kombucha....

[mom61508]

Anyone make or have success using it? Is kefir better?

[dogmom327]

I'm happy to answer kombucha (and/or kefir) questions

Kefir and kombucha are both excellent--just different. While both consist of yeast and bacteria (different types), kefir is a strong probiotic while kombucha is full of vitamins (lots of B vitamins). Ideally you would use both. Both are quite easy to make. Kefir you make every 24-48 hours while kombucha needs to ferment for 5-30 days.

[Jojo F.]

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[lil_earthmomma]

So kefir is just probiotics!? Darn, I thought it more than that.

ETA: I found this!

In addition to beneficial bacteria and yeast, kefir contains minerals and essential amino acids that help the body with healing and maintenance functions. The complete proteins in kefir are partially digested and therefore more easily utilized by the body. Tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids abundant in kefir, is well known for its relaxing effect on the nervous system. Because kefir also offers an abundance of calcium and magnesium, which are also important minerals for a healthy nervous system, kefir in the diet can have a particularly profound calming effect on the nerves.
Kefir's ample supply of phosphorus, the second most abundant mineral in our bodies, helps utilize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for cell growth, maintenance and energy.

Kefir is rich in Vitamin B12, B1, and Vitamin K. It is an excellent source of biotin, a B Vitamin which aids the body's assimilation of other B Vitamins, such as folic acid, pantothenic acid, and B12. The numerous benefits of maintaining adequate B vitamin intake range from regulation of the kidneys, liver and nervous system to helping relieve skin disorders, boost energy and promote longevity.

http://www.kefir.net/nutrit.htm

[mom61508]

Originally Posted by dogmom327

I'm happy to answer kombucha (and/or kefir) questions

Kefir and kombucha are both excellent--just different. While both consist of yeast and bacteria (different types), kefir is a strong probiotic while kombucha is full of vitamins (lots of B vitamins). Ideally you would use both. Both are quite easy to make. Kefir you make every 24-48 hours while kombucha needs to ferment for 5-30 days.

thank you! I always buy kombucha at whole foods not sure how potent it is buying it from whole foods???
Kefir intimidates me I'm not a big dairy person either and making it with coconut water seems even more intimidating because i can't find coconuts! Do i sound like a big baby yet lol

[dogmom327]

Originally Posted by mom61508

thank you! I always buy kombucha at whole foods not sure how potent it is buying it from whole foods???
Kefir intimidates me I'm not a big dairy person either and making it with coconut water seems even more intimidating because i can't find coconuts! Do i sound like a big baby yet lol

I promise...both kefir and kombucha are very easy to make. The biggest motivations for making your kombucha are cost (it's only $1-$2 gallon to make kombucha if you use organic tea and organic sugar) and the ability to control how long it ferments which affects the taste. To make kombucha you literally make tea with sugar, let it cool, add the culture and some kombucha from a previous batch (which you normally get with your culture), cover the jar with a towel and let it sit for 5-30 days. The whole process is maybe 10 minutes of actual work and nothing about it is difficult.

There are two types of kefir. Dairy kefir you find in the store is very common but not everyone likes the taste (for instance, I can only handle it in smoothies with lots of fruit and raw honey). If you aren't a dairy person, I would check out water kefir. Water kefir can be made with sugar water, juice, coconut water, etc. It's also incredibly easy to make (add the kefir grains/culture to sugar water or juice, cover it with a towel and let it sit for 24-48 hours). Once it's done you can add some fruit, fruit juice or something like a flavor extract to flavor it. If you want to get creative, you can let it sit with the juice in there for a few days to increase the carbonation level and make a soda of sorts.

I know this stuff seems intimidating and I never recommend trying to learn multiple cultures on the same day but the nice thing is that if you get both going, you have quite a bit of time to learn the kefir before the kombucha is done with it's first batch

[dogmom327]

Originally Posted by lil_earthmomma

So kefir is just probiotics!? Darn, I thought it more than that.

ETA: I found this!

In addition to beneficial bacteria and yeast, kefir contains minerals and essential amino acids that help the body with healing and maintenance functions. The complete proteins in kefir are partially digested and therefore more easily utilized by the body. Tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids abundant in kefir, is well known for its relaxing effect on the nervous system. Because kefir also offers an abundance of calcium and magnesium, which are also important minerals for a healthy nervous system, kefir in the diet can have a particularly profound calming effect on the nerves.
Kefir's ample supply of phosphorus, the second most abundant mineral in our bodies, helps utilize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for cell growth, maintenance and energy.

Kefir is rich in Vitamin B12, B1, and Vitamin K. It is an excellent source of biotin, a B Vitamin which aids the body's assimilation of other B Vitamins, such as folic acid, pantothenic acid, and B12. The numerous benefits of maintaining adequate B vitamin intake range from regulation of the kidneys, liver and nervous system to helping relieve skin disorders, boost energy and promote longevity.

http://www.kefir.net/nutrit.htm

Sorry...I didn't mean to imply that kefir is just probiotics but rather that's it's main use for most people where kombucha is mainly consumed for the vitamins and general health effects (all anecdotal).

Another fantastic kefir info resource: http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html

[MoonStarFalling]

I love making kombucha, milk kefir and water kefir. My homemade ktea seems much more potent than store bought. It's worth making at home for the health benefits IMO. I prefer the taste of water kefir vs dairy.