Kefir is a pretty interesting dairy ferment with an amazing history. Not only is it easy-peasy to make, it has an dazzlingly biodiverse microbial portfolio (read microbiome-friendly) and many healthy benefits from heart disease risk reduction, cholesterol lowering, wound healing, and immune function enhancement.
Kefir originated in the Caucasus Mountains, which span the land bridge between the Black and Caspian seas, and divide Russia on north side from Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan on the south side. Turkey is located further to the south, and all have a tradition of kefir creation and consumption. Once a jealously guarded ancient secret, kefir has spread to mainstream consciousness recently due to the love affair of all things probiotic.
There are stories of kefir being a gift of the prophet Mohammed to nomadic herd-tending humans in the region. Shepherds of the Caucasus would transport milk in sheepskins with a resulting fermentation of a tangy milk product that was preserved at ambient temperature. Mohammed warned the families of the area not to share the secret or face losing the health- and life-extending properties of the beverage, so the kefir tradition was protected for a long time. According to one story, around 1900 Russians wanted this magical drink and sent a beautiful Russian spy to extract the grains from a Caucasus prince at the time. Things went a bit sideways for a while, but after a kidnapping and recovering of the spy, eventually (surprise) the Russians got what they wanted, and now it’s a national beverage phenomenon. Especially the morning after drinking too much vodka.
Currently, kefir can be bought as a pre-mixed, fermented, strained and bottled milk drink, or as kefir “grains”, small white cauliflower-like clusters of culture to mix into milk and make one’s own continuous culture. It cultures well and quickly at room temperature (21C/75F), but can also be temporarily suspended in the fridge, or even frozen for later use. Kefir has been touted as a cure-all for everything, but delving more deeply into the science reveals that some of these claims are not unfounded, and kefir may be one of the reasons that people from the Caucasus are some of the healthiest and longest-lived in the world. The kefir culture is biodiverse and science is now discovering the benefits and health-preserving qualities of kefir. It has been found to increase tumor resistance, decrease risk of heart disease, and improve immunity. So maybe instead of yogurt, try kefir instead!
