Black Currant and Lemon Water Kefir
Black currants are in season so, of course, I’m sharing a quick and easy recipe for Black Currant and Lemon Water Kefir. This tangy, probiotic-rich drink combines the bold flavour of black currants with the refreshing zest of lemon. Perfect for a healthy, homemade refreshment that supports your gut health.
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Black currants are not a fruit most people think of but they are rich in nutrients and flavour. They are not always easy to find or affordable but they are easy to grow in the right region. We’re lucky to have many black currant plants and they are booming with berries!
Health Benefits of Black Currants
Black currants have the same health benefits as most fruits – rich in antioxidants, fibre, and plant chemicals that have anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties.
But what makes black currants particularly special is its high vitamin C content. One serving of black currants contains more than half of your daily recommended dose of vitamin C.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is known for its ability to support the immune system by preventing or reducing the severity of colds and flus. However, it is more than that, it is essential for so many bodily functions. For one thing, it is essential for the body to produce and utilize collagen. Most people know of collagen as the “anti-aging” protein and many people buy collagen supplements, but vitamin C is essential for reaping the benefits of collagen.
Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron found in plants. Without proper vitamin C levels, iron found in plants is not highly bioavailable to humans. This is crucial for those that wish to be on a plant-based diet.
Black currants and other fruits are not the only sources of vitamin C. You can also get a high amount of vitamin C from liver, lamb liver to be exact. You can definitely make lamb liver cubes if that is something you’re interested in including into your diet. Learn how to make liver cubes here.
What is Water Kefir?
To do this recipe, you’ll need to know how to make water kefir. Making a quart of unflavoured, fermented water kefir is the first phase of the process and you can learn how to do that here. Flavouring is the second phase of the process and that is what this recipe is for.
Health Benefits of Water Kefir
Water kefir is a fermented beverage that uses a small amount of sugar, natural yeast and bacteria, water and whatever flavouring you desire. It has everything you need to satisfy a soda sweet tooth, hydrate properly, and support gut health.
Probiotics
This fermented beverage is packed with probiotics that improve gut health. Regular consumption can aid digestion, alleviate digestive discomfort, boost the immune system, and support a healthy gut flora balance.
Low Sugar vs. No Sugar – Sweetened Beverages
Water kefir has a natural effervescence that makes it a refreshing, low-sugar, soda alternative. Switching from soda to water kefir would reduce sugar intake which is something that almost everyone would benefit from. If you drink diet or artificially sweetened soda, water kefir is still a better option even though it contains some sugar and calories. Learn more here about why drinking an artificially sweetened beverage is worse than drinking a low-sugar beverage.
Versatility
One of its most appealing and unique features is its versatility; it can be flavoured with various fruits or herbs, making the world your oyster. Whether enjoyed plain or infused with flavours, water kefir provides a tasty way to incorporate medicinal herbs or fruits into your diet. That is one of my favourite things about it!
Water kefir is my favourite way of incorporating red raspberry leaves into my diet to support female hormone health. Learn how to make red raspberry leaf & ginger water kefir here.
What You’ll Need
A clean quart jar with a lid: I used a classic quart mason jar with plastic lid.
Pop top bottle or second quart mason jar: This is optional if you want to strain out your fruit before storing and enjoying.
Funnel with a filter: One of those things you didn’t know you needed. Get one here. You can also use a regular funnel with cheesecloth.
Unflavoured, fermented water kefir: This recipe is for the second phase of making water kefir which is fermenting the flavouring. This means you’ll need to make the unflavoured, fermented water kefir before proceeding. Learn how to make it here.
Lemon slices: You’ll need 2-3 lemon slices. You can use fresh or dehydrated. Learn how to dehydrate lemon slices here.
Black currants: You’ll need about a handful of fresh or frozen black currants. If you want to substitute black currants for another berry, it will taste just as good!
Water: Clean drinking water is what you always want.
How To Make Black Currant and Lemon Water Kefir
Grab your clean empty jar.
Add lemon slices and black currants to the jar. Muddle slightly if the currants are fresh. Skip the muddling if the currants are frozen.
Add one cup of hot water to the ingredients to help extract juices. Let steep for 1-3 minutes.
Add one cup of cold water to cool down the mixture.
Grab your jar of unflavoured, fermented water kefir and add two cups to the flavoured water.
Place the lid on the jar of flavoured water kefir and place it in a space that maintains stable room-temperature.
Let it ferment for 1-2 days. Fermenting the flavourings is often referred to as the “second ferment”.
After 1-2 days, it should be quite bubbly and will have taken on a new colour.
You can drink your water kefir with the fruit or strain it out.
To strain it out: Grab your second clean quart jar and place your funnel with a filter in the opening.
Pour your flavoured, fermented water kefir through the filtered funnel into the new jar. The filtered funnel will catch the ingredients, leaving only your flavoured water kefir in the new jar.
Place a lid on your filtered, fermented, flavoured water kefir and store in the fridge. Consume within 3-5 days for the best flavour
Enjoy!
Notes
When adding the currants, you can muddle them slightly if they are fresh. If the currants are frozen, you can chop them up a bit to get more juice out of them. I left them whole for this batch but chopped up would be great.
Black Currant & Lemon Water Kefir
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Unflavoured fermented, water kefir
- 1 Cup Hot water
- 1 Cup Cold water
- 2-3 Lemon slices
- 8-12 Black currants
Instructions
- Start with a clean, empty jar.
- Add lemon slices and black currants to the jar.
- Pour in one cup of hot water to help extract the juices from the fruit, letting it steep for 1-3 minutes.
- Add one cup of cold water to cool the mixture down.
- Pour in two cups of unflavoured, fermented water kefir.
- Secure the lid on the jar and place it in a space with stable room temperature.
- Allow the mixture to ferment for 1-2 days—this step is known as the "second ferment."
- After fermenting, your kefir should be bubbly and have a new colour.
- You can enjoy the water kefir with the fruit in it or strain the fruit out.
- Seal the fermented and flavoured water kefir in a jar and store it in the fridge. For the best flavour, consume within 3-5 days.
Notes
Recommended Reading
I love black currants, but have only ever found them for sale in Europe. I live in the US now and never see them in the stores or farmer markets and miss them so much!
I’m in Canada but can usually be found in specialty produce sections or stores. They taste the best if you grow your own though! I’m sure you could find a plant at your local nursery 🙂
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