Can we chat about kefir?

[ps4624]

I am becoming more concerned about my kombucha habit - I drink about 16 ounces a day and love it, but I have mercury fillings and I am nursing. I want to look for an alternative probiotic drink but I know nothing about kefir. We are grain and dairy free, so I have some questions:

1. This might be the dumbest question ever, but kefir grains are not actually grains, right? It's a bacteria/yeasty thing, isn't it?

2. Can I make kefir from coconut milk?

3. Do I need to be concerned about kefir causing detoxifying while nursing?

4. Is there a website/book/kefir guru that I should reference so that I can become more educated?

Thanks!

[onetrumpeter]

hi

1 - you're right - they're not related to true grains at ALL - yes, they're something like yeast/bacteria... polysaccharides or something?!?!

2 - I've heard you can use other liquids but I think you might need a specific type of grain, er, yeasty/bacteria thing

3 - I don't know about detox effects, if any

4 - I'm blanking on the guy's name but... Dom? Dom's kefir site? I couldn't track the format of the site well, but there's tons of info there. This site's been the best learning source for me as far as kefir help. Well, really once I got some grains and started trying to culture I started learning from experience. They're fun (but mine require mammalian milk, I think)

good luck I've been wanting to try kombucha, but I'm not sure I'm ready to culture something else!

[ltlmrs]

Dom's Kefir Insite More info than you ever needed to know!

That said, kefir will have the same effect with your analgrams as kombucha. There really is not an alternative probiotic drink that won't react because they are all acidic. I've just resigned myself that the leaching from the analgrams is something I cannot control and will just have to live with. Unless we win the lotery and I can get them taken out!

[my_baby_love]

I just started my first batch of kefir today, so I'm no expert (there are others around here, though) but I do know you can make it with coconut milk instead. It's just that the grains need dairy to survive, so you have to put them in dairy sometimes. My DS seems to have a sensitivity to dairy, so I am planning on using coconut milk part of the time.

Also, have you looked into water kefir grains if you are concerned about using milk? They might be another option for you!