401. KEFIR

KEFIR

What is Kefir?

Kefir is a fermented milk drink made with kefir grains.

The grains are natural yeast bacterial grains which ferment in milk.

The kefir grains look like small clumps of cauliflower.

The fermented kefir has a distinctive taste. 

It is slightly sour, creamy and refreshing.

Kefir is like Greek yogurt.

The origin of kefir is from the Caucasus mountain region of the USSR.

The people from this region say that they discovered kefir thousands of years ago.

They treated the kefir grains like precious jewels in each family.

In fact, Kefir is a Turkish word which means “long life” or “good life”.

Kefir is widely consumed in Eastern and Central Europe, where the drink

is associated with general well-being.

You can drink three glasses of kefir per day.

You can drink it natural, or add a little honey or natural brown sugar such as“Panela”

You can also make shakes with kefir and fruit, using bananas, strawberries or papaya:

You can also eat kefir with muesli or other kinds of cereal.

What are the health benefits of kefir?

Kefir is a good source of probiotics (healthy bacteria) and calcium which is not available in yogurt.

Kefir can prevent harmful bacteria in the intestine.

It can prevent constipation.

It can reduce the risk of colon cancer.

Kefir can increase your defenses and you can have less colds.

It´s good for your heart.

It can lower cholesterol and regulates your arterial pressure.

It regulates your nervous system and improves your concentration.

It´s also useful as a natural treatment of anemia.

And it´s also good against anxiety, stress and depression.

If you want, ask your doctor before taking kefir.

Where can you get the kefir grains?

As a matter of fact, the kefir grains are free.

When the grains grow  a lot, people give them to friends or they take the grains to a natural food shop so other people can make kefir.

The kefir grains free. Simply find a natural food shop and ask if they have kefir.

When you go here, they can give you more information about kefir.

How to make kefir?

You need a plastic strainer, never metallic

A plastic or wooden spoon

A one liter glass jar

A plastic jar with cap.

You can use whole, low-fat or nonfat milk

I use nonfat milk.

It is very important that when you get the kefir grains from the natural food shop, you must first wash and strain the kefir, add milk covering the grains and keep in a cool dark place for 2 days.

After two days, wash and strain the kefir.

In a glass jar add the kefir grains and ¾ liters of milk

Cover with a paper towel using a rubber band.

Put the jar in a cool and dark place for 24 to 36 hours.

For me 24 hours is enough, and it´s better to strain the kefir always at the same time.

If the milk is thick, it´s ready. If not, leave it for more hours.

When the kefir is ready, strain the grains into a plastic bowl and then put

the liquid kefir in a plastic jar with a cap and put it in the fridge.

Then put the grains into the glass jar, add milk to make more kefir and put the jar in the cool dark place again.

It´s also important to wash the kefir grains with tap water every week. 
This way, the kefir will not be so sour.

If you go on vacation, you can wash the kefir grains with normal tap water.

Then put the grains in a glass jar with a cap using mineral water in the fridge.

This way, the kefir is sleeping. You can keep the grains in the fridge for two weeks.

When you come back, take out the grains and strain and wash with water.

Then put the kefir grains in the glass jar with milk for two days so it will be alive again.

After 2 days, wash and strain the kefir and add milk.

In 24 hours you will have fresh kefir to drink.

When the kefir grains begin to grow, ask your friends if they would like 

to make kefir at home.

Vocabulary

drink  = debida

yeast = levadura

grains  = granos

look like = se parecen

clumps  = montoncitos

cauliflower = coliflor

taste = sabor

slightly sour  = ligeramente amargo

like = como

jewels = joyas

each  = cada

in fact  = de hecho

means = significa

widely =extensamente

well –being  = bienestar

honey  = miel

such as = tal como

shakes  = batidos

strawberries  = fresas

also  = tambien

kinds  = tipos

health = salud

source  = fuente

available  = disponible

harmful  = dañino

constipation  = estreñido

colds  = resfriados

heart  = corazón

lower  = baja

improves  = mejora

useful  =util

ask  = pregunta

get  = conseguir / obtener

as a matter of fact  = de hecho

grow  = crecen

a lot  = mucho

take  = llevan

free  = gratis

as  = como

place  = lugar

give  = te daran

strainer  = colador

wooden  = de madera

jar  = tarro

cap  = tapa

whole  = entera

must  = debes

strain  = colar

wash  = lavar

rubber band = goma

cool  = fresco

enough = suficiente

always  = siempre

better  = mejor

thick  = espeso

ready  = listo

leave  = dejarlo

tap  water  = agua del grifo

keep  = guardar 

this way  = de esta manera

so sour  = tan amargo

come back = regresas

take out  = sacar

alive  = vivo

add  = añadir  

wash  = lavar

grow  =  crecer

ask  = pregunta

would like  = les gustarian

Gramatica:

Sale la construccion “ would like”

Se usa el verbo auxiliar WOULD + VERBO

-I would like to go to China  = me gustaria ir a China

-What would you like for dessert?  = Que le gustaria de postre?

- I would like a piece of chocolate cake = Me gustaria un pedazo de tarta de chocolate

- She would not like to work on Sunday  = No le gustaria trabajar los domingos

En el artículo sale la expresion " look like" = parece

 - It looks like it´s going to rain  = Parece que va a llover

 - You look like your mother  = Te pareces a tu madre 

Johnny Cash canta "Heart of gold"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8H5FmoT4vM