best to take Kefir on empty stomach?

seefin

Any advice on starting off taking Kefir? Just take a few ounces a few times a week and gradually increase? Some sites say you need to take on an empty stomach? I hate internet at times as so much information it gets confusing!

FlipperThePriest

seefin wrote: »

Any advice on starting off taking Kefir? Just take a few ounces a few times a week and gradually increase? Some sites say you need to take on an empty stomach? I hate internet at times as so much information it gets confusing!

Yes I think it is best to take any probiotic on an empty stomach to give the bacteria the best chance of getting through stomach acid. If you don't take any other probiotic supplements, probably best to start small to give your digestive system a chance to adjust, too much too soon can result in cramps or bloating.

seefin

zippy84 wrote:

Yes I think it is best to take any probiotic on an empty stomach to give the bacteria the best chance of getting through stomach acid. If you don't take any other probiotic supplements, probably best to start small to give your digestive system a chance to adjust, too much too soon can result in cramps or bloating.

Only took 100mls today and I'm bloated already. Be worth it in long term . Is it ok to only take for a few days each week eg 3 days on 3 days off?
Its pretty vile tasting isn't it 😣

FlipperThePriest

seefin wrote: »

Only took 100mls today and I'm bloated already. Be worth it in long term . Is it ok to only take for a few days each week eg 3 days on 3 days off?
Its pretty vile tasting isn't it ��

I used to mix it with natural yogurt in muesli and some fruit, maybe a bit of honey. It was nice like that. I could never drink it on its own. It can be fairly packed full of probiotics so maybe ease off until the bloated feeling goes down. If you upset your stomach you'll put yourself off it altogether. Take a spoon or 2 with yogurt?

It's okay to take it as little or as often as you like, once your digestive system adjusts to the new bacteria... it would be a bit like asking is it okay to take broccoli 3 days on and off. It is just an extra bit of goodness as part of a balanced diet. Not going to fix everything on its own.

seefin

zippy84 wrote:

I used to mix it with natural yogurt in muesli and some fruit, maybe a bit of honey. It was nice like that. I could never drink it on its own. It can be fairly packed full of probiotics so maybe ease off until the bloated feeling goes down. If you upset your stomach you'll put yourself off it altogether. Take a spoon or 2 with yogurt?

Thanks Zippy..ill take a small bit each day for a few weeks so. Have a super sensitive stomach-anytime I introduce new food get a reaction, so not surprised I currently look 15 months pregnant! If I think it'll settle in a few weeks I'll put up with it. Maybe should have waited until the new year when Xmas parties over though

FlipperThePriest

seefin wrote: »

Maybe should have waited until the new year when Xmas parties over though

No, take the plunge now! This all or nothing, one extreme to the other attitude is part of what's wrong!

Cocksy

I always drink kefir on empty stomach

Cocksy

I always drink kefir on empty stomach

SummerHaze

I think its best to take on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning, with some water. Then no food for 20/30 minutes. This gives the bacteria best chance of survining stomach acid and reaching the intestines.

seefin

SummerHaze wrote:

I think its best to take on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning, with some water. Then no food for 20/30 minutes. This gives the bacteria best chance of survining stomach acid and reaching the intestines.

Been doing that and bloating has gone after day 1. Actually think that was due to my eating lentils the previous night which I hadn't eaten in years. I obviously need the kefir as stomach can't cope with change in diet (years of being a fussy eater). So far so good with kefir apart from the vile taste. Is it ok to stick with half a cup or do I need to build up to a full cup(200g/mls) to get benefits? Don't know if I'll ever be able to drink a full cup without gagging

FlipperThePriest

seefin wrote: »

Is it ok to stick with half a cup or do I need to build up to a full cup(200g/mls) to get benefits? Don't know if I'll ever be able to drink a full cup without gagging

What benefits are you looking for? If you're just looking to introduce some new healthy bacteria into your gut then what you're doing is great with half a cup. There is probably more strains and higher counts of probiotics in what you're consuming now than there would be in an over the counter probiotic capsule so don't worry about having to take a certain amount.

seefin

zippy84 wrote:

What benefits are you looking for? If you're just looking to introduce some new healthy bacteria into your gut then what you're doing is great with half a cup. There is probably more strains and higher counts of probiotics in what you're consuming now than there would be in an over the counter probiotic capsule so don't worry about having to take a certain amount.

I took antibiotics for 6 months for acne and have had horrendous bloating ever since , especially when eat anything new. More beneficial bacteria sounds good..Wil stick with half cup then

FlipperThePriest

Probiotics are defo what you need there then. Hopefully you get sorted and they do the trick! I don't know why a probiotic is not recommended after antibiotics by the gp to be honest.

I've moved away from kefir. Too much maintenance for my liking having to keep it alive an kicking every day or two, I'd forget. I've since moved on to sauerkraut and fermented veg. Tried kimchi, but it was stinking, the second I opened the jar the whole house had to be ventilated.

seefin

Oh don't tell me that. I thought it was going to be really low maintenance and hassle free?! Buying grains this weekend , haven't made yet so hoping it works out as expensive enough buying a bottle every few days plus homemade is surely better. Am a total quitter so if it's lot of hassle I'll never cope!

FlipperThePriest

It's not really too bad. You just have to add fresh milk to the grains every couple of days to give the grains something to eat. I was making more kefir than I could consume, ended up throwing most of it out. Even if you get a couple of months out of it that will be worth it to recover from the antibiotics.

FlipperThePriest

How has the kefir been going or did you go for it yet? I was in a cafe the other day and I thought of your thread... the cafe sold Kombucha so I decided to take a bottle home and try and culture my own from it.

Kombucha is nice, similar to water kefir. I don't think it's as potent but still contains a good range of probiotics. You ferment sweet tea from a scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria & yeast). You can then add some juice to flavour and do a second ferment in a bottle, creating a fizzy kombucha, quite nice. You can grow your own scoby from shop bought stuff.

seefin

zippy84 wrote:

How has the kefir been going or did you go for it yet? I was in a cafe the other day and I thought of your thread... the cafe sold Kombucha so I decided to take a bottle home and try and culture my own from it.

Been drinking every day. Bloating settled in a few days . It's a bit of a fine art getting it to culture enough - part of me is afraid I was given curds and I'm just drinking sour milk every day!! I don't know what the actual grains look like. It seperated yesterday into curds and whey and I've strained but don't know if the curds are mixed in with grains still ?

igCorcaigh

Anybody know where to buy the grains? I've been waiting for kenmare living foods to bring them back, but they have been out of stock for months!

I tried the powdered stuff from the health shops, but it died after a few uses.

FlipperThePriest

Stick with it.. it can take a few ferments to get the grains back up to speed if they've been in refrigeration or starved for a few days. Kefir should be fairly thick.. somewhere in between natural yogurt and a yogurt drink.

How long have you been using the grains? Are you changing them everyday? This can help bring them up to speed. The grains should be easy enough to separate even if your kefir has split into curds and whey. I think if it splits it's a sign you're leaving it too long. Mix it all back up, and put it through a sieve or something. Look at some tutorials online if you're having a bit of trouble getting started.

I would change the grains to fresh milk daily until it starts to thicken.

FlipperThePriest

igCorcaigh wrote: »

Anybody know where to buy the grains? I've been waiting for kenmare living foods to bring them back, but they have been out of stock for months!

I tried the powdered stuff from the health shops, but it died after a few uses.

Think I got them from www.kefir.ie

Very expensive for a few kefir grains, but if someone else is doing kefir they could give you some. The grains grow the whole time once they get going, you'll be throwing them out.

seefin

Is this kefir or curd?

FlipperThePriest

That's kefir grains. Feed it with fresh milk every day. A tablespoon of grains would ferment a litre. A teaspoon of grains... maybe a cup or less, so don't add too much milk if that's all you have in the image. Let it grow, adding new milk daily. I didn't drink any until it started to thicken. Took me about a week to activate or waken them and produce thick kefir. Also, 18-20 degrees room temp, too cold and it will be slower to ferment. When it starts to thicken you can let it ferment for 2 days.

seefin

zippy84 wrote:

That's kefir grains. Feed it with fresh milk every day. A tablespoon of grains would ferment a litre. A teaspoon of grains... maybe a cup or less, so don't add too much milk if that's all you have in the image. Let it grow, adding new milk daily. I didn't drink any until it started to thicken. Took me about a week to activate or waken them and produce thick kefir. Also, 18-20 degrees room temp, too cold and it will be slower to ferment. When it starts to thicken you can let it ferment for 2 days.

I've a heaped tablespoon but house is pretty cold so I'm only adding a cup of milk and it's just about taking the 24 hours once I don't turn the central heating on. I'll have to give some grains away in a week or two as I don't need more than a half cupful a day. Hate waste- imagine the overproduction problem I'll have in summer !!
The grains are bigger than I thought. I flattened one out the other day and it was as big as my thumbnail. Thanks so much for the advice zippo

FlipperThePriest

No prob. I ended up just binning the excess... and it 20 quid a pop on that website!!

A tablespoon could be fermenting a cup of milk in no time hence the separation of curds and whey. A tablespoon might need a pint. Won't be detrimental but you're best to follow the guidelines on ratios as best you can as you wan't your grains to be properly rehydrated to get going healthily. If the house is cold put it in an open hot press or something?

Acey10

I freeze the extra grains, I haven't reactivated them yet though!

FlipperThePriest

Acey10 wrote: »

I freeze the extra grains, I haven't reactivated them yet though!

Maybe you'd post some to igCorcaigh They were asking a few posts ago where to get them.

Acey10

zippy84 wrote: »

Maybe you'd post some to igCorcaigh They were asking a few posts ago where to get them.

yeah I could ðŸ˜႒