Water Kefir, have you ever heard of it? If not, well let me introduce you to a wonderful way to keep your gut health up to par. These little wonders are great for so many things, and their byproduct is easy to make. If you do it correctly, you will end up with a beverage that’s refreshing and good for you too! So, don’t be afraid to drink up.
Water Kefir (some pronounce it “Keh-FEER” while others pronounce it “KEEF-er”) Grains’ byproduct is a fermented water that can be flavored to your liking to drink. Because it’s fermented, it carries considerable health benefits being that it is considered a probiotic.
Probiotic? Can’t I just get those at the store?
Sure you can. But often times, if they aren’t live cultures (and you’ll know because live cultures have to be refrigerated), they are often manufactured and lose some of the beneficial bacteria that keep your gut healthy. Some of those benefits that may be lost are various bacteria, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals among other things. Water kefir, milk kefir, and kombucha are becoming very popular in grocery stores all around. But remember, with things that have to be prepared and shipped, some benefits are lost for the sake of a longer shelf life. And there’s nothing wrong with that. You can still get some health benefits from them. But often times, homemade is better.
I’m Gluten Intolerant and can’t have grains. Are these good for me?
Water kefir grains are not really “grains” at all. They are small, spongy, jelly like substances called a SCOBY – Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast, or tibicos. Since they aren’t wheat type grains, they are perfectly fine for those with gluten intolerances to use. In fact, many people who are lactose intolerant, but want a healthy probiotic drink and can’t have milk kefir will turn to this alternative too.
You said I can do this at home. How?
There are four things you “need” in order to make this probiotic drink.
First, you have to get your hands on some grains. If you subscribe to our blog, I will often send out notices for when mine are ready to go. My grains are awfully healthy and multiply like crazy (did I forget to mention these things multiply? Well, they do – so have a plan for them. More on that later!), so I will have notices out often of when they are ready to spread their wings and fly away.
Next, you need some water. A “healthy” or “live” water is best. Meaning, a water that is not stripped of it’s minerals like a distilled or reverse osmosis type water. Well water works wonderfully if your have “good” well water. Spring water is great too. If you choose to use tap water, make sure you boil it first to get rid of impurities and chlorine. Let it cool down to about room temperature before you use it.
Then, you need sugar. Any type of sugar will do. But do NOT use honey. Honey is an anti-bacterial food and the grains are a bacteria remember? Bacteria need sugar to eat. Processed white sugar is stripped of various nutrients, unlike raw type sugars. Because of this, your grains may become weak over time. If you notice this, you may need to add a little bit of pink salt, baking soda, or calcium. Some people like to use an organic lemon peel, raisins, or you can even order minerals online – anything to add minerals to the water. If you are using “live” water, you should be ok though.
Last, you will need a vessel. Many people choose to use flip top bottles if you only make a small amount. Our family uses gallon sized containers where the lid locks. If you want a fizzy drink like soda, you’ll need some way to keep your container tightly closed upon your time of fermenting the flavoring you decide to use after pouring off the actual water kefir.
I understand, you may be a little confused. To help you out, I created a more in depth informational video here.
You mentioned sugar. Can diabetics drink this?
I would caution diabetics although it has often been said that it is safe for them to drink. The reason is, as the grains ferment the water, it “eats” the sugar. If you let it ferment long enough, you should have very minimal sugar content.
Important notes
- Water kefir works because it’s fermented. Fermentation causes gas build up. If you choose to try your hand at making this on your own, please remember to release the gases, what we call “burp”, in the vessel you choose to use. If you neglect to do this your container will explode!
- Also, just like wine, fermentation causes alcohol content increase. The longer water kefir ferments, the stronger the alcohol content. I urge you to taste your water kefir to make sure that it ferments enough, but not too much – especially if you plan to let your children drink it. After you get it to where you want, refrigerate it or put it somewhere cool to slow fermentation.
Ok, that was a brief introduction. Again, if you want something more in depth, you can watch my video below. I cover more than I did here even showing you how to make it step by step.
As always, thanks for reading!
Deidra