Making yogurt at home is an amazingly simple, inexpensive, and fun thing to do on a hot summer night. Some people use thermometers, special double boiler pots or fancy yogurt heaters, but not me. Who says there aren’t advantages to living in the desert? I used just two ingredients: 1 quart of whole milk (for a creamier yogurt), and 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt from the store. It really is easy-just make sure the yogurt from the store contains live cultures and you’ll be good to go…well, I guess living in the desert helps too!

How to make yogurt... in the Desert

I was going to use Dannon, which probably would have worked fine, but then I found Nancy’s nonfat yogurt in the health food section of my local Bashas grocery store for the same price of $2.99 for 32 ounces, and decided to go the more natural route and get the kind without rBGH artificial growth hormones.

I found The Secret in How to Make Yogurt from Wild Fermentation

I learned how to make yogurt and many other awesome fermented recipes from a book called, Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods. I cannot recommend this book more highly for taking the mystery and fear out of fermenting foods. Bacteria is not a dirty word, in fact, bacteria is very pro-life in general-like training wheels for the immune system---I am much more wary of anti-bacterial soap and antibiotics now. The beneficial bacteria in yogurt, Lactobacillus, are even said to have cancer preventing properties.

How to Make Yogurt the Easy Way: In the Desert!

So, if you’re ready to find out how to make yogurt, here’s what I did. Using medium heat, I warmed about a quart of whole milk on the stove, stirring occasionally until it was hot, but not boiling. Heating the milk will result in a thicker yogurt, and stirring it helps prevent it from burning. Let it cool for a while until it is still warm, but not hot to the touch. Next add 1 tablespoon of yogurt. Wild Fermentation explains why using more than 1 tablespoon is actually not better-the bacteria like their room. It is going to consume the lactose turning it into lactic acid and giving it a sour taste. Stir the yogurt into the warm milk, tighten the lid, and put it somewhere warm. I finished this process at 2 A.M. and put it outside where it was around 80 degrees, knowing that as the sun rose, it would soon warm up to the more optimal temperature of 100-110 degrees for yogurt making. When I checked on it at 3 P.M. it looked like real yogurt-because it is!
Homemade yogurt is similar to what I would find at the store, but has a richer flavor because I used whole milk instead of lowfat. I sampled a spoonful and put the rest in the fridge. I plan to eat it with blueberries and maybe some blackberry jam for sweetness. This was really easy though, and considering this was my first time making yogurt boy am I relieved! I can’t believe people actually pay $3 or more for a tub of this stuff at the store when yogurt is so easy to make at home.

Ok, I just did a little wandering around the internet to see how other people make yogurt-I suppose if you don’t happen to live in a warm climate like the desert, it might actually be helpful to get one of those thermometers and some of the fancy gizmos might be helpful too. (although Wild Fermentation will show you how to make yogurt with just an insulated cooler so you can make yogurt at home year round anywhere you live.)

I consider this an adventure in learning to trust my taste buds. People were making yogurt at home long before it was ever mass produced. Some of our ancestors used to do adventurous things like store milk inside dead cow’s stomachs. If they had the courage to do that, I’m pretty sure a few us “adventuresome types” can manage making yogurt at home!

How do you make yogurt? If you've tried making yogurt at home I'd love to hear your comments.

And if you don't happen to live in the desert or don't want to try making yogurt with an insulated cooler there are yogurt makers that will do all the hard work for you. I haven't tried a yogurt maker myself yet but below are some of the most popular yogurt makers for sale from Amazon. Have fun making your own yogurt and don't forget to let us know how to make yogurt your way!

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Euro Cuisine Yogurt Maker. List Price: $29.95 Sale Price: $26.99 You save: $2.96 (10%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Yogourmet Multi Electric Yogurt Maker with Yogurt and CBA Starter List Price: $75.85 Sale Price: $54.74 You save: $21.11 (28%)   Eligible for free shipping!

This post on how to make yogurt was shared on Real Food Wednesday, Fat Tuesday and Fight Back Friday.

How to Make Yogurt in the Desert is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

If you've looked at the ingredient list of your average instant oatmeal I hope you have a degree in chemistry - or a very nimble tongue, and plenty of time on your hands because the list is long and unpronounceable - not a good sign when buying food.

I've recently discovered Better Oats® - quite simply as the name implies - they are better oats. Well, instant oatmeal anyway. Better Oats makes 9 different instant oatmeal brands among them Oat Revolution, Abundance, Oat Fit, Raw Pure and Simple and Mom's Best Organic.

I haven't tried them all, in fact just looking at their website there are some I didn't even know about. But the one's I have tried have a simple healthy ingredient list without all the added junk you'll find in regular instant oatmeal.

While not all of them are organic, many of them are and even the non all natural non organic brands use simple ingredients - for example one of our kids' favorites is the Oat Revolution Strawberries and Creme which isn't organic but the ingredients are as follows: Whole grain rolled oats, sugar, flaxseed, natural and artificial flavor, dehydrated strawberries, salt, and citric acid. Yes you can make a case for the "natural and artificial flavor" being on the not so good list but overall for a non organic instant oatmeal that ingredient list I can live with.

And one thing I love with the strawberries and creme and well, all the Better Oats instant oatmeal's I've tried is the aroma - as soon as that hot water hits the oatmeal the smell is wonderful and rich.

If you are looking for an organic instant oatmeal option try the Raw Pure and Simple or the Mom's Best Organic which have Organic whole grains of Oats, Barley, Quinoa, Rye, and Wheat as well as flaxseed. Even the Abundance might be up your alley as it also has natural Oats, Barley, Quinoa, Rye, Wheat and flaxseed.

In this world of over processed hard to pronounce ingredient lists and just plain cruddy grocery store food it is nice to see a company that cares about health and tries to make healthy products that we will actually feed to our kids (and ourselves of course).

Check out these Better Oats instant oatmeal for sale below
or you can find a better sale at Target from time to time as well

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Better Oats RAW Pure & Simple Multi-Grain Hot Cereal ~ Bare Flavor ~ 5 Pouches per 7.4 oz Box (Pack of 3 Boxes) Sale Price: $13.75   Eligible for free shipping!

Better Oats mmmMuffins Old Fashion Instant Oatmeal, Blueberry Flavor, 5 Pouches per 7.55-oz. Box (Pack of 3 Boxes) Sale Price: $7.92   Eligible for free shipping!

This Post Shared on Fight Back Friday and Real Food Wednesday

Better Oats: Instant Oatmeal that I’d actually feed to my Children is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

Love pesto but looking for a change of pace - or maybe a substitute for olive oil in pesto? Have you heard of chia oil? Yes it really is made from the same seeds as those found in late night infomercials and children's cartoon networks. While I don't know if I'd delve into the head of my Chia Pet for a late night snack the use of gluten free chia seeds and chia oil is becoming the latest health craze and makes a pretty darn good pesto.

Chia seeds and chia oil is packed with beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids, even more so than flax seed (in fact chia seeds are the richest plant source of Omega-3, and you'll even hear blatherings about it having more omega-3's than salmon if you eat 100 grams or like almost a half cup - personally I don't go around downing half cup sized handfuls of chia seeds - but the point is they are good for you)

Now back to our regularly scheduled program
- Chia Oil Pesto.

Pesto comes in many shapes and sizes - or textures and consistencies. Different ingredients can be used with subtly different tastes, but the basics are basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and an oil - usually olive oil, and of course if you like a pesto that bites you back (and anyone within 10 feet of you) garlic. Yum. Chia oil has a light buttery taste that is scrumptious with toasted pine nuts and roasted garlic.

Most people associate pesto with a thick or creamy paste - but I like to make a lighter fluffier pesto that goes absolutely sublimely perfectly on top of a nice juicy turkey burger. (oh great I just awakened the beast and my taste buds are working overtime to get me off the computer and placate them with a snack) Basically what I'm saying is that if you like a traditional pesto consistency just modify the ingredients (add more chia oil) until you get what you are looking for.

So enough dilly dallying already here's what you'll need for a Chia Oil Pesto

I'm sure you can figure this one out, but for those not used to making pesto I'll give you the list...

1. A good handful of fresh basil leaves
2. 1-2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts (or cashews, sunflower seeds or almonds will work if you can't get your hands on pine nuts. I've even used crackers in a pinch, shhh don't tell)
3. One clove garlic (or more if you don't have a date in the next day or so) but one should be plenty.
4. A couple tablespoons Parmesan cheese (yes I know could I be more vague? What can I say I don't like to follow rules)
5. 1-2 tablespoons chia oil

Pulse that up in a food processor until everything is blended into a light fluffy mixture, but before it turns to a paste. whalah! or however you spell whalah. Serve and enjoy, or take your picture with your chia oil pesto and post it on Facebook if that's more your thing - but really it's meant to be eaten.

Your Turn to Share: What Have You Made With Chia Oil?

I'd love to hear what you think - what do you use Chia oil for?

This Post on Chia Oil Pesto Shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Seasonal Sunday and Fat Tuesday - Check 'em Out!

Chia Oil Pesto – Yum – Pass the Chia Pet Please is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

I just received a beautiful bamboo cutting board as a gift and I've been looking into how to cure it or season it before use. Every where I look suggests using food grade mineral oil to first cure the bamboo cutting board and then re-apply once a month to maintain a good luster.

Now my dilemma is this: is mineral oil, even supposedly food grade mineral oil really safe?

Here is the definition of mineral oil found on Wikipedia:
"A mineral oil or liquid petroleum is a liquid by-product of the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline and other petroleum based products from crude oil."

Now does that sound safe to consume to you?

Me either.

Is there a natural health alternative to mineral oil in curing a wood or bamboo cutting board?

I'd like to start a discussion on the use of mineral oil in curing wood cutting boards, so for any of you real food experts or natural health guru's what do you think? And what do you use to cure or maintain your wood cutting board?

Wondering Where to Buy Food Grade Mineral Oil See These Options Below

I'm still not entirely convinced food grade mineral oil is as food safe as it claims but the consensus is that it is the best option out there for protecting wood cutting boards. If you can't find food grade mineral oil at your local store Amazon has many options available below.

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John Taylor Butcher Block Conditioner Food Grade Mineral Oil and Natural Waxes, 12 fl.oz(355ml) Sale Price: $9.95   Eligible for free shipping!

Snow River 7V03389 Wood Oil List Price: $4.29 Sale Price: $2.98 You save: $1.31 (31%)   Eligible for free shipping!

This Post on Food Grade Mineral Oil Shared on Real Food Wednesday and Fight Back Friday

Is food grade mineral oil really food safe? is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

I just drank a farmer's market in a bottle, well at least part of one - I think they left out the organic lotions and grass fed beef thank goodness.

This time of year when my garden is two feet under snow it gets a bit hard to just step outside and enjoy some fresh greens not to mention the 31 varieties of super foods that are found in a bottle of Cell-nique. Plus you won't find Bladderwrack in my garden (what in the world bladderwrack is I don't know, sounds like one of those coin operated games where you take your aggressions out on a poor plastic gopher with a big mallet)

Whatever it is it's in there and it's organic even - so it must be good for you. In fact all the ingredients in a bottle of Cell-nique are certified organic.

According to their site "Cell-nique is the first and only delicious Super Green Vegetable Base Drink made from a blend of 31 USDA Organic Super Foods containing: super vegetables, super fruits and super plant botanicals that support and promote nourishment, cleansing/detoxing, alkaline-forming and rejuvenation of your cells by bathing them in pure phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidants." In other words if you drink these every day you'll live to 110, half of which will be spent in the bathroom.

All kidding aside I enjoyed my farmers market in a bottle as they claim, plus I got to type Bladderwrack which I never thought I'd get to do - guess I can cross that one off my bucket list - in fact if I keep drinking Cell-nique I'll have to make a longer bucket list.

Cell-nique is available in nine super funky flavors in three categories (one for each meal perhaps) EARTHY: Japanese Roasted Tea, Apple; FRUITY & REFRESHING: Pomegranate, Lemon-Ginger, Tropical, Berry-Grape; DECADENT: Citrus Vanilla, Root Beer, Dark Chocolate.

Coming soon is the rest of the farmer's market with peppermint lotion grass fed T-Bone, well maybe not (I hope) it would be unique though.

If you'd like to try your very own Cell-nique they do have a few 12 pack varieties of Cell-nique for sale at Amazon for a little less than I've seen it for at stores - check it out below.

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Cell-nique Organic Super Green Drink - Citrus Vanilla Flavor - 31 Superfoods w/Agave List Price: $60.00 Sale Price: $48.00 You save: $12.00 (20%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Cell-nique Organic Super Green Drink - Kukicha Tea Blend - 31 Superfoods w/Agave List Price: $60.00 Sale Price: $57.01 You save: $2.99 (5%)   Eligible for free shipping!

This Post on Cell-nique Superfood Drink Shared on Real Food Wednesday and Fight Back Friday

Pass the farmers market please: Cell-nique 31 Super foods in a bottle is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

Wasabi sauce-that strange green spicy pile of goo that you always get when you go out for sushi and usually throw away (at least I usually did-since less than a grain of salt’s worth of the stuff makes my head feel like it’s about to come apart at the seams)—well, I had a bad cold which I think turned into an upper respiratory infection and had a real hankering for some sushi one night—and decided maybe some of that repulsive green stuff would be good for relieving congestion.

I did feel an immediate sensation of crispness as my nose seemed to clear and I tried not to cry, though when I looked up the reason why it seemed to work as a decongestant, I was surprised to learn wasabi actually makes the nasal passages more narrow-which might explain why later on my nose was even stuffier.

However, far from trying to discredit the health benefits of wasabi, I was surprised to learn it had so many other health benefits besides as an antidote to prevent food poisoning (which is one reason that wasabi is served with sushi and raw fish). Wasabi has anti-bacterial properties and is thought to reduce inflammation, prevent tumors, and even kill cavity causing bacteria! In addition, it may help prevent cancer and heart attacks, and help people suffering from arthritis.

But before you run out to your nearest sushi bar, know that real wasabi (or Japanese horseradish) is very rare in the U.S. and most restaurants serve a mixture of Western horseradish mixed with mustard and green food coloring. Before you skip the “fake wasabi,” altogether though, it turns out Western horseradish has many of the same health benefits, including antibacterial and anti-inflammatory characteristics, plus it stimulates the immune system, heats up the body, and has aphrodisiacal properties! Though we could probably do without the food coloring.

As I mentioned the true Wasabia japonica rhizome, (the rhizome is the Japanese horseradish root) is hard to find in the US so if you have a good source please share it with us in the comments below. And what do you think, is wasabi good for you?

If you do some searching Amazon does have some natural (aka without the artificial food coloring) wasabi powders and sauces, here are results for wasabi and wasabi products for sale.

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Kaneku Premium Wasabi Ko - Japanese Horseradish Powder - 1.0 Oz Sale Price: $4.35   Eligible for free shipping!

S&B - Wasabi in Plastic Tube (Family Size) 3.17 Oz. Sale Price: $3.73   Eligible for free shipping!

This Post Shared on Fight Back Friday and Real Food Wednesday

Wasabi, Spicy Green Goo or Really Good for You? is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

Winter chills bring sniffles and pills but with this all natural cough remedy, a food based cough syrup you can give your kids some relief without risking harmful over the counter "medicines".

There is nothing worse than hearing one's child suffer through a winter cold and the hacking night time cough that keeps them tossing and turning all night. It gets to the point where you'll even consider giving them over-the-counter medications (that frankly have some pretty dangerous ingredients) just to give them a few hours of relief. If you've been trying to replace as many harmful children's medicines with all natural ones take a look at Maty's Quiet Relief Cough Syrup - a natural cough suppressant.

Many natural cough remedies for children (and adults for that matter) get a bad rap when it comes to how well they work so you may wonder "does Maty's Quiet Relief cough syrup work?" I'm always interested in trying a new natural cough remedy so when I was looking for something to give the kidieos some bliss from a particularly nasty night time cough I thought I'd try some and I am glad I did. ( I tried the Maty's Kid's Quiet Relief Cough Syrup, Caramel Banana Flavor)

After about 7.5493 minutes (okay I didn't actually time it but I'd say around 5-8 minutes) the coughing stopped and they finally fell into a peaceful sleep - peaceful for them as well as us! The directions state to take it every 4 hours and that is about how long the relief lasted, 4 or 5 hours, so it would be nice if it had a longer duration but to find a natural cough syrup that actually works and works pretty fast I will certainly buy it again.

What is Maty's Quiet Relief Cough Syrup and how is it a natural cough remedy?

Maty's cough syrup is food based so it doesn't have any harmful ingredients, sweeteners, corn, soy, dairy, wheat or yeast. I don't know the process by which it is made but I would guess that this is a raw food cough syrup which is even better because all the healing properties of the ingredients would be kept at their most potent levels.

Maty's cough syrup is made from antioxidant rich Buckwheat honey which has been shown to improve respiratory function. It also contains Cinnamon, Zinc, Apple Cider Vinegar, Cayenne Pepper, Sea Salt, and Lemon Balm each of which have numerous healing properties - too numerous to list even, but here is the information from the box.

Maty's Natural cough remedy ingredient properties

• Cinnamon: promotes healthy breathing
• Zinc: provides immune support
• Apple Cider Vinegar: promotes healthy mucus flow
• Cayenne Pepper: aids circulation
• Sea Salt: naturally neutralizes toxins in the body
• Lemon Balm: has a calming effect

While we tried the Maty's natural cough remedy for children it also comes in a regular, basically the same without the extra banana flavor.

This post on Maty's natural cough remedy shared on Real Food Wednesday and Fight Back Friday

Ahhh Sweet Surrender: A Natural Cough Remedy That Works is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

I went to a local fermentation meetup group about a year ago, eager to learn more about how to make kombucha tea at home, and in the process I stumbled across a "new" (at least to me) type of fermented drink called water kefir. Water kefir has actually been around for thousands of years and goes by many different names including Japanese water crystals. The girl who had brewed this tasty lightly carbonated concoction had flavored it with fresh blueberries after it had been fermented. I was immediately impressed by the versatility of this probiotic wonder drink-which is purported to contain trillions of naturally healthy bacteria to aid digestion and the immune system.

Unlike milk kefir, water kefir is perfect for those who are lactose intolerant. This summer I decided to try brewing my own water kefir and found that it’s actually quite easy to prepare-and easier and more fool-proof than kombucha.

Here is a basic water kefir recipe that helped me get started:

1) Fill a quart sized jar with room temperature mineral water* leaving about 2 inches of space at the top
*(or spring or tap water with most of the chlorine filtered out. Reverse osmosis water isn’t recommended, although I have tried it without ill effect. The main thing to remember is that minerals are beneficial to the functioning of water kefir grains, so if they’re not getting minerals from the water, some mineral rich fruit should be added)
2) Add approximately 1/4 cup sugar and stir
3) Add 1/4 cup Water Kefir Grains
4) If available add 1/4 cup starter water kefir, otherwise you can add half a peeled lemon to the brew for your first 2 or 3 batches.
5) Then wrap a small handful of dried un-sulfured fruit into an unbleached coffee filter or a reusable fabric pouch (So far I have tried: dates, dried mango slices, raisins, figs, and apricots or a combination thereof)

I’ve also tried dried candied ginger in my primary ferment. Maybe it was just me, but that batch seemed a little flat. I might eventually give ginger another try in a secondary ferment though, after it has established some zing.

Water Kefir Recipe Fermentation Stages and Tips:

I then cover the jar with a coffee filter or other breathable material, secured with a rubber band (if you are using metal try to make sure the rim is completely dry before securing so the metal won’t rub off and contaminate your grains). I leave the brew alone at room temperature for 2, sometimes 3 days. The longer it brews the stronger the flavor starts to get and the more carbonation it will acquire. If you like a sweeter more soda pop taste, one day might be sufficient. You can sample the brew or give it a stir now and then with a plastic spoon or straw.

After the primary ferment, sometimes I’ll do a secondary ferment. This involves straining out the water kefir grains for the next batch, discarding the fruit, and then bottling the water kefir (minus 1/4th cup for your starter) in a sealed container and then letting it sit on the counter for a day to add even more carbonation. You should leave about an inch of head space and crack the lid open every few hours for just a quick burp to let some of the gases escape (this helps prevent the bottle from bursting).

Before putting the finished water kefir into the fridge I also like to tape on a label with all pertinent info that I’ll soon forget-like what ingredients I used, when the primary ferment began and ended, if and how long the secondary ferment lasted, and my impression-like “wow, super fizzy.” One word of caution, I’ve heard that the more carbonated it is, the higher the alcohol content. I believe the alcohol % in water kefir is a fairly trivial amount like less than 0.8% but it bears mentioning. Part of what sparked my renewed interest in water kefir is that the kombucha I usually buy at the store was recalled because they were having trouble keeping the alcohol content below 0.5% and it ran into regulatory issues.

I actually made a batch last week that reminded me of the Kombucha Botanica Elderflower I used to buy and love. I used one dried fig and some raisins in a full 3 day primary ferment. I noted that it was really potent-maybe too potent and decided to skip the secondary ferment and put it in the fridge for 5 days—and when I took a cautious sample, it was irresistibly delicious. I’m still new at this little hobby and am eager to learn more about fermented foods and water kefir health benefits. I’ve purchased a book that came highly recommended called Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods that has a bunch of water kefir recipes to try - I look forward to continuing this experiment!

If you have a favorite water kefir recipe please share in a comment below.

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Water Kefir Grains Sale Price: $2.50   Eligible for free shipping!

KEFIR GRAINS - LIVE ORGANIC Sale Price: $2.75   Eligible for free shipping!

This post on my first water kefir recipe shared on Fight Back Friday and Real Food Wednesday

My Water Kefir Recipe: a Fermentation Experiment is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

If the thought of wielding a massive cleaver gives you goose bumps, but you have a hankering for some fresh coconut water take a look at Vita Coco. All the natural health goodness of fresh young coconuts without the risk of missing fingers, yikes sorry for the graphic image let's stick to a more inviting picture - the image of good health.

• Coconut water is low in sodium and sugar and very high in potassium (even more than bananas, or sports drinks like Gatorade)
• Coconut water helps raise the metabolism, boost the immune system, and improve circulation (and in a pinch it can be used for blood transfusions since it is identical to human blood plasma - oops sorry that brings us back to the missing fingers quip I'll try to refrain)

If you aren't that familiar with the health benefits of coconut water do some searching and you'll soon find out that coconut water is some amazing stuff (maybe that's why all those commercials you see for vacations in the tropics have all those gorgeous people in them - it must be the coconut water)

But back to the Vita Coco shall we? Not only do they offer plain Jane coconut water that is scrumptious all by itself, they offer many other flavors made with natural fruit purees along with the coconut water. Give the Passion Fruit, Tangerine, Peach & Mango, Pineapple, or Acai & Pomegranate flavors a try - you'll be dancing in tropical vacation commercials in no time.

Update: Today Amazon is having a Cyber Week Lightning Deal on the Vita Coco Variety 12 Pack - Normal list price of $24 now on sale for $16! (the Amazon link above shows it at $21 but if you buy before 4pm Central it is only $16 - good luck!)

I have not been paid by Vita Coco to butter them up and make them look good - their products speak for themselves - I am also not endorsed by meat cleaver sellers or emergency room workers for mentioning tragic accidents that might result from improper use of said cutlery - I do however receive a small commission from Amazon for any purchases made through the links on this site so tell all your friends to stop here first and practice hitting that buy button - it does a blogger good

This Post Shared on Real Food Wednesday and Fight Back Friday

Naturally Healthy Coconut Water Without Risk of Injury is a post from: Natural Health Goodies

My girls absolutely love kefir, a delightfully delicious cultured milk similar to yogurt. (and I admit I'm a little addicted as well) Someday we'd even like to make our own if we can find a good source of kefir grains, but until we do we like to try various store bought kefir when we find it.

We recently found a good one at a local co-op made by Nancy's - Organic Blackberry Kefir - I'm salivating just thinking about it. Nancy's makes four varieties of Organic kefir in 8oz and 32 oz sizes - plain, raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry.

Not only is their kefir loaded with tons (well, billions actually) of live probiotic cultures including L. Acidophilus, B Bifidum, L. Rhamnosus, and L. Casei (which besides being fun tongue twisters are actually great for digestive health and the immune system) Nancy's organic kefir uses all organic milk, fruit and inulin (a prebiotic - probiotics best friend that enhances nutrient absorption).

In fact the organic milk comes from grass fed cows which provides a massively huge amount of good nutrients not found in "regular" milk.

The natural health geek in me has to mention a couple of points: one Nancy's Organic Kefir uses Agave Nectar which while it is a low glycemic sweetener, has very high levels of Fructose which many even geekier natural health guru's believe should be avoided like the plague.

Also in order for it to count as a low-fat drink it contains organic nonfat dry milk (in addition to actual organic milk) - which kinda defeats the point of all those good for you fats found in grass fed milk. There is a widespread misconception that low-fat or non-fat milk is good for you - but that is a whole post in and of itself.

That being said Nancy's Organic Kefir is still one of the best for you kefirs I have found in stores and I'll certainly buy it again - now if they made a full fat grass fed naturally sweetened variety I'd have to say it would be the perfect kefir.

This post shared on Fight Back Friday

I’m Hooked on Nancy’s Organic Blackberry Kefir is a post from: Natural Health Goodies