Milk kefir is, to put it lightly, an acquired taste. Sour and pungent, milk kefir is a cultured dairy food originally from the Caucuses - the region where Europe meets Asia. There it has been traditionally heralded as an elixir of long life and health.
It seems that there's wisdom in this tradition: milk kefir is rich in beneficial bacteria, phosphorus, vitamin K, biotin, and folate - nutrients that are essential to health and well-being. A single component of milk kefir - kefiran - may prove particularly beneficial as it successfully protects beneficial bacteria from damage in the hostile environment of the digestive tract.
Benefits of Milk Kefir and Kefirans
Milk kefir is strongly anti-inflammatory2 and may prove helpful in combating gastrointestinal distress caused by infections from bacillus cereus3, salmonella, e coli and helictobacter pylori4. Milk kefir is also particularly important in recovering from clostridium difficile infection and associated gastrointestinal discomfort and diarrhea which often accompanies use of antibiotics5. Despite the fact that milk kefir is, itself, a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeasts (or SCOBY), milk kefir also acts as a powerful antimicrobial food - helping to limit the growth of pathogens while encouraging the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract.
Milk kefir, like other cultured dairy foods, may also play a role in the prevention of cancer as it exhibits antitumoural effects6. Cultured dairy foods, including milk kefir, have been found to play a role in the prevention and treatment of bladder cancer7, breast cancer8 and colon cancer9. Indeed, some researchers have concluded that milk kefir may be one of the most promising foods when it comes to cancer prevention10.
How to Make Milk Kefir
Milk kefir is cultured from a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY) that is coloquially referred to as kefir grains. The appearance of these small colonies of bacteria and yeast vaguely resembles that of cottage cheese or even cauliflower. Milk kefir grains are white, lumpy and gelatinous and are comprised primarily of lactic acid producing bacteria including lactobacillus brevis, streptococcus thermophillus, lactobacillus casei, lactobacillus helveticus, lactobacillus delbrueckii as well as yeasts that include candida maris, candida inconspicua and saccharomyces cerevisiae11. Though, of course, strains of bacteria present may differ from one culture of grains to another.
Obscure and exotic as it may seem, milk kefir is neither difficult to acquire nor difficult to prepare. As with many traditional foods, its beauty lies in its simplicity. It's easy to begin preparing kefir and incorporating it into your family's dietary rotation. Once you've acquired a kefir grains, simply mix them in with milk - preferably raw - and allow it to culture at room temperature for 24 - 48 hours. As it cultures at room temperature, the beneficial strains of bacteria and benign natural yeasts will proliferate, metabolize the milk's lactose and create a sour, thick beverage replete with vitamins, probiotics, kefiran and other nourishing components. The longer milk kefir cultures the more sour and folate-rich it becomes, but take care not to culture it too long lest it become unpalatable.
Tony Christiansen says
Can you use Raw Goats milk to make the Kefir?
Jenny says
Yes, you sure can.
Anna Schroeder says
Thank you so much for this article! I am just learning about traditional foods, and I am trying to introduce my family to them! My husband is lactose intolerant, but he can have homemade yogurt. I have started making kefir this last week, and have been using stevia to sweeten it. I am hoping to start my son drinking it as well as my husband. My husband also has severe eczema and I have heard that it helps combat that as well. How long eating cultured foods, does it take to have healthy gut flora?
lynda says
I have the milk grains to make milk kefir. A local dairy makes fantastic milk kefir and also sells water kefir starter. I have been ordered off my feet for now due to an injury and I can't make my normal yogurt. I have been making milk kefir with the local dairy's milk by taking a quart of milk kefir, using 4 quart Ball jars, I fill the jars to the bottom of the Ball seal on the jars. Then I take their milk and fill the jars to the point I would if I were canning. I then put the tops on. I let sit out on the counter until they have thickened like the original milk kefir. This is normally about 8-12 hours depending on the temperature. I then put back in the refrigerator.
This has worked fine for us with no trouble.
Melissa says
Thanks for this well researched article. I'm making kefir over here in Northern Laos with the only milk I can get - UHT boxed milk. Not ideal, but my grains seem to be thriving, so I continue to make and drink it. Hoping I can get my own goat someday.
Rebecca says
Has anyone tried continuous brew milk kefir?
Ken says
Great article!
I make kefir, yogurt and other cultured foods regularly and I've found that adding a starter culture with more different bacteria strains can be an advantage of you're treating a condition (like I do). The taste is similar a using grains, just a bit more tart and many more bacteria. I've tried many ways but Bodyecology Kefir starter culture is great, same with using Mercola Complete Probiotics; I just empty a few capsules in a bowl of raw milk and let it sit for 24 hours.
KELLEY says
Can you flavor the Kefir with fruit? LIke strawberries, bananas, blueberries etc...? IF so when in the process can that happen?
Thanks!
fennel says
I use sheeps milk and buffalo milk, when I can get it, and the kefir seems to love it and grows really well duing those ferments. I left it in the UHT when I went away for 2 weeks and it is not looking well at the moment but I hope it will recover with a bit of care.
What I would like to ask is has anybody used kefir for ice cream, and is it successful,and also is it still as healthy in a frozen state? If anybody has a good recipe you could share I would be grateful.
Mary Hancy says
How long will raw milk kefir last. I have still drunk it when it has been a couple of months old but now I have some that is more like 3-4 months old. I have used some of the whey off the top a few times but just keep forgeting about my kefir. Also, will my kefir grains that I have kept in water still be good? They have sat for at least a few months unused before.
Doreen says
I love my kefir, I have some every morning - some morning its more tart than other mornings, but it did take some getting used to. I knew it was a good way to get the desired beneficial bacteria, but had no idea it was loaded with goodness. Thanks for the great information.
Melissa says
our first attempt at keifer didn't turn out thick, but as thin as the (raw) milk we started with, only sour. The instructions I used said to heat milk to 86 degrees, add culture, stir, then let sit at room temp. I guess my question is..............WHAT is room temp? We keep our house pretty cool in the winter, around 65, so I wrapped it in a towel once warmed, and put it down in an empty stock pot to keep it warm for the 24 hours and it actually fell to 70 degrees . I'm wondering if it got too cool and this is why it didn't 'turn out'?
Jenny says
It sounds like you're using a prepackaged starter rather than true kefir grains which likely accounts for the difference in consistency / quality. Room temperature, as far as fermentation is concerned, is about 68 to 80 degrees F.
sauerkraut says
I just got some kefir grains from a friend. My first batch did not turn out good. In 24 hours It totally separated from the whey and I had this huge ball on the top of the whey. Any ideas what I have done wrong? I used organic raw milk. This milk is the fattest I have ever had, it is almost like light cream. This is the season in New Zealand when the grass is very rich and growing like crazy. Can that be a problem?
Julie N says
That's what happens to my yoghurt when I culture it too hot for too long. Maybe the same problem?
jackie says
I have a question. I would like to start making our morning smoothies with milk kiefer. I would like to make a quantity of smoothies to freeze ahead of time to make it easier on our health care aid who makes breakfast for mom. My question is does freezing inhibit the benifits of the cultures in the milk kiefer? Or should the smoothies be made fresh daily? Thanks for your blog, I have learned so much!
Polly Jobe says
We like to pour it over any kind of fruit or sip it out of a mug. I like to eat a handful of pecans with it. I think it helps me sleep better at night.
Kaye says
I know this is an old topic, but does the mason jar need to be sterilized? I am absolutely petrified of botulism ...
Lanise says
Hi, I'm hoping you can help me with my kefir. I recently rehydrated some DKG I got from Cultures for Health. Now I'm trying to make kefir with it. What exactly is it supposed to look/smell like when it is ready? Mine seems to go from really milky (maybe a little coagulation) to thick, almost solid (like really thick yogurt). Also, my grains don't seem to be growing. Any thoughts as to why?
Millie says
During the summer we had kefir smoothies almost daily. With winter here we make less smoothies and more kefir cheese. Will you share a frozen yogurt recipe using kefir?