Kefir is a fermented beverage that is simple to prepare but rich in healthy properties as it is an "active" drink, prepared from live cultures . The most famous version is perhaps the milk kefir .
But perhaps not everyone knows that ... kefir can also be prepared with vegetable drinks (soy, rice, almonds for example), for the vegan world, or even just with water, for a completely vegan, gluten-free and (almost) kefir zero calories.
Preparing kefir at home is easy, starting with Kefir grains, natural water and some aromatic ingredients ... and then? Let's discover the kefir of water and how to prepare it at home.
Water Kefir: how to prepare it at home, ingredients
We can prepare water kefir at home and have fun varying tastes at will.
> 3 granules of water Kefir;
> 1 l of natural water;
> 30 g of whole sugar or a handful of stevia leaves;
> 3 cloves of lemon or lime or lime or two tablespoons of blueberries;
> 1 dried fruit (apricot, fig, date or plum);
> 1 cinnamon stick, or a vanilla pod or ginger powder (a teaspoon) or slices (2-3 slices);
> 1 glass jar of approximately 1.5 l capacity;
> 1 dishcloth and an elastic band.
Water kefir, how to prepare it at home: preparation
Pour the water and sugar into the glass jar (stirring until dissolved: pour some warm water to dissolve the sugar, then let it cool thoroughly) or the stevia leaves.
Then follow these steps:
> Introduce the kefir grains, the lemon or blueberries, the dried fruit, cinnamon or vanilla or ginger;
> cover with the cloth tied with an elastic band;
> let stand at room temperature (about 20-22 degrees) for 48 hours, no more to avoid excessive fermentation;
> mix from time to time ;
> before drinking, strain with a sieve.
Kefir of water, how to prepare it at home: notes
To get a healthy and healthy drink with water Kefir, here are some warnings:
> Do not use honey to sweeten, as it is not compatible with kefir ferments;
> The fruit, fresh and dried, and the spices used must be organic, in order not to release any harmful substance in Kefir;
> To slow down the fermentation process, you can leave the Kefir with water in the refrigerator;
> Water kefir can be used as a base for many centrifuged and smoothies made with fresh fruit and / or vegetables;
> In water kefir there is alcohol (given by the fermentation of microorganisms) in a quantity ranging between 0.2% and 1% depending on the type and percentage of added sugars, fermentation time and the amount of air available; in anaerobiosis (airless, therefore with the container almost full of liquid and sealed with a metal cap) alcoholic fermentations prevail and a more alcoholic beverage is obtained. We must take this into account when administering kefir to the elderly, children and people with liver or kidney problems.
