Kefir – one of many ancient treasures
The people of the Caucasian Mountains believe that Mohammed gave kefir grains as a gift to them and instructed them on how to use the grains. The “Grains of the Prophet” kept secret from outsiders for generations were transfered as a source of family and tribal wealth from one generation to to the next. In 1908, Irina Sakharova brought the first Caucasian kefir grains to Moscow. Since then kefir became a very popular health drink in Russia, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Romania, Hungary and Poland.
Kefir is the best natural probiotic. Traditional kefir is a fermented milk drink (similar to yogurt) produced by kefir grains which are a complex community of bacteria and yeasts in a matrix of proteins, lipids, and sugars.
It contain different types of beneficial bacteria (called probiotics) which promotes healthy intestinal flora, builds the immune system and helps the body protect against pathogenic bacteria, viruses and fungal/yeast infections. Kefir grains metabolize the lactose out of the milk in exchange for it’s probiotics it gives back to the milk.
Kefir is far more probiotic than yogurt. Yogurt contain 1-3 probiotics. Kefir contains 10 probiotics and several of them such as Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, and Streptococcus species are not found in yogurt.
Kefir also contains beneficial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces kefir and Torula kefir which penetrating the intestinal mucosal lining eliminate pathogenic yeasts in the body.
Kefir is superior to yogurt and more beneficial to the digestive tract than yogurt. Yogurt contains transient bacteria which will not repopulate the digestive tract, they last only a few days and die off. Unlike yogurt, kefir contains massive quantities of healthy active strong strains of microorganisms that are growing, increasing in number, thriving in cultured milk which will coat the digestive tact and help them establish residence there.
Real kefir can be produced only by traditional methods at home and only from original grains.
Use certified live Kefir grains and organic milk (or raw milk), then combine them in a glass jar and let the mixture ferment for 24-48 hour at room temperature. The home-made kefir from natural live Kefir grains is a marvelous health food better than commercial kefir, dietary supplements or probiotic freeze-dried bacteria pills!
Proven Health Benefits of kefir.
In the in the early 1900’s Nobel Prize winner Dr. Elie Metchnikoff was one of the first scientists to recognize the benefits of eating fermented foods. He devoted the last decade of his life to investigating means of increasing human longevity by the consumption of lactic acid-producing bacteria.
Here’s a comprehensive list of kefir health benefits compiled from from an endless number of scientific publications which show that Kefir:
- Provides anti-aging and weight-loss proprieties and makes human body stronger in resisting pathogens and intestinal parasites;
- Kefir is rich in vitamins B12, B1, B, minerals and amino acids;
- Helps keep the colon clean and healthy;
- Easy to digest and a great food for babies;
- Is good for arthritis and rheumatism;
- Has a good beneficial influence on the heart, high blood pressure and heals circulatory conditions;
- Helps with constipation, sleep disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, herpes, depression;
- Regulates blood sugar;
- Helps control cholesterol and osteoporosis;
- Heals the pancreas, the liver and gllabladder;
- Improves metabolism and digestion;
- Helps with colitis, diarrhea, duodenum and ulcers;
- Helps people intolerant to lactose;
- Helps cure vaginitis.