Recipe: Ginger Beet Kvass

Fermented Foods

Mar 13
Ginger Beet Kvass, beet kvass

This simple homemade drink is a powerful blood tonic! Ginger Beet Kvass has a soft kick and a smooth flavor!

Beets are one of my favorite root vegetables.  Add some ginger to make ginger beet kvass and together it becomes a powerful anti-oxidant that protect the cells, tissues and glands of the body.

Beet Kvass is a Powerful Blood Tonic

What do we mean be the term blood tonic?

Phytonutrients called betalains are present in beets and cause them to have that rich color. The betalains also help to support production of red blood cells – thus its indication as a blood tonic.

Beet juice also alkalizes the blood and this helps to decrease inflammation.

Beet Kvass is a Source of Lactobacillus

As a fermented drink, beet kvass provides a certain amount of live bacteria in the form of lactobacillus. These bacteria help us digest food by providing enzymes and other molecules that help in human digestion.

Probiotic foods and drinks are critical for good health.

Read more about the importance of probiotic foods here.

Beet Kvass Contains Anti-oxidants and Nutrients

Beets are high in Vitamin A and folate with a little choline as well.

They are loaded with potassium and there is also calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and sodium.

The color of red/purple beetroot is due to a variety of betalain pigments. The composition of different betalain pigments can vary, giving breeds of beetroot which are yellow or other colors in addition to the familiar deep red.

These pigments are also powerful antioxidants and also have anti-inflammatory properties.

Anti-oxidants are important because they protect against cancers and other metabolic diseases.

Note: Beets are high in oxalates, which may pose a problem for some people.

Benefits of Adding Ginger to the Beet Kvass

Ginger has an amazing history of health benefits and has been used extensively in traditional medicine for thousands of years. Adding ginger to the beet kvass adds more anti-inflammatory power to it this tonic!

  • Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent and can help in inflammation of the joints – arthritis. An old folk remedy for joint swelling is to boil 1 to 2 inches of peeled ginger root in a pot of water, cool and then make a poultice by soaking a rag in the water and wrapping the joint with it.
  • Ginger is well known for its aid with indigestion, nausea and vomiting. It is a common remedy for the nausea of pregnancy and it is in many motion sickness remedies.
  • Ginger is also an intestinal motility agent and may be used to aid in constipation.
  • Ginger has the potential for help with high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.
  • Ginger is a powerful anti-oxidant and has been used for anti-aging and cancer prevention.
  • Ginger also has anti-microbial properties.
  • Ginger has a long list of studies with cancer.
  • Ginger is an excellent natural remedy for menstrual cramps.
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Recipe: Ginger Beet Kvass

Ginger Beet Kvass, beet kvass
  • Author: Dr. Jill
  • Prep Time: 10 mimutes
  • Cook Time: 1 - 2 days
  • Total Time: 2 days
  • Yield: 2 - 3 quarts 1x

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Clean and dry your gallon jar and the cover and airlock
  2. Clean and peel the organic beets
  3. Chop in small pieces, no smaller than 1/2 inch cubes
  4. Fill the jar 1/3 full of beets
  5. Add the sliced ginger
  6. Add the salt
  7. Measure the starter and mix into one cup of water
  8. Fill the gallon jar (holding the beets and ginger) with water and add the water with the starter
  9. Leave a 1 inch space from the top of the water to the top of the jar
  10. Stir well
  11. Cover with the lid and assemble the air lock
  12. Keep on the counter covered with a dishcloth around the jar for approximately 2 to 3 days
  13. Taste after 2 days – It should be tart and somewhat salty when it is ready
  14. When the kvass is ready, pour the liquid into other clean jars, reserving about a cup in the gallon jar with the beets – you can now use this for a second ferment

Instructions for the Second Ferment

You can reuse the beets one time with this second ferment. The kvass will not be as strong, but will still be good.

  1. Leave all the beets and ginger in the gallon jar with some of the original ferment as indicated above and refill with water – again leaving a 1 inch space from the top of the water to the top of the jar
  2. Cover with the lid and assemble the air lock
  3. Keep on the counter covered with a dishcloth around the jar for approximately 2 to 3 days
  4. Taste after 2 days – It should be tart and somewhat salty when it is ready
  5. Now you can discard the beets

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Equipment

Where to buy an air lock for ball jars

Where to buy culture starter

Tip: If you do not have an air lock, simply cover securely

Here is my recipe for plain Beet Kvass with a video tutorial in a half gallon jar.

Note: You will probably see white bubbles floating on the surface of the kvass. This indicates that fermentation is occurring and is normal.

You might be interested in my recipe for Purple Pickled Eggs using beet kvass.

Ginger Beet Kvass, ginger, beet kvass

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