Immune boosting kvass is a savoury, flavorful and probiotic beverage that is full of ingredients to super-charge your health.
While kvass won’t help you fly or leap over tall buildings… it is packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Perfect for giving your immune system a huge boost.
How to enjoy Immune Boosting Kvass
This savoury fermented tonic is quite strong, salty and full of vitamins, minerals and probiotics. Depending on your choice of starter, it can also be sugar-free! Regardless, I usually serve this kvass diluted 2:1 with water.
Here are a few different ways to enjoy kvass:
- Sports Drink: Immune boosting kvass is the perfect base for a healthy and sugar-free alternative to a sports drink. The sea salt and lemons are natural sources of electrolytes. To make your own sports drink, dilute this kvass 50/50 with juice and add 1/8 tsp powdered calcium magnesium (affiliate link).
- Immune Support: Take 1/4 cup daily (either straight or diluted) to help support your immune system.
- Anti-Nausea Support: Ginger is a safe and natural way to soothe an upset stomach. Naturally, fermented ginger bug is a sweet option. For a low-sugar option, use ginger bug to culture this tonic, then add a double dose of ginger to the recipe.
- Refreshing Beverage: Mix 1 part immune-boosting kvass with 4 parts sparkling water for a refreshing beverage. It makes a unique and delicious alternative to sweetened drinks.
Immune Boosting Kvass
Immune boosting kvass is a savoury drink full of vitamins, minerals, probiotics and antioxidants. It’s perfect for fighting off a cold or flu. It also is a delicious, sugar-free alternative to a sports drink.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Fermented
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 lemon cut into quarters
- 2 small beets washed and diced into cubes
- 1 inch of ginger washed and sliced in half
- 1 inch of turmeric washed and sliced in half
- ¼ cup of starter culture (see notes)
- ½ tbsp sea salt (depending on culture, see notes)
- 3 cups filtered water to cover (chlorine free)
Instructions
- Wash and slice the beets, ginger and turmeric. Don’t peel the skin off, as the skin helps with the fermentation.
- If using a vegetable starter, dissolve the salt in ½ cup of water in a 1-quart jar. Otherwise, add the salt after completing the fermentation. See notes for more details.
- Add in the starter culture along with the beets, ginger and turmeric.
- Squeeze lemon wedges into the jar, then add them to the jar as well.
- Add enough water to fill the jar, leaving 1 inch of headroom at the top.
- Use a weight to keep the beets submerged.
- Loosely top with a lid (or use a fido or airlock), and leave the jar to ferment somewhere dark for 3-7 days.
- Store in the fridge and consume within 1 month.
Notes
- I usually use the ginger bug as my starter for this ferment, but you could use kombucha, whey or a purchased vegetable starter (affiliate link).
- If you are using sauerkraut juice or a vegetable starter for this ferment, then add the salt prior to fermentation. However, the salt will slow down yeast in a ferment, so don’t add it until after the fermentation is complete if you are using kombucha or ginger bug as your starter.
- If you can’t find fresh turmeric, just add a teaspoon of turmeric powder.
- The kvass is quite salty, so dilute with water (50/50).
Keywords: healthy, probiotic, keto, paleo, whole 30, winter, fall, spring, flu, cold, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, sports drink, electrolyte, COVID-19
This Kvass looks delicious! Cannot wait to homebrew my own the next time I head to the store to grab the ingredients for it. Thank you so much for sharing!
★★★★★
Thanks! We love it.
can you make this without the salt? it should ferment fine if I just use kombucha? thanks for any suggestions—watching my sodium intake 🙂
Yes! You could use it as a kombucha flavour, or make a sweet kvass with raw honey. Here’s my sweet kvass recipe: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/sweet-beet-kvass/
Is it possible to use kefir water for the starter?
Yes! The sugar in the beets should be enough to feed it. I always find water kefir takes a little extra long to ferment, so maybe give it an additional day or two. Cheers!
Can you ferment with 1/4 cup yogurt whey and
No salt? I am watching my salt intake.
★★★★★
Sure! I’ve done it with various fermented beverages. I just haven’t got them all posted on the blog quite yet. Yogurt is a good option if you’re also trying to avoid sugar. Otherwise, I recommend making fermented turmeric with ginger and lemon: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/turmeric-bug-soda-a-healthy-and-probiotic-drink/ 🙂