Here’s good news for soda lovers! Now you can enjoy a healthy and delicious carbonated drink: roselle kefir.
Most of us are aware of the dangers of drinking soft drinks on a regular basis. A 12-oz can of regular soda contains 39 g of sugar, which is equivalent to about 10 teaspoons of sugar, usually in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. Numerous studies have shown the link between regular consumption of soft drinks and various modern diseases. Diseases such as diabetes, kidney damage, fatty liver, pancreatic cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Diet sodas are no better. Using artificial sweeteners like aspartame may not contain calories, but they certainly don’t fare any better. A report published in the journal ‘Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism’ in 2013 showed that diet soda drinkers suffer from exactly the same health problems as those who opt for regular soda.
Most people love soft drinks for their ‘fizzy feel’ and taste. Many also go for refreshments when they are thirsty. They find it to be a refreshing drink. Instead of rehydrating us, drinking soda actually leaves our bodies in a more dehydrated condition.
water kefir drink
An excellent substitute for soft drinks is water kefir. It is less well known compared to its cousin, milk kefir. However, it is an antioxidant drink that is probiotic. Contains numerous enzymes, vitamins and minerals unlike soda which contains synthetic caramel coloring (carcinogenic substance), phosphoric acid (leads out minerals) and caffeine.
Many different flavors of water kefir can be made with the use of various fruits such as oranges, apples, pineapples, berries, etc. A little-known water kefir drink that is delicious, refreshing, and nutritious is roselle kefir, accidentally discovered by the author.
Beneficial Jamaica
Consider the rosella. It is a flower belonging to the hibiscus family. Roselle is used in different parts of the world in alternative healing. In India, Africa, and Mexico, all aerial parts of the roselle plant are valued in native medicine. Infusions based on calyxes or jamaica seeds are prescribed as a diuretic, to stimulate the production of bile and to treat fever. In Senegal, the use of roselle extract is recommended to lower blood pressure. In East Africa, the calyx infusion, called “Sudan tea”, is drunk to relieve coughs.
Roselle contains one of the highest contents of vitamin C. It contains 3 times more vitamin C than black currant and 9 times more than citrus. It is also found to have rich antioxidant properties (anthocyanins). Fresh roselle calyx has been found to contain vitamin D, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and vitamin B2 complex, vitamin A, niacin and calcium.
roselle kefir
Fermenting hibiscus juice with water kefir grains makes for a truly delicious water kefir drink. Even the little ones love this refreshing drink. I have 2 year olds who ask for more after trying it for the first time. Another 10 year old was begging me to show his mom how to do it!
Some comments about roselle kefir:
“Tastes like sparkling wine!”
“Fizzy Carbonated Grape Juice.”
“My kids love it and drink it like water.”
“It’s delicious and refreshing especially on a hot day”
“This is something my kids would drink”
Get the little ones hooked on water kefir soda like roselle kefir before they get hooked on dangerous sodas. With water kefir, there is no need to worry about how much you consume on a daily basis, as water kefir aids in the digestion and absorption of food, as well as strengthening our immune system. In fact, water kefir has been highly recommended as a source of probiotics in the popular GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) diet. This is a special diet aimed at healing the intestines of children with autism or related conditions.
Making this probiotic enzyme-rich drink is super easy. The basic method is to put some water kefir grains in a glass jar of water with a little sugar, cover the jar, leave it for 24 hours, strain it and voila! The ready-to-drink drink can be flavored with the addition of some fruit juices and stored in the refrigerator for a delicious sparkling water kefir to enjoy with the family.
As for hibiscus kefir, all you need to do is place the water kefir grains in a jar of hibiscus juice, leave for 24 hours, and strain. Keep it tightly bottled in the refrigerator for an additional day to increase its fizz. It certainly is superior to any soft drink in both nutrition and taste! Who needs soda more?