Friends often ask me how to ferment food. (One of the reasons I started blogging was to have the information publically in one place; it is easy to share). Kefir is the first fermented food I experimented with. It is SO easy to make!

Kefir contains probiotics as well as many vitamins that are made bio-available by the fermentation process. Lacto-fermented foods are an inexpensive way to obtain probiotics. (Good quality probiotics can be expensive, especially if you have a large family). 

I first heard about it in a book called The Four Hour Body by Tim Ferris. He mentioned consuming fermented foods to help lose weight, and kefir was one of the foods listed.

I had no idea how to find this product in South Korea. I searched for it for a few weeks with no luck. Then, I found a website for a company in Korea that made kefir products. They did not sell directly to the public, but I did get some helpful information from the site. I discovered the Korean word for kefir grains and searched for them on Korean websites. I found some live grains for sale on Gmarket and ordered them immediately.

They arrived packaged in a small container covered with milk. I also received a small plastic colander with it. (Metal can affect kefir grains). Once I had the kefir grains, I walked to the organic grocery store across the street and purchased some organic milk.

Making the kefir was very easy. (I think it is easier than yogurt). All I had to do was place the grains in about 500 ml of milk in a glass jar, cover the jar with cheesecloth, and let it sit on the counter for 12-24 hours before consuming. It is easy to make homemade kefir! The hardest part was getting the courage to drink milk left out for 12-24 hours.

I was nervous to drink it, but I did it. I only let it sit 12 hours the first time and worked my way up to the 24-hour ferment. It was incredibly easy to make. The only part that got annoying was the need for a constant supply of milk. I wanted to keep the kefir grains alive. You can leave them in the fridge for up to two weeks in a container filled with milk if you submerge it in fresh milk once a week. Initially, I fed them every day, so they multiplied pretty quickly. I started giving the grains away because I had too many.

I read you can dehydrate kefir grains. All the grains will not revive upon rehydration, but I will consider doing so in the future instead of letting the grains die.

The taste of kefir acquired; it tastes more sour than yogurt. Goat milk kefir does not taste the same as cow’s milk kefir. I started drinking kefir for the health benefits, not the taste. In The Four Hour Body, Tim Ferris discusses how probiotics can promote weight loss. When I was trying to conceive, I drank kefir because it contains many nutrients. I got pregnant immediately, and I wondered if the kefir contributed to the fast conception. It could be a coincidence, but it would not surprise me if drinking kefir helped prepare my body for pregnancy.

Kefir was my “gateway” ferment. My experience making it paved the way for future ferments.

Have you tried kefir before? What did you think?