Fermented pomegranate pineapple water kefir is one of my latest fermented water kefir drinks that I like to make for radiant health and wellness. If you’re dealing with autoimmune issues, low energy, sugar cravings and a variety of digestive issues, water kefir will be a great aid for helping you feel better. Fermented beverages are rich in nutrients that are excellent for promoting digestive and immune system health. I like to make fermented foods all year round but I especially like to make lots of batches of water kefir, sauerkraut and fermented vegetables during the fall and winter months to help me avoid getting the cold and flu bugs that many people catch during this time of the year.
I love making all types of kefir drinks to share with my family, friends and clients including coconut water kefir and juice kefir blends. Here’s one of my go-to recipes for Cinnamon Coconut Water Kefir. I also use nut and seed milks like coconut milk to make different types of kefir and they are all delicious! Water kefir is one of the best fermented beverages to make if you are new to fermenting because it is so simple to make. You add the water kefir grains to sugar water and let them transform the water into a tasty fermented drink. Water kefir is perfect for anyone who can’t have milk kefir or doesn’t drink dairy products. When I took the Alcat test and found out I couldn’t have dairy for 6 months, I consumed a lot of water kefir, coconut water kefir and coconut milk kefir and it really helped me feel so much better!
If you are new to fermented foods you may be asking yourself what exactly is water kefir?
Water Kefir
Water kefir is a simple fermented beverage that is made with sugar water and water kefir grains. Water kefir grains are made from a symbiotic colony of beneficial bacteria and yeast and they have a translucent color. When you ferment the sugar water with the kefir bacteria cultures they eat the sugar and create a amazing tangy beverage rich in beneficial bacteria, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals that will rock your world!
When I make water kefir I like to do a second ferment with fruit or fruit juices to create fantastic fermented drinks that taste so good and remind me of commercial sodas but with health benefits instead of being health depleting! Water kefir should not be made with milk kefir grains which are for using in milk that has milk sugar or lactose that the milk kefir grains like to feed on. You can use milk kefir grains in non dairy milks like coconut milk but you will need to refresh them in organic milk between batches to keep them strong and healthy. Water kefir grains love minerals and need them to thrive so I add organic molasses to my water kefir to keep them happy! You can also use mineral drops like this brand.
So now that you know what water kefir is let’s talk about today’s recipe! Pomegranate pineapple water kefir is so good! I used pomegranate juice (not from concentrate) and blended it in my blender with fresh pineapple cubes and added the juice to the 2nd ferment. This blend created a light and refreshing water kefir bursting with fruity flavor and bubbles! I finished the first batch with my mom in two days and I had to immediately start another batch pronto!
Pomegranate and pineapple are two fruits that are nutrient-rich and absolutely mouth-watering! I use pineapple and pomegranate in many of my recipes including pineapple lime green smoothie, pain relief & inflammation fighting pineapple cherry turmeric smoothie, anti-aging pineapple banana green smoothie, pear pomegranate nut bowl and acai berry cranberry tea sherbet. After you get this recipe you need to check out these other tasty ones so you can discover why I love these two fruits so much!
I hope my recipe will inspire you to start making your own fermented water kefir creations! Happy fermenting my friends!
Have you ever made water kefir before? If so what’s some of your favorite combinations? Please contribute to the conversation by leaving a comment below.
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Pomegranate Pineapple Water Kefir
Vegan, Paleo, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free
Makes 7 ½ cups or almost 2 quarts
7 cups spring or filtered water
⅓ cup organic fair trade cane sugar (I used this brand)
½ teaspoon organic unsulphured molasses or few drops of minerals (Click here to check out the minerals)
⅓ cup organic live water kefir grains (I used these grains)
1-clean 2 quart glass jar with a lid (I used these jars)
For 2nd ferment
½ cup pomegranate juice
¼ cup fresh pineapple cubes or frozen pineapple cubes that are defrosted
1. Heat one cup of the water until hot enough to dissolve the sugar. Add the sugar and molasses if using to the hot water and stir until it dissolves completely. If using the minerals you can add them to the remaining room temperature water.
2. Pour sugar water mixture into your glass jar and add remaining water, stirring to combine. Make sure the water is at room temperature before you add the water kefir grains. Once the water is room temperature add in the grains and cover the jar loosely with the lid. Let the water kefir ferment away from sunlight for up to 2 days. I like to place my kefir in a cardboard box to keep it protected.
3. Once the kefir is done with the initial fermentation, strain out your kefir grains with a plastic or stainless steel strainer into a smaller glass jar with a lid. Once you strain the grains out of the water kefir, you need to store the grains in sugar water made with ¼ cup of organic sugar and 3-4 cups of pure spring water in a covered container until you’re ready to make another batch of water kefir. I usually just use the kefir grains to make another batch of water kefir right away. If you don’t want to do this, the water kefir grains can stay in the refrigerator for several weeks in the sugar water before you need to feed them again with a new batch of sugar water.
4. For the second ferment you will need to mix the juice and fruit together. Blend the pomegranate juice with the pineapple cubes in a blender until smooth. Pour into the same jar you used to ferment the water kefir and add 6 cups of the water kefir in the jar and stir. Close the top tightly and let it ferment for 24 hours. Your pomegranate pineapple water kefir is now ready to go in the refrigerator and you can drink it right away!
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