Kefir-to heat or not to heat

[Guest guest]

In NT it states to heat your milk just to the temp needed to make

kefir. I am using powdered starter as I haven't gotten any grains yet

and on the directions on the box it states to heat to 180 and then

cool to 70's.

Is it necessary to heat the milk? Doesn't that kill a lot of the

enzymes in the milk?

Also, how do kefir grains get started? Do they ever start from the

powdered starter.

As you may guess I am a real newby with most of this stuff.

Thanks for any help.

Sandy

[Guest guest]

Sandy,

I'm not sure why they want you to heat your milk other than to make

sure there are no competing organisms. There is no need to do that

using regular kefir grains. If you are using raw milk, you are in

effect pasteurizing it which I don't agree with at all. To answer

your other question, the powdered starter contains maybe 10 strains of

bacteria and yeast. Kefir from grains contains around 35 strains of

beneficial organisms so there is a huge difference. Kefir grains

propogate so once you get them, your only cost is the cost of milk.

The powder will NEVER form grains. I'd really recommend you get some

grains. Go to this group and ask for some. People give them to you

for the cost of shipping or you may even find someone local.

Kefir_making/

Patty

--- In , " mom4him48 " <mom4him48@...>

wrote:

>

> In NT it states to heat your milk just to the temp needed to make

> kefir. I am using powdered starter as I haven't gotten any grains yet

> and on the directions on the box it states to heat to 180 and then

> cool to 70's.

> Is it necessary to heat the milk? Doesn't that kill a lot of the

> enzymes in the milk?

[Guest guest]

here are instructions for making kefir from the powder. if you heat to skin

temperature

you won't be killing the enzymes. I wouldn't heat to 180. Kefir grains don't

start from the

powdered starter. the grains contain more probiotic varieties than the powder.

they also

last forever so you don't have to keep buying the powder.

http://bodyecology.com/kefirinstructions.php

>

> In NT it states to heat your milk just to the temp needed to make

> kefir. I am using powdered starter as I haven't gotten any grains yet

> and on the directions on the box it states to heat to 180 and then

> cool to 70's.

> Is it necessary to heat the milk? Doesn't that kill a lot of the

> enzymes in the milk?

> Also, how do kefir grains get started? Do they ever start from the

> powdered starter.

> As you may guess I am a real newby with most of this stuff.

> Thanks for any help.

> Sandy

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks ladies, this is the info I needed. I will work at getting some

grains and quit heating my milk.

Be blessed

Sandy

> >

> > In NT it states to heat your milk just to the temp needed to make

> > kefir. I am using powdered starter as I haven't gotten any grains yet

> > and on the directions on the box it states to heat to 180 and then

> > cool to 70's.

> > Is it necessary to heat the milk? Doesn't that kill a lot of the

> > enzymes in the milk?

>