Coconut Water Kefir - Probiotic Drink

Make your own daily-dose of immune-boosting probiotics by fermenting your own coconut water kefir! No need to buy expensive probiotic supplements or store-bought fermented drinks that are made in a factory. Enjoy endless coconut water kefir made in your own kitchen by reusing the water kefir starter cultures over & over again. A gift that keeps on giving. I use organic water kefir grains from Florida Sun, which cost about $12 per 1/4 cup on Amazon.com.

Improve good-gut-flora, digestion & immunity by enjoying coconut water kefir first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. The water kefir granules/starter-culture (yeast + bacteria) can be reused over & over to continuously make you & your family a nutritious & delicious probiotic treat. The naturally-occurring sugars in the coconut water are fermented/consumed by the starter-culture to produce pH-lowering acid (which naturally preserves the drink) & CO2 gas (carbonation). A trace amount of alcohol is also produced if the coconut water undergoes secondary fermentation using fruit or fruit juice. Unlike water kefir made from refined sugar-water, coconut water has the added health benefits of naturally-occurring coconut water electrolytes/minerals, enzymes & phyto-nutrients/antioxidants.

Unlike a dietary supplement that has a chemical structure/composition that is foreign to the body, probiotics made by nature's natural fermentation process yields nutrition that the body was designed to recognize & utilize. Fermentation acts as an initial digestion process, making the nutrients in the coconut water more readily available for absorption by the body. It's not so much what we consume, but what we absorb & utilize! Fermentation makes nature's nutrients more bioavailable for absorption and utilization in the body which is why coconut water kefir is such a healthy source of probiotics, minerals, electrolytes, enzymes and phyto-nutrients. The closer we get to natures' whole-food forms and natural processes like fermentation, photosynthesis, sprouting etc., the closer we get to nourishing our bodies for optimum health.

After about 20-24 hours of anaerobic primary fermentation at room temp (ideally about 70-78F), strain-out the kefir grains/cultures & you can add fruit (strawberries, blueberries, apples etc.) or a splash of fruit juice (avoid orange) to your tightly-capped bottle. During secondary fermentation, more carbonation (fizz) will develop & the coconut water will be infused lightly with flavor from the fruit. Sliced strawberries are my favorite addition. If you allow the secondary fermentation to exceed about 12 hours, the kefir will have little to no residual sugar & the kefir drink will be very dry/acidic. I use a 6-8 hour secondary fermentation with sliced fruit to create carbonation, fruit flavor infusion and just the right amount of sweetness. Room temperature conditions, starter cultures & taste preferences vary, so experiment with timing to find the fermentation parameters that suit your sensory preference. Swing-top, wide-mouth mason jars are ideal for primary fermentation & glass swing-top bottles are ideal for secondary fermentation.

If you like to experiment in the kitchen, this is a fun DIY project to tackle. Fermentation rates are temperature-dependent so you will have to find the rate that works best for your fermentation environment and your kefir granules. Sugar-content and mineral-content are also factors that impact fermentation rate and the health of granules/starter cultures. Since coconut water is relatively low in sugar, be careful not to "starve" your cultures by fermenting too long and leaving the cultures without sugar to ferment/consume. I find that water kefir cultures stay healthy/active longer if you rotate between fermenting coconut water and a solution of sugar+blackstrap molasses+water. Ratio is about 1 TB. starter culture/granules: 1 TB organic sugar : 1/8 tsp organic blackstrap molasses (minerals) : 1 cup purified/water (avoid water with residual chlorine like tap water).

I am particular about the coconut water substrate that I use for fermentation. I prefer raw, organic coconut water from either a fresh, young coconut or a High-Pressure-Processed (HPP), organic coconut water like the one made by "Harmless Harvest". I don't like coconut waters that have been heat-treated for sterilization as this destroys the naturally-occurring enzymes/phyto-nutrients/antioxidants and results in an unfavorable "cooked" flavor/aroma. HPP is a process by which pressure is applied in order to remove harmful pathogens while preserving nature's nutrients and flavor/aroma. HPP is still a relatively new technology and costs more than traditional thermal processing technologies, but I think the nutritional and sensory benefits are well-worth-it if you don't have access to inexpensive, organic, young, fresh coconuts. HPP coconut water is not sterile so you'll find it in the refrigerated section of the grocery store whereas sterile, shelf-stable coconut waters that have been thermally processed and aseptically packaged can be stored at ambient/room temperature.

Ingredients:

Coconut Water*, Organic High-Pressure-Processed (HPP), Harmless Harvest brand, ambient

Water Kefir Granules/Cultures*, Florida Sun brand hydrated, previously used in sugar/blackstrap molasses* solution for at least 2 successful fermentation cycles

Optional for Secondary Fermentation:

Strawberries, cleaned, sliced (no residual chlorine)

* Organic