Water Kefir - Your Dairy Free Probiotic Soda Pop

Water Kefir - Your Dairy
Free Probiotic Soda Pop

Water Kefir – Your Dairy Free Probiotic Soda Pop Copyright © 2011 RawFoodHealthWatch.com

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This report has been written to provide information about the raw
food diet. Every effort has been made to make this report as
complete and accurate as possible. However, there may be
mistakes in typography or content. Also, this report discusses
healthy living and dieting. However, this report should be used as a
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The following information is for education only and is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, or treat illness. It
is valuable to seek the advice of an alternative health care professional before making any changes. The
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Probiotics

Probiotics are the good bacteria, you know, the stuff that gets destroyed along
with the "bad" bacteria when taking antibiotics. We need to replenish the good
bacteria for optimal health.

There are different sources of dairy free probiotics, namely sauerkraut,
kombucha, miso, ginger beer, and others, but today I'm excited to share what
I've learned about water kefir. Water kefir is used by many as a healthy
alternative to soda pop and a great source of daily dairy free probiotics.

Water Kefir Basics

In order to prepare water kefir, you pretty much just have to soak water kefir
grains and sugar in a glass jar in water (or juice or coconut water without
sugar), lightly covered (to avoid possible, but unlikely, explosion as the carbon
dioxide builds up), at room temperature and away from direct sunlight for 24-
48 hours.

Then you can add some fruit to the mix to play with the flavors and create
unique "soda pops". You can do two soaks, the first with the sugar, the second
with the fruit. It seems that most of the time people just put the fruit in the
first soak to save time.

What Are Water Kefir Grains?

Water kefir grains (a.k.a. tibicos, tibi, sugar kefir grains, Japanese water
crystals, water kefir fungus and California Bees) are, as defined by Wikipedia:
a culture of bacteria and yeast held in a polysaccharide matrix created by the
bacteria. The microbes present act in symbiosis to maintain a stable culture.
The grains feed off the sugar to produce lactic acid, alcohol (ethanol), and
carbon dioxide gas which carbonates the drink. They have a mix of
Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Pediococcus and Leuconostoc bacteria with
yeasts from Saccharomyces, Candida, Kloeckera and possibly others.
Lactobacillus brevis has been identified as the species responsible for the
production of the polysaccharide (dextran) that forms the grains.

Water Kefir Has Alcohol?

Before we go any further I'd like to point out that the amount of alcohol
present in water kefir varies, dependent on factors such as temperature,
length of "soaking time", and more. However, several sources around the web


state that the alcohol present is between 1-3%. Also, an independent study was
done last year (2009), by a chemist, showing a result of just 0.64% by volume
(0.50% by weight). With that information I feel that water kefir is safe for
children, but obviously you should make that decision on your own.

Will Any Water Suffice?

If you get your hands on spring water or raw water, use that. Some people use
mineral water, while others will use boiled (then cooled) tap water. The reason
for boiling the tap water is to remove the chlorine. Some sources state that
mixing the water in the blender will aerate the water and get rid of the
chlorine. It is advised to not use carbon filtered water (Brita) or distilled
water.

What Type Of Sugar Can Be Used?

I have looked over many water kefir recipes and the types of sugars used vary
greatly. Since the sugar is essentially "eaten" by the grains, some people say
the type of sugar doesn't matter much.

Some use 100% maple syrup, while others use powdered cane sugar, and yet
others use regular table sugar. I personally do not use any sugar that I would
not consume myself, because for one I don't have any in the house and for two,
a little is left in the final product.

Choose an organic natural sugar and I'm sure you will be fine. Some warn
against honey because they say it will destroy the good bacteria (which isn't
good, we want to keep that!).

What Supplies Are Needed To Make Water Kefir?

At one time it has been said that water kefir grains were not available
commercially... that you had to get them from someone willing to share them,
however that is not the case anymore. Besides grains you will need a container
for the brewing, glass jars like mason jars are recommended. There are
warnings against allowing the grains to touch metal so be careful with using
metal lids.

You'll need containers to store the finished product. It can be stored in mason
jars, but self bottling is a popular fun choice.

Keeping the grains separate from the fruit during brewing is important. Since
you'll be re-using the grains (they may last forever), keeping them in cotton
drawstring muslin bags is smart.


How Much Of The Grains Should Be Used?

In general a 1:1:1/4 ratio of hydrated grains (tablespoons) to water (quarts or
litres <- close enough) to sugar (cups) is what is often used. Although it is
generally recommended to have a 3 tablespoon minimum for the grains,
regardless if you use less than 3 quarts of water.

It is important to use the proper amount of sugar. Essentially, the grains can
starve and ultimately become weaker and eventually leave behind more sugar
than normal when less sugar is used. Feed them properly and less sugar will be
left behind, making a much healthier finished product. In general there should
be no more than 1.4% sugar (converted to fructose) left behind in your water
kefir.

When using juice (100% organic is best) rather than sugar water, it is
recommended to use less juice than you would water (and of course leave the
sugar out completely). It is also suggested to make a few batches using sugar
water before starting to use juice, and not really going back to sugar water
with the same grains (except for maybe every 3 or 4 batches to the give the
grains a "rest"). Apparently the juice is hard on the grains and will shorten their
life, also, creating a batch with sugar water after using juice can make the
flavor unpleasant.

Also, establish your grains with sugar water by making a few batches before
venturing into using coconut water.

What Kinds Of Fruit Can Be Added?

You can use essentially any fruit to flavor your water kefir. Be sure not to leave
fresh fruit in much more than 24 hours.. dried fruit (organic fruit that has been
dehydrated) can be used over and over for up to a week. When using fruit
during the brewing process be sure to keep the grains in a muslin bag to avoid
having to clean them afterwards, because bits of fruit can get stuck on them
which can encourage mold, etc.

How To Store Kefir Grains When Not In Use?

You can keep the water kefir grains in a sugar-water (1/4 cup of sugar and 1
quart/litre water) solution in a container with a tight fitting lid in the fridge
for 2-3 weeks. For longer storage just give them fresh sugar-water.

For even longer storage (for 5-6 months), dehydrate the grains by placing them
on parchment paper (unbleached) for a week or more until they are completely
dried. Store them in a mason jar with a tight fitting lid in a cool dry place.


To rehydrate your grains, put them in fresh sugar water (1/4 cup of sugar and 1
quart/litre water) for 3-4 days... replacing the sugar-water solution if
necessary until ready to use. Keep them in a cool dry place for the rehydration
procedure.

Using Juice After Brewing With The Grains

A great method for flavoring your kefir water, aside from adding fruit is to add
juice, but only after the grains have been removed. The procedure is simple...
Soak the grains in sugar water for 48 hours, then remove the grains. Top up the
jar (well, leave some room for carbon dioxide) with juice. The longer you wait
before consuming after the juice has been added, the more "fizzyness" there
will be.

It's best to use organic juice that you made yourself with a juicer.

Is It Possible To Make Water Kefir Beer?

When leaving your brew longer than 48 hours it gives it more opportunity to
produce the naturally occurring alcohol, giving you a kefir beer, which is
essentially a gluten free vegan beer with beneficial bacteria. Just Google "how
to make kefir beer" to find out the rest of the process.

Recipes

Here are a couple quick water kefir recipes to start you off...

Water Kefir Lemonade

• 2 litres kefir water - prepared using the information above
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed organic lemon juice

Simply mix the kefir water and the juice together. Chill if desired. When
bottling in glass with a tight fitting lid (like these Grolsch-style bottles) then
you might want to place a warning label on the bottle: "CAUTION: Contents
under pressure!" :)

Cream Soda Water Kefir

• 2 litres kefir water - prepared using the information above
• 1-3 tablespoons of vanilla extract (the real stuff)

Simply mix the kefir water and the vanilla together. Chill if desired.


Like with any other dietary change, please check with your doctor before making any drastic
changes to your diet.

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Water Kefir - Your Dairy Free Probiotic Soda Pop

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