Beet kvass is a fermented vegetable drink that is easy to make and loaded with probiotics. Learn how to make beet kvass here!
What is Fermentation?
Canning and freezing—as methods to preserve food—are relatively new in the Grand Scheme of Evolution.
Our ancestors (who did not have the advantage of electricity) largely fermented their crops in order to eat them at a later date. Pickles, relish, ketchup, mayonnaise, sauerkraut and mustard were all originally fermented. Depending on the environment, fermented fish, eggs, miso, kefir, kombucha and yogurt were also staples of early Man’s diet.
It’s too bad that we have lost our taste for cultured food, because that is literally where culture begins. These particular edible items also contain much that is good for us; probiotics to keep our immune systems strong and digestive enzymes to help us to digest what we eat. Could the decline in our health be due to the loss of these “helpers” in our diet? It is said that the availability of vitamin C in cabbage is increased ten times when it is made into sauerkraut.
I have recently begun making—and consuming—a lot of beet kvass. It’s incredibly easy to make and it is loaded with probiotics. Dr. Joseph Mercola recently tested some fermented vegetables and found that one serving of these foods had as many probiotics as a large bottle of expensive pills. Why not have the same benefit for a lot less money?
How to Make Beet Kvass
Here’s what I do. I take three or four medium-sized organic beets and cut them into chunks (you don’t want to grate them or cut them small because they will ferment too quickly & turn into alcohol).
I fill a quart jar about ¼ to ⅓ full with these beets. I add a teaspoon of good quality salt (like organic grey sea salt or Himalayan).
Optional: I will often add a couple of garlic gloves and ⅓ cup of homemade whey, but this is not necessary.
Fill the jar with fresh (preferably not chlorinated and not with added fluoride) water, leaving an inch of air space at the top. Cover tightly with a lid. Place on your kitchen counter for two days and shake a couple of times a day.
That’s it—you now have some beet kvass for your refrigerator. And when the juice is gone, you can refill it with water and set it on the counter for another two days for an additional batch.
My husband and I now drink a shot glass’ worth of the kvass with our meals. Another great kvass that you might want to try is fruit kvass. For me, personally, it solved a heartburn problem I was having and I prefer this flu defense to any and all flu shots. I have shown these two smaller glasses with one regular one so that you can get an idea of the amount that we actually drink. To your health!
How did your beet kvass turn out? Let us know below!
Reader Comments
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Beet kvass, flouridated water, minerals, and probiotics
I am really new to this but want to make the kvass. I see questions about added probiotics or starters...what would that be. I am going to be using our city water which is flouridated, will that be a problem? And finally, would it be a good idea to add a drop or two of Trace Minerals?? Thanks for the help.
Beet kvass
I have made beet kvass off and on for years (mostly off). I just today opened kvass that sat on the counter for 5-6 days. I used 4 medium organic beets, 4 organic carrots, a thin-sliced onion and a bulb of peeled garlic split between two 1/2 gallon jars with 2 Tbsp Himalayan salt and reverse osmosis water. It made 3 quarts of the best kvass I've tasted to date. To me the addition of the other veggies makes all the difference. Although I didn't see rising bubbles or have any overflow, I was very surprised to get a buzz from a small glass with my Sunday brunch!
Adding Probiotics
Hi C.L,
I notice you did not add any probiotics into the jar.....Most other recipes call for a starter of some sort?
Don't we need a starter?
Thanks,
Jo-Anne
Beet Kvaas
I made the beet kvaas and have been drinking a shot-glass per day. I made it in a quart jar, and it only lasted me 6 days. I filled the jar with water and it's now sitting on my counter until tomorrow. So that's two days without it. I thought I would make another batch in a different jar in a day or two, so that I'd always have some in the refrigerator. How do you make sure you always have enough?
beet kvass
Hi Mike, After awhile, you get the idea about how much you drink and how often you need to make it. I make it about once a week.
Celeste
Dear C.L: I can hardly wait
Dear C.L: I can hardly wait to try fermenting beets as u have mentioned. Would distilled H2O be ok to use? Thanks for this nutritious info.
Hi Jo, In general,
Hi Jo,
In general, distilled water is not good to drink. It has absolutely no minerals so it pulls minerals from your body in order to metabolize it. If the choice is chlorinated or distilled, I would go with the distilled but be sure to use good quality salt (with minerals) and you might want to throw in a piece of seaweed as well.
Thanks for sharing this great
Thanks for sharing this great recipe, and information! Just broadened my fermented and DIY info :-)
Hi Celeste! When you refill
Hi Celeste! When you refill the jar with water, do you also put in more salt? Also, do you eat the beets when you're erady to start a new batch?
Hi Lorri K, No, I just add
Hi Lorri K,
No, I just add water. And, in our case, the chickens get the beets. You could eat them, though. Good luck!
Celeste
How many times can you refill
How many times can you refill the jar before the beets run out of goodness?
Hi Anna C Some say that you
Hi Anna C
Some say that you can refill the jar several times, but each time the juice is more watery. I particularly enjoy the first batch.