Milk Kefir Recipe

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Nutrition Consultant for people on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

Originally published on October 12, 2018.

This traditional milk kefir has only two ingredients; milk and starter, straight up, simple stuff. I was introduced to kefir on Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) to heal my systemic yeast overgrowth. This kefir reduced my cravings, cleared my acne, and took away endless stomach bloating.

My husband hails from Czech Republic and drank milk kefir growing up as this traditional food is still very popular in Europe, along with cultured butter and creme fraiche.

Why kefir is kefir.

When milk is kefired, the probiotics in the starter wake up and get to work at digesting/splitting apart the milk protein (casein) and consuming the milk sugar (lactose). Both of which make milk easier-to-digest for humans, especially if you are lactose intolerant. Kefir contains enzymes, putting milk kefir in the category of a pre-digested food rich in probiotics. Traditional milk kefir can help to keep the gut environment in a balanced pH state.

The recipe below is not made with ‘grains’ but with strains of flora desirable for those healing yeast overgrowth (i.e. Candida), bacterial infections (i.e. GBS+), or a viral condition (i.e. Coronavirus). This is not a wild ferment like other milk kefir (or kombucha) sold at the market.

The flora/probiotics in the starter coat the gut to create a perfect nest for them to live and colonize in. This is good, because the more good flora living in your gut, means less bad flora (yeast, bacteria, viruses) will be allowed to live in there. This is because the good flora kill them off, a.k.a. ‘die-off’ and keep them in balance. This is how milk kefir (+ other probiotic food) can help you; especially if you pair with Body Ecology Diet.

Tips and tricks for making milk kefir.

Easy to make.

Milk kefir is easy to make. Just go slow once you begin to drink it (especially if you have dairy sensitivities) as the strains of probiotics in this kefir are potent and activate new movement throughout your entire digestive system. For this reason, introduce milk kefir, and other unsalted cultured food, by the spoonful. If you have a chronic digestive issue, you might want to avoid dairy, cultured or not, altogether until your gut ‘heals n seals’ or until you digest food without discomfort.

Milk Kefir Recipe for Body Ecology Diet

Instructions

Thoroughly clean a Mason glass jar with an airtight fitting lid.

Gently heat 1-quart of milk to skin temperature (about 92 F).

Add packet of kefir starter*, whisk and put a lid on the jar.

Let sit at 72-75 F for 18-24 hrs. until slightly thick, with pleasant sour aroma and taste.

Once thick, shake well, and put in the refrigerator.

*I use Body Ecology’s starter because contains potent strains of probiotics that can’t be destroyed by antibiotics, fluoride, stomach acid, chlorinated water, etc. before they reach the gut. Unlike most probiotics on the market, these flora strains remain intact as they travel through the intestines and make home to keep you balanced.

Transfer Instructions

Don’t drink ALL of this initial batch you’ll want to begin another batch. This is called a “transfer” and is best done within 3 days of making 1st batch. That way things will be fresh and there’s less risk of your husband drinking it all before you make more 🙂
If you want to make another quart of milk kefir, save 6 Tbsp. of initial batch and add that to warm milk. Best not to add more than recommended amounts or may get sour kefir and need to start over. You can repeat this transfer up to 7 times before you need to make a new batch with a new starter packet.

So, if you want…

1 quart of fresh kefir = add in 6 Tbsp. of your previous batch into this amount of fresh milk
1/2 gallon = 2/3 c. of previous batch ” “
1 gallon = 1 c. of previous batch ” “

And on you go. I find that kefir has a hard time catching after I go past about 10 transfers. You will learn as you go by smell and taste. My experience is that the better care I take of my initial batches (#1 and #2) then the more I can milk them. No pun intended!

Campbell-McBride, N. MD. (2011). Gut and Psychology Syndrome. Soham, Cambridge; Medinform Publishing.

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

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links for products I believe in and use on a regular basis. See more here. All content is for general information only, primarily educational in nature, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your primary health-care practitioner that you, the reader, may require for any cause whatsoever, now or in future. Consult your primary practitioner regarding any health problem(s) you have and keep them informed to the opinions, ideas, and advice on this site that you find useful. Full disclaimer here. Please email tara@happybellies.net for any questions or concerns that you have.

May all bellies be happy!