefir is ready give a gentle stir and strain .. i have been eating kefir for over a year now and am adicted to it i put 300 mls of cream to one ltr of whole milk leave for 24 hrs and nice thick yummy drink, some times i strain through musslen cloth and make cream cheese leave in muslen for couple a days in fridge add what ever you want to (capsicom onions herbs etc ) and you got cheep cheese spread
  Boris
Michele

What happens to kefir grains when they are “neglected”? I was given some from a good friend, but while I was away, they were not properly cared for. I returned home after four weeks to find the jar with a stiff layer on top, underneath what looked like very thick, normal kefir, and the grains appeared normal.

My question is, after four weeks of treating them right (but throwing away the the milk), is it ok for me to drink the kefir?

I’ve just started chemotherapy so it’s very important to me not to eat anything that might cause problems. The last time I had to have chemo — 3 years ago — the kefir saved me from the brutal side effects of constipation and diarrhea. So I want to start again, but to do it right.

Thanks for your help!
- Michele
  
  I should add that I always make the kefir in the fridge — it wasn’t on the counter top for 4 weeks. (Michele)
  - home-made
    
    your kefir grains are perfectly fine, and you did the right thing to save them. Although this was not ideal storage, the grains themselves are actually pretty hearty.
    (basically harmful bacteria are not really welcome among the grains)
    
    Also, I started out making kefir in the fridge for fear of tainting. I’ve since learned that it is much better to culture your kefir at room temp (70 deg min), and after at least 12 hours and as much as 48 hours of culturing, then transfer it to the fridge. Kefir will continue to culture slowly in the fridge, but starting in the fridge doesn’t properly or fully culture.
mary

have been making kefir for a couple of months… it goes so fast in NYC when the temperature is over 90 farenheit……
slower process now on counter top with ambient temperature 20-30 degrees lower.My product is tart and bubbly… i add chopped berries to a taste treat.I do feel rinsing the grains is important as the rinsed grains seem to make less cheese curd…..
I have also added sweetened condensed milk and found this produced a very bubbly tart product…..always learning. Have been drying grains for shipment.
- Nicole Becker
  
  Hello
  I am wondering what you are charging for your grains. I would like some. Please email me with you cost. I also use paypal.
  Thank you
  Nicole
mia dritsakis

i used to take enzymes capsuals before food due to my intestinal problems and my naturapath advised me that i wont need to take them any longer because i drink water kefir twice a day before food do you think that makes sense…..also in order to get rid of the alcohol in the water kefir i let it sit for few hours in a glass with very loose lid so the alcohol can evaporate..is this ok to do
- home-made
  
  Loose lid perfect. Allows to vent, but keeps airborne contaminates from landing in you Kefir.
  
  I used to take digestive enzymes often, basically for weak digestive system. Since I started supplementing my diet with natural pro-biotics (specifically cultured juice and dairy) I have not needed digestive enzyme supplements!
mary

when my kefir is too sour…..i add a sweetener like raspberry syrup and it works well..nice color too. adding honey works too, slower culture is the way for less sour end-product. i have also mixed kefir in dough for baking…the cake is fluffier with kefir instead of plain milk….short of a timer at different temperatures, the end product is variable and experimenting is the key….
Mary Baldwin

***LOOKING FOR KEFIR GRAINS AND SOURCES FOR RAW COW MILK OR RAW GOAT MILK***
Hello all! I live in San Pablo, CA which is part of the San Francisco Bay Area. I’m looking for someone in my area that would be willing to sell me some kefir grains. I don’t want to use any starter packs. I am also looking for local sources of raw cow milk or raw goat milk. Does anyone in the SF Bay Area know where I can get raw milk and / or kefir grains? (I am mostly looking for milk kefir grains but I’m also interested in water kefir grains.) Any assistance or suggestions will be appreciated.

Please email me at [email protected].

Thanks!!!
- home-made
  
  I just ordered some milk and water kefir grains from Cultures For Health, out of Washington. I have not used them yet, but I have been impressed with the way they do business so far. Each about $20 total. Kefir is not supposed to be commercialized though, so share your growing grains with as many people as possible, to keep good kefirring karma! Since you are in CA, they are still fairly local, and very much a local resource. Honestly, this is like an insider secret I’m reluctant to share.
  I wish you well with your kefirring ventures and I will let you know how mine turn out.
  - Mary Baldwin
    
    Thanks for the information. I will try them out. Take care!
LELA BOIX

I have just started making and using Kefir. I have a water softener that uses salt. Can I use the water if I let it sit out 24 to 49 hours so as to dissipate the salt and clorine? it is hard to get spring water to make the kefir. Thanks, Lela
- home-made
  
  I don’t often make water-based kefir, but I have a similar dilema when brining. I believe if you set tap water out in an open sterile container that the chlorine will evaporate within a day, but if you want to know if contaminants are present without doing chemistry, try the sniff-test. If you can smell chlorine (bleach), sulfur, detergents, mold, mildew, funk, or anything else you don’t want to drink (including water softeners), DON”T USE IT!
  An inexpensive water purifier/filter, may do the trick.
  
  Keep on Kefirring!
Анелия

Hello! I would like to ask you why of the information for the adoption of kefir there write to forget about alcohol, I’m not a fan of alcohol, but night I drink 1-2 beers, good quality. Thanks …
- home-made
  
  There is usually less than 1% alcohol in fully cultured kefir. If you want to eliminate this alcohol (for some reason) you can lightly pasteurize (150 degrees F) until the alcohol has evaporated off, BUT heating the kefir to this temp will kill many of the living probiotics that make kefir good for you!