The combination of the powerful probiotic properties of Kefir with the appealing taste of fresh fruits and berries is often referred to as the best and most enjoyable part of any healthy diet. And, of course, this combination has a particular name: “Kefir smoothie“.
But first of all, let us answer a very frequently asked question: “does using a blender affect the probiotic qualities of Kefir?”
The short answer is NO. It doesn’t. The beneficial bacteria of Kefir won’t be affected by blending them with fruits to make a smoothie.
On the other hand, it is known that the contact of the living bacteria of Kefir with metal surfaces may suppress their probiotic properties or even incapacitate them.
However, while this may be partially true for other metals, it is not valid for stainless steel. So, as long as most blender blades are usually made of stainless steel, you don’t have to worry when using a blender to make Kefir smoothies.
Besides that, making Kefir smoothies is easy. Just blend all ingredients and enjoy!
Here are some sample sets of ingredients for blending simple and tasty probiotic Kefir smoothies.
Berry Kefir smoothie
- 1 ½ cups frozen mixed berries
- 1 cup plain Kefir
- ½ medium banana
- 2 teaspoons almond butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
“Any frozen fruit” Kefir smoothie
- 1 cup milk Kefir
- ½ cup fresh fruit
- ½ cup frozen fruit
- Sweetener as desired
- Possible add-ins: chopped herbs or seaweeds, chia or flax seeds, cod liver oil
Strong breakfast Kefir smoothie
- 1 large mango, stoned and chopped
- 2 cm piece ginger, finely grated
- ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- 200 ml fresh orange juice
- 300 ml Kefir
- 1-2 tablespoons of honey or agave, to taste
Blueberries, banana, and greens smoothie
- 1 cup plain Kefir
- 1 cup frozen wild blueberries
- 1 banana (frozen or not)
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon chia seeds
- ½ cup, tightly packed, mixed baby greens, such as kale, red chard, and spinach
Chocolate and banana Kefir smoothie
- 2 cups plain Kefir
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ¼ cup raw cacao powder
- 1 ripe banana, preferably frozen
