All foods, however natural they are and even if they have numerous health benefits for our body, they also have their negative effects. Any food if over consumed can cause problems. With water kefir, there are no deadly dangers, but there are contraindications and precautions that should be taken into the account.
Most of the health benefits of water kefir are overcoming the contraindications and side effects since the vast majority of people feel better after consuming water kefir (there are minimal cases that show otherwise) and side effects are usually temporary. This fermented drink is a powerful probiotic. Most people have no problems with the usual consumption of water kefir. However, not everyone tolerates this food in the same way.
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Water Kefir Is Not the Ideal Choice for Everyone
Having an abusive or uncontrolled consumption of water kefir will cause potentially serious consequences. Despite being mainly based on sugar and water, kefir has live microorganisms that are beneficial to our body. By taking water kefir in an exaggerated way we would be saturating our organism with this bacterias/yeasts (microorganisms). This causes unpleasant symptoms and even an imbalance in our body.
Water kefir is not the perfect choice for everyone. These adverse effects occur more with homemade water kefir than in the ones you can buy in the supermarkets since the homemade ones are usually more concentrated. Also, some people don’t prepare it in the correct way. If unsure how to make water kefir I would suggest visiting our ultimate guide on how to make water kefir at home. Sometimes you are maybe using the wrong equipment or type of material. Take a look at this kefir fermenter, it is made specifically for this purpose. Our guide will explain this more in detail.
For many people who are starting with kefir, the term “Contraindication or danger” may sound a little scary. The truth is that you don’t have much to worry about. You cannot really say that this drink has negative side effects. The symptoms it can cause are usually temporary and none are fatal. It is important that if the symptoms are persistent to take less water kefir and if you are still having the symptoms of the same magnitude, unfortunately, water kefir is not for you.
Water Kefir: Contraindications and Precautions
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People with sensitive stomachs
Although this drink provides a multitude of benefits for the stomach and the digestive system as such. Regardless of that, before starting to take consume water kefir, you have to be careful. This drink provides ferments that help with digestion and improve the intestinal flora. However, sometimes people with a sensitive stomach may show some symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal discomfort or abdominal swelling. If this happens you need to decrease the amount, if the symptoms do not diminish your need to stop drinking water kefir. Everyone has certain foods “that they don’t tolerate it well”. If you notice discomfort after drinking water kefir, this is probably your case.
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Caution if you are in treatment with immunosuppressants or drugs that decrease the action of the immune system
The treatments with these drugs are usually prescribed in case of transplants to avoid rejection of the body and also in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as lupus or arthritis rheumatoid. For that reason, it is best to consult the doctor before taking it since water kefir contains live microorganisms.
It is advisable that if you are taking any medication or vitamins, you should take water kefir at least 2 hours before any medication.
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Consult the doctor if you have had problems with candidiasis or other yeast or fungal infections
We know, the water kefir contains yeasts that fight the harmful bacteria in our body. In some cases, it can be a contraindication for the people who have the sensitivity to yeast. In case you have had recurrent infections of candidiasis or other disease caused by fungi, it is best to consult your doctor about the composition of water kefir before implementing it into your diet.
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AIDS
Although water kefir is currently used in the treatment of this disease. You should consult a doctor before you start drinking water kefir in case you suffer from AIDS. In healthy people, the consumption of water kefir strengthens the immune system and provides many benefits. In the case of weak immune systems, it can result in an imbalance and with a greater tendency to suffer from infections.
Take the dose depending on the age and state of health. Take precaution in the conservation and preparation of water kefir. If you suspect that it is not in good condition you should discard it. Don’t consume it if water kefir is in poor condition as it can cause stomach damage, such as the increased likelihood of causing infections.
If you have a healthy organism, a diet rich in fiber and protein and you will never have intestinal or digestive problems. It is very likely that you never feel the contraindications of the water kefir. You will probably enjoy its benefits without any symptoms. However, if you already have problems, mainly at the intestinal level, including constipation or a recurrent bloating sensation, it is possible that with the continuous consumption you will have more problems.
The most common adverse symptoms when taking water kefir are the following:
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal inflammation
These symptoms will decrease as the body adapts to the administration of new live microorganisms. This lasts for 2 to 4 days maximum. When in contact with these symptoms you should take only half of what you had previously taken.
During the first few times, the body and especially the intestine will have to adapt and accommodate to the presence of probiotics from water kefir. While there is a reduction of harmful bacteria inside, during the first days, this readaptation to a new, healthier reality tends to create uncomfortable symptoms that will disappear within a few days. If the adverse symptoms of the water kefir do not disappear with days, it would be better to stop consuming it. Consult a doctor to make sure that everything is fine.
It may seem a bit contradictory that food that helps to improve and strengthen the digestive and intestinal system ends up worsening or increasing the frequency of these symptoms. The reason is simple, our organism is reacting to a change.
When preparing water kefir you should keep in mind the following:
- There should be good hygiene when preparing water kefir and a proper storage place for kefir
- It is not advisable to use metallic objects
- It must be bottled very well to keep microorganisms alive
- Check that the kefir is in good condition, this is a source of possible infections
- Use natural water
When starting to take water kefir, it is important to have enough information about the proper daily dosage for water kefir. If you have any problems with water kefir consult your doctor. Most studies have proven that water kefir is perfectly safe. But like any substance, if taken in large quantities it will cause problems.