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.
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
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"
