LET’S COMPARE: RAW MILK KEFIR VS PASTEURIZED KEFIR
Welcome to our new addition of “This, Not That!” where we take you with us to the grocery store and compare RAW FARM raw dairy products versus pasteurized dairy products. Today we’ll compare Raw Milk Kefir to Pasteurized Kefir. Which is better? Continue reading to find out. 😉
What is raw kefir?
Raw Kefir is a cultured, fermented food made from whole raw milk. At RAW FARM, our raw kefir is made by culturing our whole raw milk with 12 specialized bacteria colonies (in addition to the bio-diverse colonies of beneficial bacteria naturally found in our raw milk). It is then cultured (fermented) for 36-48 hours to achieve a pH of approximately 3.8. Our raw kefir is deliciously smooth and very drinkable! It contains special prebiotics to feed and protect gut bacteria, so it’s amazing for your tummy. How does it taste? It’s tart, creamy, and delicious. It’s like a drinkable yogurt.
We carry (4) fun variations: Plain Raw Kefir, Vanilla Raw Kefir (made with a pure Tahitian blend of vanilla extract), and Golden Raw Kefir (made with organic cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger).
WHAT IS PASTEURIZED KEFIR?
As mentioned above, kefir is a fermented food made from milk. The biggest difference between Raw Milk Kefir and Pasteurized Kefir is that raw milk kefir is made from fresh, unpasteurized raw whole milk, while pasteurized kefir is made using pasteurized (heated) milk that has lost its gut-healthy bacteria, digestive enzymes, and significant amount of protein during the heating process. Raw milk is alive, literally. Raw milk is the first food of life. It is full of bio-diverse bacteria that are amazingly healing for your gut and brain. A healthy gut produces a stronger immune system. Did you know the gut is the largest and most important immune organ in your body? The biodiversity of bacteria in your gut also communicates with your brain to balance and protect brain function and mood!
While it’s great that pasteurized kefir adds back bacteria that were lost during processing, the HUGE difference is that our raw kefir never lost any of its natural bacteria in the first place. It is whole, raw, real, and natural. Our raw kefir is super-charged probiotics both from whole raw milk and added cultures during fermentation.
Raw milk kefir reigns supreme! So, swap the pasteurized kefir for raw!
THE KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PASTEURIZED MILK KEFIR AND RAW MILK KEFIR
Today we’re comparing Vanilla Raw Kefir (on the right side) to a pasteurized vanilla kefir (on the left side), both made from cow’s milk. Let’s examine the differences:
DIFFERENCE #1:
The first difference you’ll notice is the texture. Raw Milk Kefir is smooth, creamy, and delicious, while pasteurized kefir separates easily and becomes clumpy. In this video, you can watch Kaleigh (one of our owners) comparing the two kefirs side-by-side. You can see the texture difference as she spins the bottle. The texture is SPOT ON with raw kefir!
DIFFERENCE #2:
The second difference you’ll notice is the ingredient list. RAW FARM Vanilla Raw Kefir only has 2 simple ingredients: Cultured Whole Raw Milk and pure Tahitian blend vanilla extract. We proudly source our vanilla from the HIGHEST quality source locally in Paso Robles, CA (central coast region).
RAW FARM Raw Kefir is proudly:
GLUTEN-FREE
RAW
PALEO
ARTISAN
NON-GMO
PRIMAL
KETO
KOSHER
SOY-FREE
Plus, our raw kefir has NO added sugars. It is naturally sweet and delicious! It has 5g of saturated fat per serving. Contrary to popular belief, saturated fats (from a good source) can be very beneficial for your health. Saturated fats, which include meat, organs, fish, and raw dairy products, contain important fat-soluble vitamins, like Vitamin B12, Vitamin A (retinol), Vitamin D3, Vitamin K2, and cholesterol, which your body needs to thrive.
DIFFERENCE #3:
Finally, Raw Milk Kefir supports a healthier gut! The amazing health components found in raw dairy products are unlike ANY “milk alternatives”, naturally! Nothing is added to enhance or stabilize this life-giving food.
SUMMARY
RAW FARM dairy products are simply tested for safety allowing the final product to be unprocessed, whole, nutrient -dense, and super probiotic; NEVER pasteurized (heated), homogenized (crushed), fortified (enhanced), or otherwise altered. EVER. This is your friendly reminder to CHECK your food ingredients! Raw is best.
RAW PET FOOD ITEM NOW AVAILABLE AT FARMERS MARKET (NATIONWIDE)
Interested in a raw diet for your animal?
Great news, our plain raw kefir (pet food) is now available at Sprouts Farmers market.