Store-bought kefir (commercial kefir) is quite different in composition, taste, and cost to homemade kefir made from genuine kefir grains. Authentic homemade kefir is made from kefir grains that ferment milk at room temperature for about 24 hours. Commercial kefir is not made directly from kefir grains, rather they are an imitation that mimics some of the strains, flavor, and properties of authentic kefir that has been made at home for hundreds of years.
One of the reasons companies can’t use real beans is that they are limited by the bottling process. Companies must suppress or stop the activities of the yeast to stop the continuous carbonation found in genuine kefir or the bottles will likely explode. So ultimately you have a suppressed product that is not as active, not as balanced, and has much less variety of bacteria and yeast.
One of the major commercial brands, Lifeway kefir, claims that it has 10 strains of friendly microorganisms. By comparison, homemade kefir with kefir grains can have up to around 40 to 60 different strains. Store-bought or commercial kefir generally has more strains and more probiotics than yogurt, but it’s still a long way from the genuine thing.
There are also popular kefir starter packs, such as Body Ecology. Body Ecology claims 7 different strains of bacteria and can be used a limited number of times (about 7 times compared to kefir grains that never die). Kefir starter packets are also imitations that lack the same probiotic content, acid, carbonation, kefiran (a special health-promoting polysaccharide made from grains), and many other natural healthy by-products that are produced specifically during the fermentation of kefir. live grains.
One of the biggest advantages of making kefir at home is the enormous savings. The cost of using 2-3 store-bought 32-ounce bottles of kefir per week is approximately $415-622 per year. The only cost associated with homemade kefir is the cost of the milk, which comes to around $72-$108 for the same amount of kefir. The kernels themselves are self-sustaining and will continue to grow and never die if taken care of well.
Another advantage of homemade kefir is that you can choose the type of milk and the flavors (if any). You can try raw, fat-free, low-fat, whole, or goat milk. You even experiment with soy, rice, coconut, and almond milk. You can flavor it however you like or just drink it plain, which is delicious on its own (without the added sugars that many commercial companies put out).
