Kickin' It With Kefir

Milk fermented with kefir cultures...if that doesn't make you question where your cow has been then nothing will. The stuff in the bottles pictured above is called Kefir, a low fat cultured milk smoothie. Trust me when I say the stuff is amazing & one of my favorite things to drink!

What is it exactly?  According to the bottle, Kefir is the champagne of dairy, so apparently we're rolling high class today.  What?! No smokin' sneakers to get to your refrigerated section for a swig of this dairy champagne? Well you'll change that apathetic swagger when Kefir tops the charts in Moo-town.

I don't know why I feel the need to give a history lesson, but I guess I just have the urge to share random knowledge so you will be prepared to answer that wacky question correctly on 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' (I do expect a thank you card in case of that scene playing out in your favor).  Kefir was originated by shepherds of the Caucasus mountains.  They discovered that fresh milk carried in leather pouches would ferment into an effervescent beverage.  I have come to the conclusion I would need to plan a career change if I was living in that time, because I really don't think I am brave enough to try spoiled food from a pouch.  Kefir is the fermentation of the kefir "grain," which looks like miniature cauliflower that range in size from wheat kernels to hazelnuts...
       
I promise, the actual drink is smooth...no balls of fermentation will you have to gulp!  These fermented kefir grains contain the magical substance of live probiotic organisms. Awesome, just the fact you were looking for to send you over the edge to consumerism. I don't even know if I'm convincing myself of this product at the moment.

I like to think of Kefir as drinkable yogurt on steroids. I say this because yogurt typically contains two or so live active cultures (probiotics) while Kefir has about 10! Kefir also contains beneficial yeast in combination with its live active cultures, another thing yogurt lacks. Sorry yogurt, it must totally blow to be the dead beat of the family.

According to the Kefir bottle & published research, probiotics enhance your immune system & help balance digestive health. So guess what I'm going to delve into now? You got it...

     Probiotics-->  live organisms (aka bacteria) that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in our very own human gut.  A normal human digestive tract contains around 400 types of probiotics...who would've guessed we're just a ball of walking bacteria?! These probiotics are helpful in breaking down food, reducing the growth of harmful bacteria, & promoting a healthy digestive system. In most cases, people use probiotics to prevent diarrhea caused from antibiotics. I apologize for going there, but you must be informed! Antibiotics kill good bacteria along with the bacteria that is causing the illness. Probiotics are usually found hanging out in yogurt, fermented soy, and dairy products. 

             Post script:  Make sure you aren't confusing probiotics with prebiotics.  Prebiotics work alongside probiotics to stimulate their activity.  Prebiotics are not digested & are useful to help keep the flora of the large intestine up to par. Good night, talk about a brain workout! I think you just earned the right to crawl back into bed. I'm sure your boss wouldn't care if you called in sick from mental exhaustion.  You are developing a better self...who can argue with that?!

 Kefir comes in a variety of flavors & I recommend either peach or strawberry.  I've  yet to have a flavor I didn't like (I must admit, I've only tried 3 different flavors, but so far so great!). You can drink it plain, make a smoothie, or whatever other creative idea you chefs out there have. Who knows, a Kefir kegger might just be what your weekend needs!  WARNING: Due to Kefir's alcohol free content, over-indulging makes one responsible for actions, speech, & conduct. J