Beet Kvass Recipe: Simple Powerful Natural Detox Drink!
Did you know that beet kvass, a traditional Eastern European beverage, is not just refreshing but also packed with health benefits?
You probably do, since you are looking for an easy and cost-effective way to make this nutritious drink at home.
In this post, we will show you step-by-step how to make your very own batch of beet kvass.
Beet kvass has long been known for its ability to improve digestion, cleanse the liver and boost overall health due to its probiotic content.
By the end of this article, you’ll learn how simple it is to prepare this fermented drink using everyday ingredients like beets, salt and water.
What the Heck is Beat Kvass?
If you’ve been doing some research into natural medicine, you’ve surely come up across kvass or beet kvass. It may sound Eastern European to you and it is – it’s a traditional fermented beverage (tonic) that has a myriad of health benefits (more on those down the road).
As the name states, the tonic is made by fermenting beets (with a little help of stale bread). Beets, for those of you who haven’t got the memo, are among the healthiest foods you can eat.
Full of nutrients and antioxidants, beets can clean the liver, kidneys, and blood, resulting in full body detox.
Additionally, they are also great for our digestion and can easily improve your regularity if you’re suffering from any problems.
Kvass is an ancient drink that originates from Russia (where else?!). It is made with stale rye bread and prepared in different ways in different regions. In Ukraine, keeping a bottle of beet kvass at home is a tradition and the beverage is commonly used in vinaigrette, borscht, and soups.
Thanks to the process of fermentation, beet kvass is full of healthy nutrients that will support your gut and help clean your body.
The probiotics and enzymes in the kvass will promote better gut health and improve your body’s nutrient absorption, effectively improving your health. It’s also a great blood cleaner – drink one 4 oz. glass of beet kvass every day and you’ll feel much better soon.
Beet Kvass Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large pot for boiling water
- 1 glass jar with lid
- 1 Cloth to cover the jar
- 1 Rubber band
- 1 Knife for chopping the materials
- 1 peeler
Ingredients
- 4 beets medium-sized
- 1 tbsp Himalayan salt or natural sea salt (no table salt)
- 64 oz. Purified Water enough to fill the jar leaving an inch empty from top.
- 10 slices ginger amount as per preference
Instructions
- Wash and peel four medium-sized beets thoroughly under running water.
- Chop them into tiny cubes as small as possible for better extraction during fermentation process
- Boil purified water in a large pot then carefully pour it into a glass jar until it's almost full but leave at least one inch space from the top of the jar
- Add one tablespoon of Himalayan salt into this hot water along with slices from either ginger, orange or lemon as per your preference
- Cover the jar with a cloth and secure it tightly using a rubber band
- Leave this setup at room temperature for 3-5 days to allow fermentation process to take place
- After 3-5 days, check if the mixture has started bubbling and turned into deep red color indicating that beet kvass is ready
- Remove the cloth cover, close the jar with its lid and store it in fridge
Notes
- The longer you let it ferment, the tangier your Beet Kvass will be.
- Always use clean utensils when handling fermented foods to avoid introducing harmful bacteria into your brew.
- It’s normal if white scum forms on top during fermentation; simply skim off before drinking or storing in fridge.
Nutritional and Health Benefits
Beet kvass is a drink made from fermented beets that’s really good for your health – particularly for the cardiovascular system, cognitive function, and cellular health.
Beets are full of vitamins and minerals, which help keep our bodies strong and healthy. When we turn them into beet kvass, the sugar in the beets gets reduced, making it an even healthier choice (compared to beet juice).
This special drink is great for our tummies because it contains probiotics – these are tiny helpers that live in our gut and help us digest food better.
It’s also good for our hearts! Plus, if you’re into sports or physical activities, drinking beet kvass about an hour and a half before you start can actually make you perform better!
The process of fermenting the beets to make kvass makes its nutrients easier for our bodies to use. It also adds more beneficial bacteria that produce B-vitamins – these are important nutrients that help our body function properly.
So all in all, beet kvass is not just tasty but also packed with stuff that’s good for us!
Consumption and Storage
To get the most out of beet kvass, you only need to drink a small glass or shot each day. It’s best to start with smaller amounts and slowly increase your intake as your body gets used to it.
Once you’ve made your beet kvass, keep it in the fridge where it can stay good for up to two weeks.
When making this drink, remember that the type of water you use matters! For the fermentation process (that’s what turns beets into kvass) to work properly, avoid using water that has chlorine in it.
Chlorine can stop fermentation from happening correctly. So opt for non-chlorinated water when preparing your beet kvass.
Additional Considerations
Beet kvass is more than just a healthy drink – it’s also quite tasty and can be enjoyed in different ways. However, like with anything good, too much of it can cause issues. Drinking too much beet kvass might lead to detox symptoms like feeling sick or bloated.
When you’re making your own beet kvass, remember that the amount of salt you use can change based on what tastes best to you. But don’t forget that some salt is needed for the fermentation process (that’s what helps turn the beets into kvass) to work properly.
Some recipes might tell you to add rye bread when making beet kvass, but this isn’t necessary. You can leave it out if you want without affecting how your drink turns out!
Bottom Line
In summary, beet kvass is a nutrient-rich, probiotic beverage with a long history of use in Eastern Europe and Russia.
Its preparation is straightforward, and its health benefits are extensive, particularly for digestive, liver, and heart health.
Whether consumed as a daily tonic or used in culinary applications, beet kvass is a versatile and beneficial addition to a healthy diet.
More Healthy Recipes
ℹ️ FoodNurish is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission without any surcharge to you.