What does kefir mean? Kefir is derived from the Turkish word ” Kef” which means good feeling. The reason for this name is the good feeling that one gets after consuming this substance.
History of Kefir:The origin of kefir dates back to more than 2000 years ago. For the first time, shepherds living in the Caucasus mountains in the former Soviet Union discovered this valuable drink. Caucasians have been familiar with the medicinal effects of this mushroom for years. They use kefir instead of water. They use this substance to eat and also for food. The average age in the Caucasus is between 100 and 150 years. The belief of the people of the Caucasus is based on the fact that the kefir mushroom is a great blessing from God.
What is kefir mushroom?In terms of appearance, kefir mushroom pieces are similar to cauliflower and white in color, and it ferments milk and turns it into yogurt and has many medicinal properties. Kefir grains contain special bacteria and yeasts that are actually responsible for the sour and carbonated taste of kefir. Kefir mushroom containing San Cassillo bacillus which causes changes and transformations in the mushroom and finally during the secretion of from mushrooms,Fermentation of milk takes place.
What is kefir buttermilk? Kefir buttermilk is a sour and carbonated drink and a product of milk fermentation. In other words, a kind of kefir buttermilk A high-calorie drink rich in Probiotic bacteria, lactic acid, alcohol, calcium, protein, vitamins, especially vitamins B and micronutrients. In Russia, in addition to yogurt, kefir is also prepared as cheese and used as food. Consuming fermented drinks, with all kinds of vitamins and nutrients, can be a suitable substitute for artificial and carbonated drinks that are produced with artificial colors, sugar, and chemicals, because in addition to the risks (one of the common side effects of consuming carbonated soft drinks are osteoporosis) it does not have them, it has many health benefits. Kefir products can be used by all people of any age and any gender. Kefir drink can be poured on cereal instead of milk or mixed with fruit Or used as a salad dressing.
In Iran, in recent years, a number of milk and dairy factories, including Shir Pegah and Kale They have started producing kefir buttermilk. But the price of these products is much higher compared to normal buttermilk, and in addition, the taste and concentration of factory kefir buttermilk is lower than homemade kefir buttermilk, and the factory has to add salt to the buttermilk for a long shelf life. It has made its use for blood pressure patients as well as cardiovascular and other patients with a low salt diet largely impossible. You can buy kefir mushroom seeds once, forever, in addition to the butter and yogurt you need on a daily basis and at a very low price and without additives at home. You can easily prepare it, take advantage of its pleasant taste and healing properties, and you can grow and increase this mushroom yourself and give or sell it to your friends and acquaintances.
Why are Caucasian people famous for having a long life?
People who are over a hundred years old still ride horses and ride on the slopes of the Caucasus. They attribute the secret of their health and long life to the consumption of kefir .
Why does this drink have magical properties?
This fermented beverage is made up of a collection of living and useful bacteria for the body, so that scientists know the secret of the benefits of kefir for the immune system and digestion. These bacteria are called “probiotics”. Also, the yeasts in it are able to make folic acid, which is a coenzyme of a series of vital reactions for cell growth. Folic acid deficiency is common in women, especially pregnant women. This miraculous product is very useful in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Its most important therapeutic properties have been registered in the world’s prestigious research centers .
Therapeutic properties of kefir :
Improving the digestive system when taking antibiotics
Increasing intestinal motility and treating constipation
Prevention of osteoporosis
Treatment of allergies
Treating diarrhea and disinfecting the intestinal environment
Treatment of lactose intolerance in those who cannot drink milk
Treatment of digestive diseases
Blood pressure treatment
Treatment of children with hyperactivity
Rich in group B vitamins such as niacin, pyridoxine and folic acid
Rich in calcium, fiber and protein
Effective in the beauty of the skin (used in cosmetic creams and cleansers )
Strengthening the body’s immune system against pathogenic agents
Prevention of intestinal bloating
Preventing the effect of radiological radiation
Easier digestion of milk and better absorption of nutrients in it
The nutritional and therapeutic value of kefir and its production in other countries :
Kefir has a high nutritional and biological value and is recommended and prescribed at a wide age level to ensure people’s health. It is recommended especially for patients with gastroenteritis and metabolic, blood pressure, heart ischemia and energy. The mild taste of kefir and its microbial flora facilitate the secretion of saliva and the secretion of enzymes in the stomach and pancreas, as well as improving the peristaltic movements of the intestines. Kefir helps in increasing the movement of food in the intestine, on the other hand, the presence of lactic acid, acetic acid and antibiotics in kefir inhibits the process of corruption in the small intestine. .
With all the mentioned specifications, Pegah Khorasan company for the first time in Iran produces kefir and aims to produce medical dairy products. Medical Dairy Products (MDP). It intends to take an effective and dynamic step towards the health of Iran’s young society and also to increase the per capita consumption of dairy products. In fact, in Europe and developed countries, these products are used as Functional Foods Complementary and functional foods) are mentioned .
In Poland, kefir is currently produced by more than one hundred dairy factories. Although kefir is known in limited parts of the world, it is very famous in the former Soviet countries, Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria. Lactic acid produced by effective bacteria in kefir causes casein coagulation, usually when pH to reach 5.2 to 5.3, this process begins and ends pH About 4.6 to 4.4 when casein is released from the solute chain, it ends and calcium separated by lactic acid enters the composition as calcium lactate. The coagulated protein in kefir creates a co-precipitation of casein and modified protein, and it becomes serum, while the proteopeptone part coagulates. Non-protein nitrogen compounds and other substances remain in solution in the serum .
Due to the presence of yeasts in kefir, which play an essential role in this product, this product is distinguished from other fermented products, and yeasts are very good sources of vitamins.d , protein, some amino acids, RNA , DNA And ATP And other excellent compounds are complex. Yeasts are also used as a food source in humans and animals, and because they contain large amounts of vitamin B complex, they are used as a food supplement by many people who suffer from vitamin deficiency disease or the amount of vitamin in their diet is not enough. to be .
Some different species of organisms have been identified and isolated in kefir grains. These species are among the four groups of lactobacilli, streptococci, lactococci, acetobacter and yeasts. Bacteria and yeast live together in a symbiotic relationship. Kefir grains contain lactobacilli and streptococci at a concentration of 10-108 and yeasts at an approximate number of 108 per gram. Usually, homo and heterofermentative lactobacilli, mesophilic or terfomil form about 65% of the said microbial population, and 20% are sour and aromatic streptococci and other lactose-fermenting species and non-lactose-fermenting yeasts make up the remaining percent.
Can all sections of the society (children, teenagers, elderly, pregnant women, lactating women, etc.) use it, or is its use limited to a certain group?
Everyone can use it. (especially lactating and pregnant women) on the other hand, due to the fact that kefir organisms have the ability to break down lactose in milk, therefore it is recommended that people with lactose intolerance (who cannot digest milk) use kefir instead of milk..
What are the effects of kefir on health? Have any negative effects on human health been reported?
Kefir is a product that promotes longevity, improves the digestive system, and prevents the proliferation of bacteria that secrete toxins (which damage skin and hair) in order to improve health. Therefore, those who consume kefir have healthier skin and hair. Kefir also prevents osteoporosis, kefir also plays a major role in regulating blood pressure, but so far no information has been reported about the negative effects of kefir on health .
How to prepare kefir products, including Kefir buttermilk and kefir yogurt at home:
Necessary supplies: 1- Thermometer (to measure room temperature) 2- Thermometer for liquids ۰ to 110 or 0 to 150 degrees Celsius. (You can buy from medical and laboratory equipment shops).
۱- Boiling fresh milk and cooling it (except pasteurized milk with a long shelf life).
۲- Preparation of a wide-mouthed glass or plastic container with a lid (not metal).
۳- To prepare 1 liter of buttermilk or kefir yogurt, 30 to 40 grams of kefir mushroom seeds should be poured into 1 liter of milk (paragraph 1) in a preferably glass container (paragraph 2) and the lid should be tightly closed and placed in a completely dark place such as He put it in the kitchen cupboard with a temperature between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius for approximately 12 to 18 and finally up to 24 hours. Never put the container containing milk and mushrooms in the refrigerator due to travel, fear of spoiling in the kitchen environment, according to friends and acquaintances, or any other excuse. Because the activity of the fungus has decreased dramatically, which ultimately leads to the prolongation of the fermentation time, stopping the reproduction of the fungus and even its death in the long run.
۴- After completing the above steps, you should allow the fungus to completely ferment the milk and turn it into yogurt. The fermentation process will be different depending on the amount of your mushroom, the temperature of the place and the duration. Generally, if the ratio between milk and mushroom is observed and the necessary time passes (paragraph 3), the fermentation process will be done. The more mushrooms and less milk or the higher the ambient temperature, the shorter the fermentation time will be. From signs of fermentation Full : Curdling of milk at the top of the container, gathering of whey-like liquid at the bottom of the container and hearing the sound of gas escaping when opening the lid of the container (such as a soda can).
۵- After observing the signs of fermentation, first the container well shaking Give until all the contents inside the container are mixed together. Then open the lid of the container slowly and be careful of the gas of the container so that yogurt does not splash around.
۶- The contents of the container with Fabric lace small or with Plastic strainer (Do not use a metal strainer or a metal spoon) straighten Return the mushrooms in the strainer to the container and add fresh milk to it and wait until the next fermentation.
۷- You can dilute the obtained yogurt with a little water and turn it into buttermilk and add salt, dry mint, rose and other additives, or use it alone or keep it in the refrigerator for different meals.
۸- If there is no milk at home, you can soak the mushroom for up to 24 hours Water keep Otherwise, the fungus dries up in the environment and dies after 24 hours and is no longer able to survive.
۹- Once a week, wash the mushrooms and the dish with lukewarm water. If necessary, washing the mushrooms after each straining will not cause any problems for them.
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