Fruit juice kefir: The healthy and delicious alternative to soft drinks

Do you like fizzy drinks like Coca-Cola, Fanta or Sprite? Then you'll appreciate fruit juice kefir, an ideal fizzy drink alternative to sodas.

With its lemonade-like and slightly acidic taste, fruit juice kefir is actually water made from kefir grains. This drink, which takes about 24 to 48 hours to make, has many benefits for the body.

Here is everything you need to know about this famous drink, which has been popular for many years.

What is fruit juice kefir?

Fruit juice kefir is a detoxifying drink that strengthens the immune system thanks to its grains. It originates from the Caucasus, a region located between Russia and Georgia. The fermentation of the grains in water transforms kefir into a naturally carbonated drink, which is not harmful to the health. Remember that there is also milk kefir, which is a little more calorific than the one made with water.

Kefir is known for its so-called 'probiotic' virtues. This means that it is composed of good bacteria, which promote intestinal flora. Note that probiotics are found in all fermented foods, such as yoghurt or bread, for example. Low in calories and completely natural, fruit juice kefir is also rich in vitamins and proteins.

What are the good reasons to drink kefir?

Kefir has many benefits for the body. If you have never tried it before, you will probably want to try it once you discover what it can do!

To convince you, here are a few reasons why it might be a good idea to start drinking this drink with its many benefits.

• This fizzy drink is natural and low in sugar

If you want to stop or reduce your consumption of soft drinks, fruit kefir seems to be an excellent alternative. With very few calories, this drink is a real slimming ally. Even if you need water and sugar to prepare it, remember that 80% of the sugar is consumed by the micro-organisms present in the kefir grains. This transforms the sugar water into sparkling, tangy water.

• Kefir strengthens the immune system

Kefir grains have a real antibacterial effect on the body. This means that this drink protects you from infections, certain pathologies, respiratory diseases such as asthma or bronchitis, soothes skin rashes, acne, or eczema... Once again, it is the probiotic bacteria that help the body to get rid of certain microbes that are rather bad for the metabolism.

• This drink contains an abundance of nutrients

In addition to the vitamins, proteins and high probiotic content, fruit kefir is also packed with a number of highly beneficial nutrients. From organic acids and enzymes to antioxidants, this drink has nothing but health benefits! The grains are mainly composed of vitamin B, which is useful for preventing cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and depression.

• The drink activates the digestive system

Simply put, digestion is facilitated by fruit kefir because the bacteria in the grains break down food into smaller pieces and facilitate the elimination of certain toxic substances. This makes it easier for the stomach and intestines to do their job in the body, which prevents certain digestive problems such as food poisoning, heartburn and bloating. In addition to facilitating digestion, kefir also improves intestinal transit. Therefore, it prevents constipation.

• The recipe for homemade fruit kefir

Although the recipe for this miracle drink may seem long and boring, it is quite simple and worth the effort!

Here is the recipe for a container of just over a litre:

• 1 litre of mineral or non-chlorinated water
• 70 g fruit kefir grains
• 2 tablespoons cane sugar or white sugar
• ½ lemon
• 2 dried figs

Note that if you don't like the flavour of lemon, you can also use grapefruit, tangerine, orange or blackcurrant. The same goes for figs, which you can replace with red fruit, for example.

Steps to follow:

• Put all the ingredients in the jar and cover the jar with a cloth
• Let the drink stand at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours
• When the fig rises to the surface, your fruit kefir is ready
• Strain the drink through a plastic sieve, discarding the lemon and figs, but keeping the grains, which can be reused. Be careful, these should be rinsed, then immersed in sugar water and kept in the fridge. If you do not plan to repeat the recipe any time soon, change the kefir water every week
• Let the drink sit for another 24 hours, still at room temperature, for more fizz, then put it in the fridge
• Once it is cool, it is ready to be enjoyed!

Even if fruit kefir requires some preparation time, we advise you to try it! Moreover, it can be kept for several weeks in the fridge and gains in acidity with time. Finally, the ideal is to consume only one to two glasses of fruit kefir per day. Enjoy!