Kefir versus Buttermilk

[Guest guest]

Dear Vaidyas and Members:

 

I recently came to know about Kefir - a drinkable yogurt made out of

Kefir grains and milk (or preferably Colostrum). I was wondering what

the Ayurvedic perspective is on Kefir. So far as the density is

concerned, it is almost a cross between yogurt and buttermilk and its

beneficial effects resemble those of yogurt and buttermilk, like it

maintains the intestinal flora, improves digestion, boosts immunity,

etc. (http://www.mercola.com/forms/kefir.htm) Would you though

recommend it over buttermilk? If not and if buttermilk was

unavailable, would you consider it a good replacement?

 

Please enlighten.

 

Thanks,

Matt

[Guest guest]

Hi Matt -

 

Perhaps a partial answer to your question -

Kefir seems to have a broader range of friendly flora than yoghurt,

like anything else, the quality of ingredients, how prepared, combined

all make a big difference. though personally responding much better

to kefir than yogurt (for some reason it is less phlegm producing for

me), if it is summertime and you are making your own, it easily goes

very sour (and pitta increasing) and is trickier than yoghurt to make

and keep a clean culture.

 

If you buy it, most of the kefir sold is combined with fruits, which

for many is not best combining, especially if banana is used, or like

fruit yoghurts, the sugar often deactivates the cultures. Personally

it is not clear to me reading the labels if the plain kefirs sold have

sweet milk added to the cultured kefir before selling, in order to

make the taste more palatable and consistent. Does anyone know about

this? On the label this is unclear, and that food combining also

would tend to create ama.

 

authentic buttermilk, said to be so good for the digeston etc is not

yet been my pleasure, most " buttermilk " sold is something else. The

authentic kind is much thinner, like the whey from cultured cream,

which stands to reason its effects would be different. The kefir (or

yoghurt) made into a thin lassi make a better comparison.

 

Namaste;

Ysha

AyurDoula

 

> Dear Vaidyas and Members:

>

> I recently came to know about Kefir - a drinkable yogurt made out of

> Kefir grains and milk (or preferably Colostrum). I was wondering

what the Ayurvedic perspective is on Kefir. So far as the density is

> concerned, it is almost a cross between yogurt and buttermilk and

[Guest guest]

Ysha

 

A called microbial nutrition are

experts in any kind of fermented foods.

 

GB

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the reply, Ysha. Btw, another gentleman who replied to my message

pointed me to another group called " microbial_nutrition " . I got a lot of replies

in that group -- and most of them confirmed the statement below -- that Kefir

has a broader range of friendly bacteria than buttermilk. Also, it seems that

everyone in that group had more trouble making yogurt/buttermilk than Kefir, as

there is a starter bacteria/yeast pack that you can use to make Kefir out of any

kind of milk at a wide range of temperatures, as opposed to making yogurt with

the right culture and pre-boiled milk at the right temperature.

 

Given that commercial buttermilk is no good, I was wondering if anyone has

posted on the group how to make buttermilk from milk. I normally buy raw milk

from a local dairy here in Orlando. If you are not close by, you can order

online from http://www.organicpastures.com -- I have never bought from them as

the shipping to Orlando is prohibitively expensive, so I cannot vouch for their

authenticity, but at the same time, I have read good things about them. In any

case, if the local dairy that sells raw milk were to make buttermilk and/or

kefir, won't you tend to think that that would be close to the real thing?

 

Another question I have about Kefir is if you can use it to make " Kadhi " :-), a

north Indian preparation that uses buttermilk. Or else, how do you take your

Kefir? Are their any recipes out there that make use of it?

 

Thanks again,

Matt

_____________

Kefir seems to have a broader range of friendly flora than yoghurt,........ The

kefir (or yoghurt) made into a thin lassi make a better comparison.