coconut kefir

Coconut kefir is an effervescent beverage obtained from the fermentation of either coconut water, or coconut milk, with kefir grains. Most people prefer to make kefir with coconut water, and use the remaining coconut meat in a blender to make kefir cheese.

To achieve fermentation, either kefir starter packets or water kefir grains are used, as active kefir cannot be produced from scratch. Kefir grains provide a combination of helpful bacteria and yeasts that will make up part of the human gut flora. While the normal fermentation period is around 24 hours, coconut kefir is reported to have countless health benefits, depending on the type of grains used, and the time it is left to ferment. This means that allowing the concoction to ferment for longer periods of time, and stirring it periodically, will render different types of nutrients.

The fermentation process converts the sugars in the coconut water into useful probiotics, while additional substances are produced, such as folic acid, which is essential to numerous bodily functions (affecting fertility, bone health, memory and mental agility, and many more). In fact, this brew is considered by many health experts to be a superfood, due to its pairing of highly nutritious natural coconut water and probiotic bacteria contained in the kefir grains. Additionally, kefir is reported to possess antimutagenic and antioxidant properties, which help fight all types of cancer and promote overall health.

The preparation process is simple, as it involves extracting the water from three or four young coconuts, heating it to a comfortable 92 degrees (31 Celsius), that will encourage bacterial growth, and blending in the kefir culture. When the product is finalized, the beverage will be bubbly and cloudy in appearance. The taste of this drink depends on the fermentation period, and a longer fermentation time will make the coconut kefir taste more sour (due to increased folate levels).

Coconut kefir can also be purchased in commercial form, and it comes with several flavors, such as strawberry and vanilla.

You'll find bloggers talking about coconut kefir at sites like coconutandlime.com and thespunkycoconut.com.

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