Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Kefir on the go

What to get: a bottle of plain Kefir
Where to get it: your local supermarket or Trader Joe's

This is the Lifeway brand, which has a nice zing to it!

What is it? a yogurt-type drink, result of natural fermentation


Why we approve: Kefir is an ancient fermented drink that provides protein, fats, carbohydrate and a modest amount of calories. One cup has 10-14 grams of protein depending on the brand and the thickness. Another really really cool thing is that due to the activity of the bacteria that turn milk into kefir, most lactose is almost entirely eliminated and it can be consumed even if you don't tolerate dairy very well.



Preparation: this is the ultimate on the go dairy product. Just open the cap, pour in a glass or enjoy directly from the bottle. Why share?

TIP: always buy full fat or reduced fat versions, stay away from non fat / zero fat.

make your own flavors with real ingredients at home, do not fall for the gazillion flavors at the store. get plain and upgrade it yourself.
 Variations:  I like Kefir on its own, but you can enhance the flavor by mixing it with fruit. Blend it with strawberries, blueberries or pomegranate. Yes, you can buy it flavored at the store, BUT that comes at the price of sweeteners and additives. No thank you! For a complete meal on the go you can pair some kefir with a fruit and nut bar, or a handful of nuts.

Trader Joes Kefir is very smooth and good for beginners. It's not too sour
Pros: tastes good, great source of protein, healthy for your digestive and immune system

Cons: can be a bit expensive, and some varieties may be way too sour; for some people just Kefir may not be enough of a meal, unless they combine it with other foods

Enjoy and be healthy!




No comments:

Post a Comment