I just got a good question in my comments:
What is the difference between buttermilk and kefir? I have heard that both are good for you (talking health here) and just wondering what the differences are or similarities? Thank you
They have different flavors and consistencies. I too am exploring the health aspects to them. BTW- the book Nourishing Traditions is quite the eye opener! I just started it and its rocking my world.
Briefly
- cultured buttermilk is the liquid that comes out of the butter-making process. (My post about butter making doesn’t include the culturing step- but the blog Travelers Lunchbox does. Its an easy process- I recommend it. ). Cream is mixed with a yogurt culture and set out for a couple of hours at room temperature. The now cultured cream is churned into cultured butter and cultured buttermilk is the liquid that is left over.- kefir is milk that is treated with kefir grains or freeze-dried kefir culture. The grains are reusable, the freeze dried culture isn’t- a new packet is used each time you make kefir. The kefir is made in a manner similar to making cultured cream for making butter- the kefir grains are added to milk that has been briefly heated. The milk with kefir grains is left at room temperature for several hours and becomes thick and takes on a yogurt-like flavor. It is then refrigerated when it achieves a good flavor and is thicker. Kefir will continue to ferment- and become more nutritious with age.
Kefir looks and tastes like a drinkable yogurt- however it contains beneficial bacteria that is slightly different than yogurt and more active. It’s flavor is also more nuanced than yogurt’s.
How are they good health wise? Eating food like kefir is considered beneficial as it contains healthy bacteria that are digestive system needs in our gut to help our own bodies with the digestive process. Food cultures worldwide have a tradition of supplementing their diet with “live” foods such as kefir, yogurt and other fermented foods.
Another good book to explain fermentation and its context in our food culture is Sandor Ellix Katz’s book Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods.
hope that helps!
–McAuliflower
8 Comments
Funny, I just placed an order today for pomegranate-flavoured drinking kefir. I like to use it instead of milk with my cereal. But I recognize the commercially-available kefir in the US as a totally different beast from the stuff I used to have in Russia.
There, it’s much thinner than what you can buy here, far more acidic and can be quite aggressively bubbly (not just mildly effervescent as it’s sometimes described). I imagine that manufacturers in the West have tweaked the recipe to suit consumers’ tastes. Probably home-made kefir is the same everywhere.
The spelling “keifer” makes me think of Kiefer Sutherland. It’s pronounced ke-FEAR.
Ack! Off to check my spelling
–McAuliflower
Nourishing Traditions is an interesting book, though probably one to take with a grain of salt. Before I read it I went through the review comments from readers on Amazon and that helped put it into perspective!
Kefir reminds me of ‘fil’ we get in sweden and have it on cornflakes with a spoonfull of jam.
Nourishing Traditions is a GREAT book, and I believe it is full of wisdom. I also liked The Maker’s Diet, the thoughts are quite similar. I think that people who live like this live healthier lives! Eating “low fat” and sterilizing every food we put in our mouth is dangerous for our health.
I use kefir in my scrambled eggs often! It’s super good for you! I also use raw milk, which, for most, is thinking waaaaaayyy outside of the box.
Thanks for the great post!
I too am using raw milk in my kitchen. I’ve got some new found goat friends to post about!
cheers
–McAuliflower
What an incredibly interesting post!! I have only just discovered your blog and I will certainly be coming back again.
Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge with all of us - and thanks for doing it so well!!
Great website! I am looking for the kiefer grains, does anyone know where I can buy them? A few years ago I got some from a woman in Pennsylvania but now i cant find her contact. Please help! thanks!
I’ve been making butter from unpasteurized milk recently. A little extra work is required than making it from heavy cream, but it is a pleasure and the result is fantastic.
This is interesting Dominic- what extra steps to you use?
cheers
–McAuliflower
Is cultured buttermilk as beneficial as yogurt? I like buttermilk but dislike yogurt.
