Is kvass the new kombucha?
Kvass is prized for its liver-cleansing properties
Kvass – fermented beetroot juice – is a traditional eastern European beverage that was originally made from fermenting stale bread.
Earthy, salty, sour and sweet, this jewel-toned lacto-fermented beverage is a probiotic bonanza. According to food legend, beetroot and kvass are prized for their liver-cleansing properties and beet kvass is widely used in cancer therapy in Europe.
It’s also an excellent therapy for chronic fatigue, chemical sensitivities, allergies and digestive problems. One glass morning and night will alkalise your body nicely plus deliver all the other medicinal qualities of beetroot.
Some recipes call for adding whey, which speeds up the fermentation process, but kvass can be made more simply with just beets, water and salt. Or you can mix the juice from sauerkraut to some chopped beetroot with about three times the amount of clean water and leave to ferment on the bench for two days. Strain. Depending on the ingredients, your environment, and your personal taste, the fermentation process may take a couple of days to a couple of weeks.
It’s a bit of an acquired taste, as you can imagine – but once acquired, you’ll be craving it.
Written by ANH's natural living and food expert Janella Purcell, image from For Life Retreats.
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