Water Kefir...again!

[tleef73]

So I searched the threads and am still unclear on if I can have Water Kefir?

 

I put my water kefir grains in sugar water for 48 hours (1 Tbsp sugar per 1 cup of spring water per 1 Tbsp water kefir grains).  When the 48 hours is up I strain the grains from the water and the water has a yeasty smell and is sweeter than plain water but not nearly as sweet as the starting solution and almost has a vinegar like smell.

 

My research tells me that the grains have consumed all the organic sugar and the resulting slight sweetness is a result of the fructose that the grains leave behind as a by-product of digesting the sugar.

 

I sometimes add lemon juice at this point to make lemonade and refrigerate or add 2oz of fruit juice to 32oz of water kefir and ferment a further 72 hours to get a carbonated drink.

 

I do not drink water kefir for the sweetness or as a replacement for something I "used to drink pre-W30".  I drink it for the probiotic qualities only.

 

Can I continue to drink the first and second fermentations or do you recommend I put my little friends into hibernation for a while? 

 

I am on day 6 of my second W30 and am not having sugar cravings or snack cravings like I did my first W30 last year.

 

Thanks,

Tamara

[Jed35]

I would also like to know answer to this. The guidelines say no milk kefir but do not mention water kefir fermented on sugar. Generally speaking water kefir would have about 20% of the sugar left after fermentation.

[GFChris]

See this thread: http://forum.whole9life.com/topic/7855-water-kefir/?fromsearch=1, especially Robin's post where she says, "Water kefir is a bit like kombucha in that, we're okay with it for it's probiotic benefits as long as you don't have to add sugar after fermentation to make it palatable."

[strabery]

Tam,

 

I am going to give the Kombucha a try. I will let you know how it turns out.

 

Your sis