Don't Fear the Kefir

Imagine a new summer quaff: a cool, creamy, ever-so-slightly effervescent beverage. Served chilled, its pleasant tangy finish not only revitalizes you, it re-colonizes you. Kefir is a cultured milk drink, slightly fermented, with the addition of kefir granules. These granules are a specific blend of yeasts and lactic acid bacteria which aid digestion.

Kefir contains a variety of amino acids, minerals, vitamins (such as B12, B1, and vitamin K) and beneficial bacteria. Proponents say that kefir can actually help the body heal itself. With its load of healthful cultures, kefir may soothe your intestinal tract as well as give you a punch of calcium – nearly 20 per cent of your daily requirement in a medium-sized glass. If that weren’t enough, kefir has a helping of tryptophan, the amino acid also found in turkey that gives you that relaxed feeling. Kefir can stand in for yogurt in your favourite smoothies or just be a nice change from milk.

The Quebec based company Liberté sells kefir in various grocery stores in Alberta, and so does the Cheese Factory at the Strathcona Farmers’ Market in Edmonton.