This healthy cherry protein kefir smoothie is so delicious and easy to make. It is not only tasty, but packed with protein and immune boosting gut health probiotics! This is a must try with your kefir milk!
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What Is Milk Kefir?
If you haven’t heard of kefir milk, let me tell you about it! It is a fermented dairy beverage that is similar to yogurt and buttermilk. However, instead of heating up milk to then adding a culture (like you would with yogurt), you just add your kefir grains to milk. Then leave them in a corner of your kitchen for a day then reap the benefits for your health!
Can you put kefir milk in a smoothie?
Yes you can use kefir milk in a smoothie. While it is common practice to not use plastic products with kefir milk, that is referencing the actual fermenting process. Using plastic for processing kefir milk into a smoothie is not enough exposure time for the plastic to leach into the milk. If you intend to store it, then it is advised to move it into a glass jar.
Read our personal story about how we reversed tooth decay!
Can you taste kefir in smoothies?
This might depend on how sensitive your tastebuds are and how much you are adding into the smoothie. Usually no. This is because kefir has a mild tangy and tart taste. Blending it with other flavors will usually overpower the subtle taste of kefir.
Are kefir smoothies good for you?
Absolutely! Kefir milk has numerous benefits for your gut health and overall immune health. Kefir smoothies contain a powerhouse of probiotics that are bioavailable and easily digestible! This ferment supports a healthy gastrointestinal (GI) tract by adhering to the mucosal walls thus not allowing pathogenic microbes from adhering to the GI tract!
When you make kefir milk at home, you are getting access to the live cultures immediately without any probiotic loss. When you buy probiotics, they are usually labeled with a statement about how at the time of making the product, it contained a certain amount of probiotics. This means that as it is shipped and sitting on a shelf waiting to be purchased, it is loosing its probiotic punch.
This is why making it at home is not only a more affordable option, but also allows you to have a greater number of bioavailable probiotics ready to aid your gut microbiome.
If you want to dive in deeper to the health benefits and effects of this super probiotic ferment; or learn how to make it, you can read more about it in the post: Kefir Milk: The Powerhouse Probiotic For Gut Health And More!
Does a kefir smoothie help for weight loss?
Evidence is emerging that there is a connection between gut microbiome and weight loss. A study showed that gut microbiome between obese and non-obese individuals was different.1,2 The individuals that were lean had a healthier (diverse) gut microbiome when compared to the obese GI tracts.
Studies have concluded that obese and overweight individuals that have a less diverse microbiome and beneficial bacteria tend to gain weight more easily.2 Based off these findings, it could be concluded that diversifying your gut microbiome with beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, would help aid in weight loss.
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How to make a cherry protein kefir smoothie
All you need is a high speed blender and the ingredients listed below:
- kefir milk
- cherries (I like to use the frozen organic bag from Costco)
- dates – Medjool dates are sweeter than other dates. However, any variety of dates you use will work in this recipe.
- vanilla protein powder
- honey
- ginger powder
- cinnamon powder
- nutmeg powder
- ice
As a good rule of thumb, it is best practice to source quality food products such as organic, grass fed, wild caught, local, non-GMO, and made at home with the most basic of ingredients. This will help to have more nutrient dense meals that will not only taste better, but nourish your family while reducing toxins and unnecessary chemicals. Get tips from this article on how I grocery shop and meal plan for my family of six and do our best to only bring home quality ingredients.
- In your high speed blender, add kefir milk and dates. Work your way up to the highest speed on your blender and allow it to blend for about a minute or until the dates have completely broken down into the kefir milk.
- Next turn off your blender and add to it your ice, cherries, vanilla protein powder, honey, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Then blend on medium high speed until everything has come together and there are no longer any large pieces of ice.
- Serve immediately!
This makes about 8 cups of cherry protein kefir smoothie.
Is it safe to drink kefir smoothies every day?
Kefir milk has been supported by several studies to be a safe and inexpensive addition to daily consumption. Just as you might take a probiotic daily, or drink milk daily, kefir milk is no different. It can be consumed daily and provide immense health benefits to you and your family.
Our family drinks kefir milk or kefir smoothies daily at times and other times weekly. We personally have not had any adverse effects, but instead have seen a great improvement in gut and overall health!
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalms 118:24
Cherry Protein Kefir Smoothie
Equipment
- Blender high speed
Ingredients
- 2½ cups kefir milk
- ½ cup dates pitted
- 2½ cups cherries frozen
- 2 cups ice
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder organic
- 1 tsp (22g) honey raw, local
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp nutmeg powder
Instructions
- In your high speed blender, add 2½ cups kefir milk and ½ cup dates. Work your way up to the highest speed on your blender and allow it to blend for about a minute or until the dates have completely broken down into the kefir milk.
- Next turn off your blender and add to it your 2½ cups cherries, 2 cups ice, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1 tsp (22g) honey, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp nutmeg.
- Blend on medium high speed until everything has come together and there are no longer any large pieces of ice.
- Serve immediately!
Looking for more
Resources
- Kasai, C., Sugimoto, K., Moritani, I., Tanaka, J., Oya, Y., Inoue, H., Tameda, M., Shiraki, K., Ito, M., Takei, Y., & Takase, K. (2015). Comparison of the gut microbiota composition between obese and non-obese individuals in a Japanese population, as analyzed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and next-generation sequencing. BMC gastroenterology, 15, 100. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12876-015-0330-2
- Turnbaugh, P. J., Hamady, M., Yatsunenko, T., Cantarel, B. L., Duncan, A., Ley, R. E., Sogin, M. L., Jones, W. J., Roe, B. A., Affourtit, J. P., Egholm, M., Henrissat, B., Heath, A. C., Knight, R., & Gordon, J. I. (2009). A core gut microbiome in obese and lean twins. Nature, 457(7228), 480–484. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature07540
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