Young Green Coconut Kefir (using fresh or bottled coconut water)

Young Green Coconut Kefir (using fresh or bottled coconut water)

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Nutrition Consultant specialized in helping people regain natural gut microbiome after yeast, bacterial, and viral infections.

Method

Choose young green coconuts that have no mold or discoloration.

Scald utensils, jars and equipment in boiling water before using.

Cut thin slices from bottom of coconut until a white/brown ring appears.

Hammer 3 holes around top “cone” of coconut with mallet and screwdriver (or Coco Jack)

Place coconut cone-side down into pint-sized jar with the wide mouth funnel

Poke through white/brown ring soft spot on coconut base with knife tip.

Filter each coconut through fine mesh strainer into pint-size Mason jar with funnel in top. Do 1 coconut at a time to be sure “water” isn’t old (pink, sour, thick, cloudy). Pour into small pot. If step is skipped, the risk of contaminating good coconut water with bad coconut water increases. 

Heat gently in pot over low heat until 92°F. Overheating destroys enzymes, vitamins, and flora (START HERE IF USING BOTTLED COCONUT WATER).

Pour warm coconut water into quart-size Mason jar, with 1” for expansion

Add packet of kefir starter and teaspoon of ecobloom.

Screw lid on tightly and shake to dissolve the starter.

Kefir 30-36 hours at 70-75° F (see below) until foamy, cloudy, light in color. If house is colder, place jars in insulated cooler or cardboard box with oven kit, hot water bottle, or heating pad loosely covering top.

• As mixture cultures, the probiotics in the starter wake up and feed on coconut’s natural sugars.
• Once done, kefir should be slightly cloudy with a foamy top, tart ‘n spritzy taste and gentle hint of coconut.
• I kefir at 80-85°F. Though most recipes say 70-75° F, I find higher temp help kefir ‘catch’. 
• Maintaining a stable temperature during kefiring ensures a successful batch. Beneficial flora grow best with consistency. If home temp is warm by day, cool by night, the risk of spoiling a batch increases. In this circumstance, look into purchasing an oven kit to maintain steady temperatures. less reliable, you can also use a hard plastic cooler lined with a seed/heating pad. Make sure to place a thermometer inside to keep a consistent temperature – VERY IMPORTANT. Also, can use oven with light on/door propped open. Keep in mind that kefiring lower than 80-85 degrees F will take 24-48 hours. I find temperature needs to be above 75 degrees to get a good kefir. 

Store kefir in fridge 4-5 days. Will last up to 2 weeks, though will be flat by then. If goes too long, will turn alcoholic.

Feed kefir every couple of days with ½ tsp of EcoBloom (optional).

Enjoy 2 ounces a day, gradually working up to a therapeutic dose of 1 cup.

Transfer some of this initial batch to start a second batch:

• Do within 3 days of making first batch of YCK.
• Add 6 Tbs from first batch to “transfer” probiotics to next batch (1 quart) of fresh, warm coconut water.
• Follow instructions above to kefir new batch. Subsequent batches take 12 hrs. to catch instead of 30-36 hrs (but again, I incubate at 80-85°F). If you kefir at a lower temp, then will likely take 24-48 hours.
• On you go, using previous batch of YCK to get next jar going (can do up to 7 x’s).
• If batch spoils, start fresh with a new packet of starter.
• Drink lots? Use 2/3 cup of 1st batch to start half-gallon fresh coconut water.

See tips & tricks for making young coconut kefir (coming soon).

*B.E.D. kefir starter contains potent strains of probiotics that can help balance pathogenic overgrowth and your inner ecosystem. Unlike most probiotics, the ones in this starter aren’t easily destroyed by antibiotics, fluoride, stomach acid, or chlorine. This means that they survive the trip to your intestines to work their magic.

**EcoBloom is prebiotic fiber made of 100% chicory extract powder (a.k.a. Frutafit Inulin/FOS) and quick and easy food for the friendly, beneficial microflora living in your gut without feeding the excess yeast/pathogenic flora also living in your gut. When friendly flora are nourished with food they can easily eat, they are better at doing the job of suppressing pathogenic growth; reducing toxins in liver/colon; stimulating immune system; reducing colon pH; and enhancing absorption of minerals. EcoBloom can be added to baked goods, dressings, etc. Added to coconut kefir/pudding, can help these already potent foods become even better.  

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References

Gates, D. (2010). The Body Ecology Diet.  Bogart, GA: B.E.D. Publications

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May all bellies be happy!