By Derek Henry, Holistic Health Coach for Healing the Body
Kefir is a magical drink that is produced through the fermentation of milk or coconut water that renders a powerful probiotic that can heal the body in ways you have never imagined. A few ounces of this elixir a day can provide a renewed sense of life that is unparalleled by any other beverage. Let’s take a look at a common coconut kefir recipe, the steps to ensure you make a high quality version of it, and the benefits of consuming it on a regular basis.
Source High Quality Coconut Water
One of the first things you want to do is source a high quality coconut water to make this coconut kefir recipe as potent and medicinal as possible.
For those who would like to make it from ’scratch', simply venture to your local grocery or health food store and secure some fresh young thai coconuts (not the mature, hard shell coconuts). The water contained within these coconuts is the primary raw ingredient in making your coconut water kefir delicious and healing to the body. If you choose this method, make sure you strain the water to remove any foreign material.
If you are unsure of your supply of young thai coconuts, or simply how you get into them to get the water, you can also purchase a high quality coconut water (typically frozen) so you don’t have to deal with the adventure of opening up a young thai coconut.
For those who need to figure out how to crack those coconuts, watch this video:
Gently Warm Coconut Water and Add Sweetener
Once you have secured your source of coconut water, your next step is to put in in a clean pot and gently warm it to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit (which will be ‘warm’ but not hot to the skin). At this time you can also add a natural sweetener (honey, coconut sugar, cane sugar) to the solution to facilitate a strong fermentation, and therefore reproduction of the friendly bacteria you are going to cultivate.
Add Probiotic Cultures to Coconut Water
The real magic in this coconut kefir recipe happens once you add your starter culture to your existing solution above, which creates an environment for the bacteria to ‘eat’ the existing sugars, which creates the fermentation process that will eventually result in a bubbly probiotic beverage that is highly bioavailable and healing to your digestive system.
Simply follow the instructions on your culture starter (simply adding it to the warmed solution above typically will suffice) and add it to the solution and stir vigorously. No coconut kefir recipe is complete without adding the culture!
Place in Airtight Container for 24-72 Hours
Your next step is to place this warmed beverage into an airtight container so it can begin to ferment and turn into a bubbly probiotic beverage that is filled with healthy strains of beneficial microflora.
Some choose glass, and others choose plastic bottles (BPA free preferably). The choice is yours, just make sure it seals properly and it sits between 72-77F to allow proper fermentation.
* At times fermentation can become so vigorous that it threatens the very casing it is in due to pressure. If using plastic bottles, you can ’measure‘ this pressure by flexing the bottles to see how tight they become with pressure. If they become very rigid, it’s a good idea to relieve some of the pressure by unscrewing the cap at that time to let some pressure off, then retightening and putting the bottle into the refrigerator to slow down the fermentation, and make it available to drink at any time. ’Kefir bombs’ have been known to occur from vigorous fermentation left unchecked, so please ensure you monitor to avoid having kefir ‘rain’ in your kitchen!
Refrigerate and Consume
After the initial fermentation is complete, you can now place your coconut kefir in the refrigerator to slow down the process. The coconut kefir will continue to ferment, and you will want to consume in 4-7 days to avoid further fermentation and destruction of the flavour that is coconut kefir!
Congratulations! Your coconut kefir recipe is complete!
Coconut Kefir Benefits
The benefits of coconut kefir are comprehensive, but from a high level view this probiotic beverage is very healing to the digestive system and the liver, and creates a strong immune system that is ultimately responsible for your good health.
In your digestive system, coconut kefir will enhance hydration and recolonize your gut and mucous membranes with healthy strains of beneficial microflora. It has been compared with yogourt, but coconut kefir is superior when it comes to the wide variety of microflora and therefore has a more potent effect on the digestive system than any yogourt.
Coconut kefir also contains beneficial yeasts that are known to hunt out and destroy pathogenic yeasts in the body. These beneficial yeasts are considered the best defense against dangerous yeast organisms like Candida. They clean, purify, and strengthen the intestinal walls and help the body become more efficient in resisting dangerous pathogens such as E Coli, Salmonella, and intestinal parasites.
Keep in mind we have 10x more bacteria in our body than cells, so creating an optimal environment for bacterial balance is paramount. Poor bacterial balance can cause blood sugar imbalances, sugar cravings, weight gain, poor immunity, low energy and digestive disturbances. Coconut kefir helps heal all of these problems by restoring balance to the microflora of the body. It also helps assimilate nutrients in the gut & enhance the usage of certain trace minerals & B vitamins.
Coconut kefir’s excellent nutritional content offers healing and health benefits to people regardless of condition. The regular use of it can help relieve intestinal disorders, promote bowel movement, reduce flatulence and create a healthier digestive system.
The bottom line is that coconut kefir cleanses the body and balances the inner ecosystem for greater health and longevity. This is just the start to creating a whole new you, and to take it a step further and dramatically increase your odds and time frame to achieve health you never imagined, check into this health program.
Coconut Kefir in Your Daily Routine
The most simple way to ingest coconut kefir is through a straight shot or add to your smoothie first thing in the morning. You can also add it to other beverages that can create a ’sparkling' effect (like juice), which enhances your ability to get others to consume it who may have initial resistance to drink it (even though the taste is not offensive, and for many, very enjoyable over time).
If you are new to coconut kefir, 2 to 4 ounces a day is a good start. Some people take it first thing in the morning to wake themselves and their digestive systems up, and before bed when the friendly bacteria often do their best work (which also helps withs sleep). Others drink it before each meal for optimal digestion. There is really no bad time to take it, but the benefits will be enhanced for you if taken during one of these times, or all of them!
The bottom line with your coconut kefir recipe is following the steps above as closely as possible to create the most tasty and healing coconut kefir possible. If you would like to watch a video that will give you further information and show you how it’s done, check this out.
*Image of “coconut“ via Shutterstock
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