How to Make Water Kefir and the Benefits of It

What is Water Kefir?

If you have not heard of water kefir you can think of it as a super powered yogurt that masquerades as a carbonated healthy soda. This can also help you kick the soda habit!

It's a Dairy free probiotic drink that’s easy to make. Just like milk kefir I prefer to use grains rather than powder because the grains will last forever. (These are not actual grains and you don’t eat them, so you don’t have to worry about grain intolerance or Paleo diet restrictions.) After sitting in water with sugar, the grains create a combination of good bacteria and beneficial yeast that can help rebuild your gut bacteria offering many emotional and physical health benefits.

(See all the benefits of water kefir at the bottom of the blog)

How to Make Water Kefir

You can get the grains here (click photo) :

To make Kefir with the grains, You will need:

A couple of glass jars such as these mason jars. It’s better to use glass over plastic because plastic harbors bacteria that can interfere with the grains. (click photo)

High grade sugar such as these:

Click photo for link (most of the sugar is eaten by the grains turning it into a natural fructose) (Use a 1/4 cup of sugar per quart of water)

And Pure water (I prefer either of these 2 filters)

(click photo for links and info)

Options for flavor

Steps:

1. Mix pure water with the high grade sugar and then put the grains in it. (Ratio is 1 cup of grains per gallon of water OR ¼ cup of grains per quart of water). Cover the jar with a towel or coffee filter so that air can escape but bugs can’t get in.
2. If you want to flavor it, add some dried fruit. I would suggest Cranberries, dried blueberries, dried pears, and dried figs and you can use Dried Raisins. The reason you don’t use non-dried fruit is because it can grow it’s own bacteria. Most recipes will tell you not to add the fruit until the grains come out, but I have noticed just as good results and no problems with the grains by adding them at the start. Here are a few choices of dried fruit:

(fruit must not have any other ingredients such as…)

Organic Dried fruit for flavor:

(Click picture for link)

Pineapple: Mango:

Ginger: Apple:

3. Let it sit for 24 to 48 hours then strain it with a plastic strainer like this one:

After this you can drink or refrigerate. You could also wait until now to add your fruit or add essen tial oils. If you put it in a sealed jar such as the bottles in the video you may want to “burp” them by opening the lid because carbonation will build in there and can break the glass.

Other Recipe Ideas to Flavor:

- I also like to put Citrus peels like lemon and orange

- Fresh squeezed fruit juice is the easiest. I like fresh squeezed pomegranate. Don’t use commercial fruit juice for many reasons but mainly that they are pasteurized and can’t be fermented so they may cause mold. If you don’t have any fresh juice, use fresh lime, lemon and orange juice yourself.

- Crème soda - add ¼ teaspoon of real vanilla extract per glass of kefir will make a great tasting cream soda.

- Lemonade - quart of water kefir – 2 tbs molasses, juice of 1 lemon, culture for 2 to 3 days.

- Cocktails – (per quart) – 3or 4 slices of lime and ginger and 2-3 days and add it to rum or tequila, cranberries crushed is good and good with vodka. (Just add when you make the drink, not for the culturing)

- Apple Soda – Add 4 to 6 pieces of dried apple after the first ferment and leave for 24 hours in a closed mason jar, then put into fridge to cool.

- Flavor with edible, Essential oils of your choice (I would suggest lemon or orange, grapefruit or ginger) Each one is super healthy for you as well.

To buy therapeutic grade Essential Oils. Email me at info@theartofunity.com for links since the company has asked me not to include links directly in my blogs.

- You can also put black strap molasses in there which taste great but only put this in after you have taken the grains out.

Benefits of Water Kefir:

You can expect all the health benefits you get from yogurt, milk kefir, and kombucha. It’s even great for your skin to wash your face with the water kefir and you’ll notice your skin is smooth, soft and glowing. In addition to the probiotics this has lots of vitamins especially B vitamins, some K2, and minerals, so this is very good for you along with the other probiotics foods I have mentioned in my other videos.

Drinking Water Kefir can help you to achieve your optimal health, strengthen your immune system, and help to prevent diseases. Most importantly, it restores good digestion from adding good bacteria and killing bad bacteria which often are the cause of irritable and bad digestion, food allergies, headaches, flu, skin rashes, and other more serious disorders. Water kefir is something you and your family can drink and use on your skin every day.

• Here are some of the benefits: • Inhibits the growth of bad bacteria and yeasts, and adds good bacteria in your digestion and on your skin. • Contributes and improves a healthy immune system. • Reduces inflammation. • Improves digestion. • Heals, or reduces the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) including bloating, indigestion, flatulence, diarrhoea/constipation, nausea, low energy, muscle aches and pains. • Heals intestinal dysbiosis and SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth). • Increased energy and overall feeling of good health. • Can stop unhealthy food cravings, especially for sugars and sweet foods. • Skin complexion and overall condition improves. Brown liver spots / age spots can fade, as can skin tags, moles, warts etc. It can ease or cure many skin conditions, such as psoriasis, eczema and acne. • Hair and nails look healthier, and are strengthened and improved. • Liver cleansing, as in traditional Chinese medicine, thus easing aches and joint pains, and benefiting the eyes. • Glandular ( endocrine) system (adrenals, thyroid, pituitary, ovaries) benefits. Women have healthier periods, some women have periods start again after early menopause. • A tranquillising effect on the nervous system has helped many who suffer from sleep disorders and insomnia, depression, ADHD and autism.