“Rain, sleet, freezing rain, snow…”
Yep, still January!
I just got my butt kicked in Pilates Reformer class. It was a new-to-me teacher and she was super tough, 2/3rds of the class was leg work! Ugh! I love it though, I feel so amazing when I walk out of there, strong, lean, and flexible.
Someday I will teach Pilates Reformer and have access to Reformers all the time!
The training to teach Reformer is extensive and expensive so for now (well, once my gym membership is up next week) I will settle for teaching and doing Mat Pilates. 😦 (Which I also LOVE.)
It’s official. I am obsessed with Water Kefir Soda.
One of the reasons I wanted to get to Ikea on Saturday was to pick up some bottles for my soda!
Vanilla on the left and grape on right.
Oh but wait, there’s more.
Yeah, it’s a little out of control. For real.
That chunky stuff on the bottom right is ginger. Mmmmmm homemade Ginger Ale. I’ve also made Lemonade, Grape-Vanilla, and Coconut (yuck).
Wondering what’s the deal with this stuff?
It is a fermented soda made with Water Kefir Grains
These “grains” have the power to turn sugar water into a probiotic rich beverage.
Probiotics is a catchall term for thousands of live microorganisms that deliver a myriad of health benefits. Basically it means that it is full of healthy, live bacteria that promotes gut health. Maintaining a healthy belly is crucial to keeping your immune system healthy.
Why am I on a Kefir Soda kick? Because it’s
- all about the probiotics
- rich in B1, B6, B12
- an awesome source of right-rotating lactic acid, which is really important in cancer prevention and heart health
- bubbly
- low-sugar (the grains eat the sugar in the fermentation process)
- delicious
And SO easy to make. The only challenge, besides finding the space to store all of your soda :), is obtaining the grains. I scored mine for free from a very random encounter but they can be bought online. I’ve heard that the best source to buy them is at Cultures For Health. They may seem a little expensive but they not only last forever, they multiply!
But really, does it taste good?
YES!
It is lightly sweet with a fine fizz, super tasty and refreshing. The fermentation continues even after removing the grains so it gets less sweet, more fizzy, and a slight yeasty taste as time goes on. The grape is the winner and coconut the loser but all of the flavors have turned out fantastic.
Gracefulfitness 