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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.

  1. Eat Body Ecology Diet foods, which are drying.
  2. Use proper food combining techniques to make kefir less mucus-forming (see the Body Ecology Diet 7th Edition).
  3. Drink plenty of water and eat grains that have been soaked and then cooked. These add moisture and fiber to the colon.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

  • Joy Reid

    I have been making my own kefir for about 9 months now. I am planning to go on vacation for a week. Can anyone tell me what to do with my grains while I am away and unable to pour off the kefir every other day?

  • Nirvana

    I’ve had some major health issues (low energy, dry black
    lips, poor digestion of food) over the last year. Doctors couldn’t find out
    what was wrong after countless tests and scans. The only thing that was helping
    was regular vitamin b injections, vitamin pills, probiotic tablets (9 strain)
    and other supplements but it was taking a toll on my kidneys. Also had to take
    digestive enzymes and betaine hydrochloride tablets with every meal. I found
    some info on kefir on the internet and decided to purchase some grains and give
    it a try. Within a few days of starting to eat milk kefir my lips are much
    pinker and I don’t need my pills to help with digestion anymore- not even with
    heavy protein meals! I’ve also cut down on my vitamin pills and supplements.
    Not sure if its the ultimate cure for me but it has definitely helped!

  • Sandy Gavilanes

    Hi my name is Sandy , I live in Los Angeles . I am interested in getting some kafir I need some for my headaches , lost of hair and specially diabetes , please let me know if some body can share with me some , my email address is ( [email protected] ) Thank you very much.
    Sandy G.

  • illya

    may 2015 Can we start conversation on LYME DISEASE?info,doctors,etc.

  • illya

    Probiotics needed for LYME DISEASE,kefir needed!

  • Kathy Laird

    Does microwaving kefir milk with oatmeal kill the live bacteria?

  • xenyen

    Lovely article.. may I share it on my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ProbioticsKefirPakistan and website? ( xeniawordart.wix.com/healthypakistan ). I sell milk kefir grains in Pakistan and kefir smoothies too.

    I was totally rundown, and regained my energy, joint strength and digestive health by drinking milk kefir daily. Am now on a mission to share the love by making grains available! 🙂

  • Kandee Murr

    Can I add coconut oil to my Kefir grains when making my Kefir

    • Kandee Murr

      Let me refrase. Has anyone tried putting coconut oil into your Kefir grains & milk to make your Kefir? If yes, what was the results?

  • Celine Amirtharaj

    Where can i get kefir in Malaysia. I read a column saying after consuming this.. she gained weight instead of loosing. Is that true?.. I am in dire need to loose weight. Need help.
    [email protected] is my address. Any feedback is much appreciated.
    Thank you.

  • ursula

    I live in pretoria south africa were can I buy kifer from am in centurion please e-mail me on [email protected]

    • Nirvana

      Hi. Did you manage to find milk kefir grains? I live in Centurion and have some grains to give away for free by the end of this week

  • Mou Naa

    have it any bad effeccts on diabetics patient? i think it causes hyperglycemy in blood

    • Ishka Mcnulty

      I’m diabetic and have been using milk keffir for about 6 months. I have had no ill effects and am looking forward to my next blood test to see if there is a difference. I also drink water Keffir alternating with Kombucha.

  • Nonhle

    Can someone please help me find milk kefir grains in durban.

    • Shanna

      Hi Nonhle – did you manage to find any? I am also looking, Thanks

  • Thomas Zinecker

    Houston Texas area, anyone with fresh active milk kefir grains?

  • Marko Borko

    Hello dear kefir lovers.

    You can check my inovation 🙂 http://bit.ly/KEFIRKOkickstarter it’s for making kefir easier 🙂

  • Kim

    I am looking for organic milk kefir grains in Tampa, Florida area? Anyone?? 🙂

    • Maureen McKenna

      I use Horizon Organic 0% fat milk for my grains. If you want grains, contact me. The Horizon milk I’m sure is available nationally.
      momck

    • Cynthia

      Hi Kim, did you find any kefir grains in Tampa? I am looking for some too. Thanks

  • JewelD

    I’ve been eating low-fat yogurt daily since high school, and kefir since my mid-20s. Whenever people ask how I’ve stayed thin all my life, I always credit the kefir. I’ve always used the commercially-prepared kefir, and the proportions of proteins, carbs and fats listed per serving are amazingly ideal. Having kefir for both breakfast and often lunch (if I’m working through lunch) also kept me from reaching for doughnuts, muffins and junk food at work. Next I’m looking into making my own 🙂

  • TaGGed7

    Just wondered if anyone knows how to convert water kefir over to milk kefir or if it’s possible?

  • Vin Kirk

    Will the nutritional benefits of kefir be lost if there are more than 7 ‘transfers’?

  • Margaret Anne

    I have been making milk kefir with organic unpasterised milk for maybe 7 months.
    It has become quite slimy. I have been discarding the creamy top that has a whitish furriness and I have tried rinsing the grains of the sliminess but still persists. Any ideas as to what is happening and what I can do. I do tend to ‘overcook’ it to make sure no lactose and also due to illness unable to attend to it when needed.

    • Dan Ghosoph

      I have been doing kefir for a few years and I have never refriderated it —it never goes bad or spoils– the white slimy is unusual—maybe cause its ”un”—-pasteurized-milk—-
      -I make my kefir from a—-non -fat gallon of regular store bought milk- and don’t have any issues its great–I make cheese and juice– the cheese is for dips–and salads and tuna mix and all that –great in soups and stews–the juice I make protein smoothies out of it–every day a 16 ounce smoothie–just protein powder and kefir juice and sometimes a blender with banana or some other fruit–its awesome and I have no digestive issues ever–hope this info helps– keep using it maybe try non fat regular milk–see what happens–

      • Mindy L.

        You might really consider doing more research on raw milk vs. pasteurized as well as nonfat vs. full fat. Mark McAfee is a great teacher.

        • abel_kotze

          Because of the many strains of bacteria in Kefir, living in symbiosis, it doesn’t matter which medium is used to grow it in: raw or processed milk, soya milk, coconut juice or even in sugar water. The required beneficial bacteria will be established by Kefir, even those few that is found in raw milk. Raw milk’s advantage lies in the fact that one ‘dose’ of raw cow’s milk will cure lactose intolerance within 24 hours as it supplies the required bacteria for ‘processing’ the milk to make it digestible for humans.

    • Rhona Sham Meier

      I have read that the white slimy is the most healthy, I use a wooden spoon to press the grain getting all the beneficial nutrition out and that is mostly the slimy, it has never affected any of us so I would have to think it is true

    • mukker

      Sticky slime between grains is a sign they are healthy.

      • mukker

        They love full fat milk and I have found the more fat the more slime.

  • somaya

    looking for kefir grains in India? anyone ????
    [email protected]