Kefir!
One of the boons of our globalized, interconnected world is that we get to enjoy all those tasty foods other countries were previously hogging for themselves. My most recent discovery in this category is kefir, the traditional fermented milk beverage of the Caucasus. According to Wikipedia, “Traditional kefir was made in skin bags that were hung near a doorway; the bag would be knocked by anyone passing through the doorway to he keep the milk and kefir grains well mixed.”
Nice!
While I suspect the kefir that I buy is probably produced in a more FDA-friendly manner, it’s still got some serious zip. It has a lot more character than yogurt, somehow being simultaneously sweeter and more sour. I mainly eat it on my morning cereal, but I frequently find myself standing in front of the fridge drinking it straight from the bottle. It’s startlingly satisfying and a bit addicting. I’m thinking of getting a skin bag…
It’s also good for your tummy: the bacteria that makes milk into kefir also helps maintain the “natural flora” that inhabit your digestive tract. Along with dietary fiber (from vegetables and whole grains), these bacteria, called probiotics, are a great way to keep your digestive system in good shape.
Now, go get some kefir and do something nice for your colon. When was last time you showed it that it was appreciated?
yes, i agree. Kefir is good for our health so just drink it everyday.
ah! kefir! you should come ’round my neighborhood, everyone thinks it’s the panacea for any sort of malady. i’ve been “prescribed” kefir for infections, the flu, stomach bugs, and even a head cold. and i work with doctors (ukrainan doctors, mind you, but doctors nonetheless)!
Caucasus? Who knows, but I’m sure, that kefir is present in Poland since… always
It’s good idea to add it into mashed potatoes, it helps a bit with hangover (and so does buttermilk – polish: maślanka). There’s a bottle of kefir in my fridge all the time. Try mixing it with mashed strawberries and a bit of sugar – it refreshes great while 35 degree outside, It tastes great in addition to buckwheat groats… The problem is, I didn’t see proper kefir in west from Poland – it’s much more… clear that it suppose to, it isn’t sour enough, and it is too sweet.
Greets from Poland
batwing
“It’s also good for your tummy: the bacteria that makes milk into kefir also helps maintain the “natural flora” that inhabit your digestive tract.”
Ah, all this good stuff probably gets killed off by your stomach juices.
Ah. An excellent point, Mauro. How could I forget about the stomach juices.
You should be a scientician.
Ah, well … don’t keep that from drinking delicious drink.
I assume you mean “scientist”, unless you mean that should be my alias.
Drink responsibly. A friend of my sister used to go through two quarts of kefir a day. She complained to her doctor that she felt dizzy and disoriented throughout the day. She was getting drunk off her homemade kefir. I imagine, as you do Kevin, that which you buy in stores has been alleviated of this property, or that it has at least been mitigated. And with all due respect to this robust liquid, I cannot imagine anyone liking it enough to pound down a half gallon of it every day. How many probiotics does one person really need?