Kefir Yogurt Smoothie: A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Good Health Taste Great

You may be wondering, “aren’t all smoothies the same?” In this post we will guide you through making kefir yogurt smoothies that will leave you feeling energized and ready to face the day.

Is Kefir Yogurt just the latest health craze?

Actually, no. Kefir has its origins in the Caucusus Mountains of Europe. It’s use has been traced back to 1930’s Russia where it then began to span the globe. It is still enjoyed daily for breakfast, lunch or dinner by the inhabitants of Eurasia. Modern shipping and information-sharing brought kefir to the U.S. by the 1960’s. It is also currently quite popular in Sweden as well as the Middle East.

The Middle Eastern name “kefir or keyif” literally means good feeling as that is exactly what happens to your body when you drink milk kefir. Somewhat similar in nature to kombucha, kefir is also fermented with the use of grains which are actually little cauliflower-resembling SCOBY’s.

Herdsmen would commonly fill a goat-skin pouch with the grains and milk and then hang the pouch in a doorway where it would be bumped and disturbed often by those entering and leaving. The fermented milk would be used and refilled throughout the week in a continuous brew method.

Thankfully, we can still enjoy this dynamic health boost without the need to hang an animal pouch from our doorway. Sometimes modernization is better. Sometimes…

Why would I want to drink kefir yogurt? I already drink raw milk.

The magic lies in the fermentation process itself. The transformation that takes place when milk becomes kefir is truly a health-building miracle. Studies have been made indicating that kefir is beneficial in cancer prevention as well as asthma and allergy control. In addition to kefir’s wonderful powers as a digestive aid, other studies have highlighted its ability to lower blood pressure and cholesterol as well as provide definitive immune support.

Not only have these studies been done, but kefir is actually part of several health protocols and modern medical remedy efforts in Eastern Europe. You can read more about that here.

Lastly, I would encourage you to look into this recent study by Dr. Sabine Hazan which outlines the specific strain of gut-bacteria that is missing in those persons with persistent, severe COVID as well as the revelation that homemade kefir was lab-tested to contain this strain while commercial brands and pro-biotic capsules do not. Kefir is a powerful tool for restoring and maintaining optimal health that modern lifestyles simply cannot thrive without.

Great! How do I make kefir at home?

The name kefir yogurt is a bit redundant. The beverage itself is a drinkable yogurt-style effervescent liquid made from fermented milk. Yogurts are actually created using entirely different bacteria strains and no yeasts. It is correctly referred to as milk kefir or simply kefir.

To get started, you will need to get some of the dairy kefir grains. There are dried cultures available as well, but maintaining your own grains (SCOBY) really is the best way to ensure a continuous ability to make kefir anytime you need it. Additionally, these powdered cultures contain significantly fewer strains of our bacterial friends than the kefir made with grains have.

Simply place 1 Tablespoon of kefir grains into a quart of raw milk. It can be cow or goat’s milk. If you absolutely cannot obtain fresh milk, it is still acceptable to use the commercial milk products offered in the store. You will be forced to do the good, better, best scenario when choosing milk.

If at all possible, use an organic, whole milk that has not been ultra high temp pasteurized. Sometimes this is like trying to find a magical unicorn and you will have to purchase what is available. Great news, you will be transforming that dead product into a delicious, nourishing, health-building product with the addition of the kefir grains!

Place a lid lightly on your quart jar and allow the milk and grains to set out on your counter for 24 hours to culture. During this time, as you pass by it a few times per day pick it up and give it a good shake. This is similar to the nomadic herdsmen, without the goat-y aromas.

When time is up, strain the grains with a mesh strainer, rinse them in filtered water, and they are ready for use again when you need them. To keep them fresh and happy, store them in the refrigerator in a container with fresh milk (milk that has not been fermented) until you are ready to make kefir again. Change out the milk every 2-3 weeks if you are not regularly making kefir. But why wouldn’t you?

Using and enjoying your milk kefir.

Congratulations! You just made major progress toward building your health!! Wasn’t it really easy to make? Kefir is much easier than yogurt and contains far more strains of good bacteria than are found in yogurt. The good guys found in kefir actually colonize or take over our gut micro-biome by killing off and out-populating the bad bacteria strains they find in there. Maybe that explains why some folks feel like they have a war going on down there, ahem!

The finished kefir can be flavored and put through a second fermentation, but our family always uses it as is. In this state, it makes a terrific stand-in for buttermilk in biscuit, cornbread, and pancake recipes, but you will be cooking the benefits away. We drink it plain and chilled, add it to homemade ranch dressing for a pro-biotic bonus on our salad, or turn the kefir into amazing fruit smoothies.

Kefir Yogurt Berry Smoothie Recipe

Modern medicine has failed us and it is time to take back our health! We should all be on this journey to plant the seeds of good health together. Even after watching the recipe video, I am sure you will have questions about your kefir and keeping the grains. Please ask them in the comments so our entire community can benefit.