Coconut Kefir

I have heard parent’s success stories about helping their child with autism recover with diet and the healing benefits of coconut kefir. So I researched it and found that it is a rockin’ probiotic drink and offers much more than good gut health. Here is the dish on this hard to find, expensive drink.

True coconut kefir is derived from young, green, coconuts from Thailand. (1st obstacle in making this drink) The coconut water is combined with kefir starter to create a nutritionally dense, probiotic rich, non-dairy, drink.
What is Kefir?
Kefir is a starter culture made from gelatinous white or yellow particles called “grains”. The grains ferment the milk incorporating their beneficial yeast as well as friendly “probiotic” bacteria, to create the “cultured” product. The grains are then removed (by straining) before consumption and can be used again.
The naturally occurring bacteria and yeast in kefir combine symbiotically (I love that word!) to provide excellent health benefits when consumed regularly.
Kefir can be made from any type of milk, cow, goat, coconut, soy, or rice. For the lactose intolerant population that cannot digest cow or goat milk, kefir provides lactase, an enzyme that consumes the left over lactose after the culturing process. Therefore, lactose intolerance should not stop anyone from consuming kefir dairy products.
What is the Difference Between Coconut Water and Coconut Milk?
This one had me so confused. From what I’ve researched, coconut water is the liquid that comes from the young, green, coconuts. Coconut milk is derived from extracting the meat of the mature coconut which contains a lot of fat and calories. This fat is not as bad as it sounds though. Coconut oil is 92% saturated fat. Don’t freak out yet! It’s approximately 65% (two-thirds) medium chain fatty acids (MFCA). Most all other fats and oils (saturated and unsaturated, plant or animal based) are mostly long chained fatty acids (LCFA). LCFAs are the fats that accumulate in your fat cells, and clogs your arteries. Your body needs pancreatic digestive enzymes and bile to digest LCFAs and they circulate in your entire body. MCFA rich coconut oil/milk does not need these enzymes or bile to digest. They are readily digested and go straight to your liver, boosting your metabolism.
Benefits of Coconut Water Kefir

• It increases energy and provides a feeling of good overall health
• Aids in digestion, heals the gut with high levels of probiotics
• Reduces sugar cravings
• Contains high levels of minerals like potassium
• It cleanses the liver
• Eases aches and joint pain
• Improves skin tone and complexion. Will help with acne, age spots, skin tags, moles & warts
• Strengthens hair, skin and nails
• Beneficial effects on the endocrine system (thyroid, adrenals, pituitary, ovaries)

Where to Purchase Coconut Kefir
So now you want to know where to get coconut water kefir, right? Well, there are not a lot of companies out there that sell it already in its cultured state. You can purchase young, green, coconuts and use a kefir starter culture to make your own. Or pay a lot of money having it shipped to you from the handful of companies out there that make it.

I found two sources of true coconut water kefir on the internet that I would trust. Body Ecology sells their brand of CocoBiotic beverage for $28.98 for a 44 oz. bottle and $14.95 for an 8 oz. travel size bottle. They also sell their starter culture packets if you want to buy young, green, coconuts and make your own coconut water kefir. A box of 6 packets cost $26.95 and each packet can be used an average of 7 times each. Their website is www.bodyecology.com.

The other source that was brought to my attention is CocoKefir. This company was founded by Michael and Holly Larsen whose daughter was diagnosed with autism.They credit her recovery in part to the implementation of a biomedical approach to healing her gut first, which in turn helped heal her mind. They sell their 16 oz. CocoKefir bottle for $9.99. That’s $0.62 per ounce vs. Body Ecology’s 44 oz. bottle at $0.66 per ounce, and their 8 oz. bottle cost $1.87 per ounce. Their website is www.cocokefir.com.

There is a third option out there. It’s not coconut water kefir, it’s cultured coconut milk. Remember the difference, water comes from young, green, coconuts and the milk is derived from the meat of mature coconuts. But the milk has the MCFAs, of which the water does not. So Delicious makes Cultured Coconut Milk with prebiotics and probiotics, made from organic coconuts. They have original (unflavored), chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. The original one is best since it does not contain any added sugars that only feed the bad bacteria and yeast in our gut. A 32 oz. bottle sells for less than $4.00 and can be found at Whole Foods. You may find it in your local grocery store, but I’m not sure the cost. .

To watch Michael Larsen of CocoKefir interviewed on Fox & Friends click below:

http://youtu.be/cfmNhA_D3mQ