Kefir… tasty pro-biotic beverage and fun home-based science experiment. And one of the favorite things we’ve gained from our time on the Body Ecology Diet. Made with either a starter culture or the more traditional “grains”, kefir is an easy way to get probiotics in your diet and to increase the health benefits of milk while almost eliminating the lactose. You can make kefir with cow and goat milk, coconut water, and other liquids. We generally make our kefir from raw, organic & biodynamically raised cow’s milk from a somewhat local source. Coconut kefir is also a fun pick-me-up that we regularly have in the fridge.

Oh, and just since there seems to be so much confusion… technically, it seems it should be pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable (“ke-feer”) though 95% of the people you’ll hear say it will pronounce it more like “kee-fur”. So pick your poison: sound hoity toity and pronounce it correctly or go with the flow and live with the guilt of mispronunciation. Personally, I alternate.  🙂

Many stores are now carrying commercially made kefir. If you go that route, try to find one that is not pasteurized and doesn’t have a bunch of sugar added. However, we definitely recommend making your own. It’s easy and fun, not to mention way less expensive. Here are some resources to explore if you are interested in making kefir in your home:

Kefir: The Ancient Antidote to Modern Maladies

Kefir grains available from Cultures for Health

Kefir starter from Body Ecology

Lots and lots more info out there with the magical Google. Enjoy!

Note: If you don’t have access to kefir for some reason, you can generally substitute 1/2 plain yogurt and 1/2 milk for the kefir in recipes.