Dairy/Dairy Alternatives

Hi,
I have read so much about the benefits of kefir and would like to try it, and I know you can make it with coconut milk, almond milk etc. But what I have also read is that to keep the kefir grains working properly you need to refresh them in goats or cows milk from time to time, and that this is ok because they eat all the lactose. Has anybody tried this? I am a bit too worried to give it a try in case some of the milk comes through to the dairy-free version, if that makes sense!
Thanks

Hello Char82.

I have been making water kefir for a couple of months now and my little kefir 'grains' seem perfectly happy with their dairy-free diet. If they lose vigour at any stage, I would buy another sachet and start again.

It's quite fun having a jar of kefir bubbling away in the kitchen (satisfies any innate witch-like tendencies) and I've come to look forward to my daily glass of kefir - served chilled, and mixed with sparkling water, it makes a refreshing pick-me-up while I prepare the evening meal.

Happy brewing!

Jette

Hi,
as far as I know, it is primarily a protein within milk and dairy products, the butyrophilin, which is considered problematic as it may trigger molecular mimicry and may induce our immune system to erroneously attack a similar protein in the wall of our myelin cells.
I do not know, whether the kefir bacteria destroy this butyrophilin also. If not, I would abstain.
Zoë

Thank you both I'll give it a try with non-dairy milk, and just get new grains if they aren't working properly.
Charlotte

Kefir is quite interesting.
There are studies about the proteins found inKefir compared to the proteins found in regular pasteurized milk.
The pasteurization kills the bacteria which would otherwise digest much of tha dairy proteins.
These protein sets are quite different from milk to Kefir. If the problem with dairy is the proteins, perhaps we should look closer at Kefir.
There are populations that have used Kefir for generations that are not typical MS zones.
The benefits of Kefir to improving the Gut micribiome also should be investigated more.; it appears quite promising for gut-brain health.
I wonder it may ultimately be discovered that for MS , Kefir is to dairy what fish is to meat???

I've been making water kefir for a year and a half. I haven't rested it even once and it's still happy. If it starts to lose fizz then I add a little maple syrup and an egg shell and it recovers completely. Kefir is completely addictive and my family only drinks that and water these days.