![\"Probiotic](\"https:\/\/chapters.westonaprice.org\/marincountyca\/files\/2016\/09\/2014-11-KimIreland.jpg\")
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We had a great gathering learning about making probiotic sodas!<\/p>\n
Kim Ireland, a retired chemical engineer has enthusiastically switched careers into kitchen chemistry creating fermented foods. \u00a0The health benefit he has experienced has made him a passionate advocate of the importance of kefir and the foods that can be made from it.<\/p>\n
He says fermented foods are very safe to eat due to the preponderance of beneficial bacteria. He said that humans are 1\/10th<\/sup> human cells to 9\/10th<\/sup> microorganisms! Toxins from an imbalance of these microorganisms can cause health problems.<\/p>\n Kefir is the Turkish word for \u201cfeel good\u201d.\u00a0 It is an ancient food handed down from a couple thousand years ago.<\/p>\n To make kefir soda, one first must make milk kefir to obtain the whey for culturing the juice into soda. Ideally, kefir grains are used because bottled kefir or powdered kefir cultures only have 6-10 different strains of bacteria and yeast. Kefir grains, on the other hand, have over 40 strains of beneficial bacteria and yeast! Kim says that having kefir grains is like having a pet ~ one must take care of them. They can last a lifetime if you take care of them and they will take care of you by providing health with these beneficial microorganisms.<\/p>\n Kim\u2019s favorite resource for kefir-making is Donna Schwenk\u2019s book called Cultured Food for Life. <\/em><\/p>\n The recipe for the kefir soda he used is:<\/p>\n Add all ingredients to a liter-size flip-top bottle (round, high pressure bottles made in Italy) and put on counter for two days. Burp the bottle each day then place in the fridge.\u00a0 Enjoy!<\/p>\n![\"Probiotic](\"https:\/\/chapters.westonaprice.org\/marincountyca\/files\/2016\/09\/2014-11-ProbioticSodaWorkshop.jpg\")
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