How To Use Water Kefir Grains To Heal Your Gut
Did you catch my Facebook Live where I ate 10-year old RAW cabbage….and lived to tell about it? We talked about the importance of fermented and cultured foods…and getting over the fear of both making and eating them! Make sure to check it out here!
What Are Water Kefir Grains, and How Do You Use Them?
Making water kefir is one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways to get tons of live priobiotics to your gut. Water kefir “grains” are actually little cultures of good bacteria that eat prebiotic sugars, creating live probiotics and enzymes that are essential for gut health. (You use them over and over, generally you don’t have to buy more–but I keep giving them away, so I bought a new package, and wow are these good.)
The directions on water kefir tell you to make a sugar water solution, add the grains, and then let it sit for a few days while the fermentation process supposedly eats up all the sugar, leaving you with the resulting probiotics and enzymes.
That’s the marketing premise behind store-bought kombucha, by the way–but if the probiotic organisms consume all the sugars, why does it taste so sweet?
Why You DON’T Need Sugar To Make Water Kefir
I don’t EVER use sugar to make my water kefir grow, despite what the directions say. First, I use the BEST SOURCE for grains, and second, I use organic coconut water. The coconut water provides natural prebiotic “sugars” to feed the culture.
Need proof? Check this out!
In about a week, these kefir grains formed a MOTHER on top. I’ve never seen any store-bought grains do this. (They’ll still ferment stuff even without a mother, but this is so cool!)
The mother, called in some applications, a “scoby,” is a colony of live probiotic organisms that forms into a mass, actively making more kefir grain babies and clear evidence that culturing is going well.
I pour a new box of organic coconut liquid into the jar, and a day later, I pour the liquid OUT into my blender to make me and my son a Hot Pink Breakfast Smoothie, leaving the grains and this beautiful jelly-fish-looking large, flat “mother” (almost as big as the diameter of the jar) in. Then I add another box of coconut liquid for the next day.
The coconut liquid is so fermented, in just one day, that it’s fizzy like soda and wonderfully tart when I pour it out! Best grains ever!
Here’s the Amazon link again, if you want to get some.
And if you don’t know WHY you want to culture foods to rehabilitate your gut health…you really need to join us for my FREE VIDEO MASTERCLASS going on right now.
What foods fight inflammation, and which cause it. Foods that rehab your gut. How to beat your food addictions, fast. How to make 12 simple shifts in a year, for the healthiest year of your life. My 5 best tips to eat super healthy, super cheap!
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Posted in: 12 Steps To Whole Food, Events, GSG Foods for Health
Love your work.
I’m very new to water kefir — 1 week. I’ve been using coconut water. I love it. I think I’ve got a small “mother” going. Do I want to leave her with her baby grains? Or should/can I separate just the mother without grains?
And should I be rinsing my grains at all before I start a new batch?
Thanks for your help.
Hi Emily, good job! Don’t separate them, and no need to rinse.
hi just clicked through to those grains. first ingredient is sugar in with the grains. but i guess that would diminish fast, as they would eat it up and then if you use your method of using the coconut water (and its natural sugar it contains) as their food source.
I just bought these kefir grains about 2 weeks ago and am on my 3rd batch of water kefir! If you’re using coconut water, how much are you adding for each batch – the same 3-4 cups as you would the water? And are you making a batch daily? I couldn’t go through that much at a time, lol! Currently I’m letting it culture for 48 hours and that is working well, I just don’t know what changes I would need to make for coconut water. Thanks!!
I believe Robin uses about 12 Oz of coconut water daily as that is what the hot pink breakfast smoothie calls for and is ldft to ferment for 24 hours. You can alternate between coconut water and sugar water. Nothing else is needd to ferment the coconut water, just pour it into the grains. Hope this helps.
DO you ever need to do anything or replace the mother/grains?
Or do you just forever add coconut water?
The mother/ grains are living and will continue to make kefir as long as you continue feeding them. They will also multiple so you may have to reduce them if you get too many fire the amount of kefir you want to make. When you reduce them you can eat the extras for more healthy probiotics.
When starting this do I leave my jar on the counter or in the refrigerator and then after the same question…store on counter or in fridge? Sorry if you covered this and I missed it. Thanks.
During the fermentation process leave it on the counter. After you have removed the grains you can store the finished kefir in the fridge. Add more sugar water or coconut water to the grains and start a new batch.
Have you heard of alkaline water sticks Sounds confusing I want the link
Listening on face book from my email
boxed? coconut water? how much?
would love to try this….how much coconut water do I use in a large mason jar please?
If using water, how much sugar do you use?
I am currently allergic to coconut. Is there anything else besides sugar water that I can use?
If I take a day or week off, do I store the grains on the counter or in the fridge?I have the grains and the coconut water. I’m excited to try this and make a new one each day (leaving it on the counter to ferment)for my smoothie.
My question is:
When I go out of town, can I just store the grains /mother in the jar in the fridge? Them when I’m back in town pour in a new box of coconut water to my grains, move it to the counter to make a new batch?Tia!
I need to know this also. Wish someone could tell us.
Lynn, I had the same question and found this. I hope it is helpful.
http://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/water-kefir/how-to-take-a-break-from-making-water-kefir/
Thank you so much Suzanne! Very helpful!
Ditto on Michele Olsen’s question. ..what if we can’t have coconut water? I also cannot tolerate ANY sugar at the moment. Thanks
When the mother forms, can it be used to ferment the coconut water?
After several uses the grains begin to multiply. Can the mass of grains be divided and used to make two batches, then four and so on? If I can do this, I can share with my friends.
I want to make this a very large part of my life and would like to work on making many flavors so it doesn’t get old. I can always make different flavors.
Thank you for answer, ideas and more.
Happy life to all.
Yes, divide to make 2 batches, then 4 etc and share with friends.
The organic coconut water you recommend is in a can – isn’t that lined with BPA?
Same question as Candance, you said pour the box of coconut water , but the link to Amazon is in a can…. is there another good organic brand to use?
12 oz of coconut water every day sounds expensive. Why not let the grains eat the sugar? Pour off the liquid from the grains after about 2 days and refrigerate until the sweetness or non-sweetness you require. If you top it with a tight top it will create a bit of a fizz. Be sure to open it or drink it so the pressure doesn’t build up and break the container. As for the grains: Add new sugar-water to the grains every 2 days or so.
I am allergic to coconut and cane sugar. Any other substitutes that would work?
Is this drink ok for people with systemic Candida? Either the coconut water or the sugar fed kefir water? I can’t tolerate sugar at all…. 12 blueberries a day is my max. The Candida is triggered so easily & I am desperate to regain my health.
I had been making kombucha with green tea and sugar, can I use the scobi from that to start a sugarless coconut batch? ( If they are still good, it has been in my cupboard for several months)