Friday, May 4, 2012

Kefir Water ~ Please HELP!!

I have a 3 fold purpose for this post:

1. Teach you the benefits of Kefir water
2. Teach you how to keep it alive and grow more!
3. To BEG you to take some off of my hands! Mine is growing out of control!

As usual, I want to start by sharing with you the many benefits of drinking Kefir water. I'll start with a short, simple list:

  • Contributes to a healthy immune system
  • Promotes a relaxing affect on the nervous system
  • Helps relieve insomnia
  • Helps support your normal intestinal tract function, promote bowel movements and a healthy digestive system
  • Restores balance to the digestive tract, so VERY useful during and after a course of antibiotics and after food poisoning
  • Has been used to treat metabolic disorders, atherosclerosis, allergic disease, tuberculosis, cancer and other gastrointestinal disorders
  • They have been shown to control facial acne in 80% of adolescents 
  • Rich in vitamin B-12, vitamin K and biotin
Get a lot more information on Kefir water HERE

Now, how to make it! This is what the water kefir crystals look like.

 The recipes and ratios are not an exact science. Kefir water crystals require sugar to eat. For those who are brand new to kefir or who have never heard of it, kefir is a live bacteria and requires certain things to stay alive. You can research this out on your own. I have done lots of research and have learned more by trial and error.

I start with 8 Tbs. of RAW sugar. There are lots of different forms of sugar you can use, but I would stay away from the white processed sugar. You can also use pure maple syrup. Do NOT use honey, as it has wonderful anti-bacterial properties and can actually kill the kefir crystals.

I then poor in a little bit of water to let the sugar dissolve a little. This isn't absolutely necessary, but I prefer to do it this way. 


I then add approximately 3/4-1 c. of kefir crystals, one date or other dried fruit that does not have sulfate on it. Citrus fruits do not work as well for the first fermentation.  Then I fill the quart jar with SPRING water. Do NOT use purified water or RO water. I learned this the hard way and could not get my kefir to grow. The kefir NEEDS the extra minerals in the water.


I then add a milk nut bag on top with a ring or rubber band to hold it on. Kefir also needs air to live and breath, so do not put a solid lid on it unless you put it in a larger jar and leave lots of "air" space. You could also use cheese cloth. Depending on where you live the ring/rubber band is important as fruit flies LOVE kefir water! 


I then let the kefir mixture ferment for 24-48 hours. It can sit longer  then that (up to 3-4 days), but that time frame is optimal. If you can see it, I put a little black mark on the jar below to show you where the kefir started out. Below that picture is where the kefir is after only 27 hours! Keep in mind, that is only ONE jar and I'm doing THREE! See why I need people to come take some off my hands?!


When it is time to strain and rinse the kefir crystals, I just dump it through one of the nut milk bags, rinse it well, and pick out in debris the dates may have left. Be sure your hands and any utensils you are working with are CLEAN!




The picture below is the same measuring cup from above only 27 hours later. If you notice, the Kefir has doubled in size!




Once you have a full fermentation, you have a few choices. You can simply drink it plane or add a small amount of juice (Welch's 100% grape juice is our family favorite). It only takes a small amount of juice to flavor the water. I've never measured exactly, but I would guess about 2 cups kefir water to 1/4 c. juice.

You can also do a 2nd fermentation with fruit. Be sure to drain the kefir crystals before doing a 2nd fermentation.  My favorite with that one is to smash some fresh or thawed frozen strawberries and add a few slices of lemon. If they are not organic lemons be sure not to put the peel in there. I learned the hard way to still allow AIR in this 2nd fermentation. LOL! I woke up one morning to water ALL over my counter top and dripping on the floor! This 2nd fermentation should only ferment for 24-36 hours. Be sure to strain the fruit. It tastes like strawberry lemonade. YUM!!
Just to recap a little: water kefir needs water, air, and sugar to survive and grow. If your kefir is growing out of control and you can't drink as much as it is producing, or you will be gone and can't take care of it, there is a few options. First, SHARE it with others! Second, it's ok to eat the kefir crystals, or Third, if you want it to be dormant for a while, put it in a jar w/some sugar water and put it in the fridge for a few weeks.

Ok, now for the fun part! I get to share!! If you live close by, please just call or stop by and grab some! Please!! I can't keep up with this much! If you are long distance, I am figuring out now how to send it in the mail. I will only charge you the cost of shipping! I'm not set up to receive payments online, so you will have to send me a check. 

So readers, please help me help yourself! You will be so pleased with the benefits on your health! You will also be pleased with how EASY it is and soon you'll be begging to share!

Have a Happy, Healthy Day!!

26 comments:

  1. oh!!! once you figure out how to mail it, i would LOVE LOVE LOVE some you can msg me on facebook at Susan Zoschg Thompson

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  2. Replies
    1. I really want to make kefir water! I was doing the milk grains and couldn't do it. I think I could handle the water so much easier. Kiramira1@gmail.com

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  3. I ordered some online a few years ago. It was shipped in a plastic cup with press n seal wrap on top, then placed in a Ziploc baggie.

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  4. Thank you Amy! Do you remember if it had water in it or just the crystals? Also, how far was it shipped from? I'm just trying to figure out if I can ship it w/out water. I don't know how long it will last w/out water.

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    Replies
    1. Sorry just noticed this in my reader. It was just the crystals. I had it shipped priority mail from California here to So. IL took 3 days.

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  5. Been curious about kefir....going to read up on it a little but will probably take some. Thank you for the offer! Will be in town quite a bit over the next week so I will call you :)

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  6. Sorry stf1012, I'm not sure who you are? I clicked on your profile and it didn't have any info. Email me so I can know who you are. ctradams11@gmail.com Either way, you are welcome to come get some! =)

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  7. Am loving the kefir! Thanks so much, Melissa, for sharing it with us!

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  8. ooo i want some...can they be mailed??

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  9. I feel like I found this a little late but if you still have some to share I really want to try it out.... If you could email me I we could exchange addresses so I could send you a payment. my email is manarob3rts@gmail.com i look forward to hearing from you.

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  10. I only just saw this post - do you still have kefir crystals? I would happily mail you a check for postage! My email is jessica.barrus.morgan@gmail.com. Thanks so much!

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  11. I would love to try it, if I'm not too late? My addy is ehsshona@yahoo.com
    Thanks, Shona

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  12. I've heard of water kefir, but haven't tried it. I would love to make it. I love you're tutorial. I'm a very visual person, the pix are great! Do you still have some grains to spare? My email is pattyhackler@gmail.com
    Thank you!

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  13. Always late to the party...I would love a starter batch of grains if you are still deluged! You can reach me at: junkaroonie@sbcglobal.net. I'd be happy to pay the postage!
    Regardless, I'm looking forward to reading through your blog!
    ~~Melody

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  14. HI...great info on the kefir grains. Can you tell me where you bought the cloth bag you are using the drain with? THat is a great idea. My milk grains are so hard to find I will use it with them as well.

    thank you, RAchael

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  15. do you still have grains to share?

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  16. Wow, just type a big paragraph and your stupid comment system wiped it out, why was I directed to livejournal to log in?!

    Anyways, you may know some health facts, but you don't know history or religion, that's really obvious otherwise you wouldn't have linked to that Muslim propaganda myth page. Why repeat things without any evidence that they are true, and when they are coming from the equivalent of Nazis? The Quran is a racist, sexist, murderous, thuggish book that sanctions lying. Does that sound familiar? Doesn't it sound like the author is Satan? Why not look up the facts on all the major religions of the world, all the founds, like Mohammed, like the fact that some of his relatives thought he had become demon possessed or was being influenced by them? Even he thought that might have happened to him. There is even the historical "fact" that claims Satan spoke through him, remember "The Satanic Verses"? If you saw a page written by a Nazi talking about how his French relatives discovered Jesus didn't die but had kids and eventually one became Hitler and brought the truth to Germany, and discovered a special herbal tea to cure cancer, would you link to it? Just because something sounds pleasant, or seems harmless, or tastes pleasant, doesn't mean it is, or something you should repeat without careful consideration.

    Wow, I had to repeatedly press publish to get this comment through, with no explanation as to why it wouldn't go through. Maybe that's why you don't have many comments, besides linking to the "Nazi myth" page.

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    Replies
    1. What in the world are you talking about? There is no such link and if there is it was not put there by me! BlogSpot is a very sight that comes with adds that are not chosen by the user. I apologize if you were offended by anything on my blog, but I do not support or promote any religion on my blog. This is a blog for minimalism, healthy eating, frugality, and sustainability.

      Delete
  17. Did you ever figure out how to mail it? I am interested in trying water Kefir for my family. trilynfos@gmail.com

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  18. I am wanting to take some off your hands! I'm in El Paso. I believe mailing in milk jugs would work well. My inlaws ship maple syrup to me in the half gallon jugs. Even plastic PB jars, salsa jars or sturdy sealing liquid type jars would work. Do you do PayPal?

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  19. Hey, I would love to take some off your hands,just double bag them in a ziploc bag and put them in a padded shipping envelop. My first ones were shipped that way and they made it just fine. I no longer have mine because I know people that needed them more than myself. You see,we found out that it helps kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder.I felt that if I gave them to the families that needed themI could find more and here you are. Just let me know how much:)

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  20. I found a kefir wine recipe that depleats the grains, I can send it to you.

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    Replies
    1. Kerrbear, Thank you. You can email it to me at ctradams11@gmail.com or just post it in the comment.

      Delete
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