“If you want to do something well, do it yourself” - surely many of you had this thought in your head when you took a product from a supermarket shelf and read the composition. Indeed, most foods today contain a lot of all kinds of additives. Sometimes it is possible to find only a few more or less understandable ingredients, and everything else: substitutes, stabilizers and other intricate components. But how will this affect health? Unfortunately, we must admit that most manufacturers do not really care about the health of their customers. This topic is most relevant for young parents, because such a "modernization" has long touched on dairy products. Today we’ll talk about just one of these. Is it possible to cook kefir at home yourself, what is the leaven for kefir and how to use it correctly.
About fermented milk products
Let's first determine what kefir is and what is its value for our body. Prepare such a drink from milk. A special yeast for kefir is introduced into it - bacterial cultures and fungi, which, once in a favorable environment, begin to grow rapidly and excrete products of their vital activity into milk. Thus, a drink undergoes a certain fermentation, due to which its composition changes and becomes saturated with elements useful to humans. The microorganisms that are used for starter culture, in themselves, are good for health - they play the role of probiotics that positively affect the intestinal microflora and are harmful to pathogenic bacteria. That is why when poisoning with low-quality products, it is recommended to drink kefir. In addition, the drink has a number of nutrients, enhances immunity, cleanses the body and helps to better absorb lactose.
About sourdough
Today, sourdough for kefir is sold in pharmacies, grocery and specialty stores. It is enough to follow the instructions on the package - and it’s not difficult to prepare homemade yogurt kefir. But sourdoughs are different. You can buy dry sourdough, or you can make it yourself. Purchased starter cultures contain several types of bacteria at once, with their help it is possible to cook not only kefir, but also other, very different useful sour-milk products, it is much more convenient to use them.
Do you have ready-made kefir at home?
Sourdough for kefir is a colony of bacteria, and if you have kefir in your refrigerator, then you can safely use it to prepare a new portion. You only need to create a favorable environment for the development of fungi, and to do this is not at all difficult. Boil a liter of fresh milk, and then cool to a temperature of 40 degrees. Milk can be taken homemade or store, this is not so important. After that add 5-6 tablespoons of the finished kefir to it, close the container with a lid, wrap with a towel and put it in a warm place for 12 hours. Such a yeast for kefir will allow you to get a young one-day home-made kefir. A medium-density drink will be obtained after a day, but a mature and dense kefir will be ready only after 2-3 days. You can use ready-made kefir as a starter for one week.
Dry shop sourdough
Dry yogurt for kefir is presented in a wide assortment, you only need to choose the most suitable option for you. How does such a product work, because it doesn’t seem alive at all, can it be trusted? The bacteria you need are actually living, but dried in a special way. The manufacturer immerses them in a kind of "hibernation", increasing the shelf life. As soon as the fungi get into a favorable environment, they are activated and will soon give you a tasty and healthy drink. Using such a product is convenient, and it always works flawlessly, you just need to follow the recommendations. One of the most popular today is dry sourdough “Vivo kefir”. Instructions on how to use it correctly are included with each package. One bottle of bacteria is enough for 3 liters of milk. It must first be boiled, cooled to 40 degrees, and then add the yeast. The container must be placed in heat for 8-10 hours. It is convenient to use a yogurt maker or regular thermos for cooking, especially if it is cool in your home. If it happens that the milk has cooled, and the fermentation process did not take place, do not rush to get rid of it. Heat the milk to the desired temperature, and beneficial microflora will begin to develop again. When the kefir is ready, put it in a cool place to slow down the fermentation process.
For everyone and everyone
Many manufacturers try to sell specialized types of starter cultures. In each such product, various types of fungi and bacteria are optimally combined, which will ultimately give the product exactly those qualities that the consumer needs. So, kefir starter at home can be prepared for those who follow a certain diet or undergo a course of treatment. There are starter cultures for people leading a sporting lifestyle, for expectant mothers or people aged. Each category of buyers needs its own specific balance of nutrients, and today's market is trying to satisfy their wishes. Perhaps each of us can find exactly what suits him best.
For the smallest
It is nice that the manufacturers took care of their smallest customers. Yogurt for kefir is on sale for children up to a year. The drink will turn out to be soft and gentle, but it will give the baby all the necessary micro and macro elements, relieve problems with the tummy and raise immunity. So, Vito has several similar products in its arsenal. Bififit leaven will improve the digestive system, help get rid of allergies and stabilize metabolic processes in the body. Acidolact will make it possible to prepare a healthy sour-milk drink that will help recover from the disease and restore the body if your baby is sick and takes medication. On the basis of sour milk bacteria, you can cook and natural cottage cheese, which is so necessary for the growing body.
To summarize
It should be noted that this is a very necessary and useful product in the market of goods. It is convenient that such a starter is sold for kefir in a pharmacy, on the Internet and even in grocery stores in the public domain, and each of us can now prepare a delicious, and most importantly very useful product. It can be fearlessly given to the baby, because now you know exactly what your homemade kefir is made of.
Be healthy!