Who doesn’t love the juicy, sweet taste of strawberries? I’ve been messing around with making strawberry puree to flavor drinks for a few months. I know you will love Probiotic Strawberry Soda just as much as I do. This soda is made with probiotic rich water kefir, fresh strawberry puree and sweetened with honey. It’s refreshing, will make your skin glow and will increase your energy and vitality.
Strawberry soda reminds me of camping on Lake Sonoma in northern California as a kid. It was one of those lakes you needed a boat to get to the campground. No camping next to a parked car or the luxury of a RV. It was the real, get dirty, no showers kind of camping experience and it was the best. My favorite thing was waking up early in the morning and looking out at the glassy lake. It was so calm and quiet before the boat and water activities would begin for the day.
Camping was the only time my mom would let my sister and I drink soda and eat junk food. We would go to the store and pick out the Safeway Select flavored sodas which included grape, strawberry and a weird Dr. Pepper knock off. The strawberry soda was super sweet, bright pink and best when icy cold and fresh from the ice chest.
Since then I’ve rid my life of health-robbing soda and instead make nourishing, vitality-giving drinks. They taste delicious and keep me youthful so I can continue to enjoy life and play in the sunshine on a lake or beach.
My Probiotic Strawberry Soda is made with water kefir, fresh strawberries and sweetened with honey. It’s fresh, sweet, bubbly and will make your skin glow and give you energy.
What is Water kefir?
Water kefir is a probiotic rich drink made by fermenting sugar water with water kefir grains. The bacteria from the water kefir grains consume the sugar leaving a bubbly, mild tasting drink. You can make this soda using coconut water kefir or kombucha too. Don’t worry about the sugar content. As the water kefir grains sit in the sugar water, they consume most of the sugar and turn it into a bubbly, probiotic drink.
Health benefits
Unlike traditional sodas that are full of health depleting sugars, water kefir sodas improve your health. Some of the health benefits of drinking Probiotic Strawberry Soda are:
- Improves skin complexion.
- Prevents disease and premature aging.
- Supports the digestive system and boosts the immune system.
- Cleanses and detoxes the liver.
- Full of probiotics, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
What to expect
First you will need to make water kefir or coconut water kefir as your base. You will add the strawberry puree to the water kefir and bottle it for up to 24 hours to build up pressure and get bubbly. The strawberry puree kicks off secondary fermentation which causes a lot of bubbles. Be really careful when you open the bottle, because it can build up so much pressure that the soda could explode all over you, the counters and walls. It’s the same effect if you were to shake up a soda can and then open it. Trust me on this, it’s happened to me several times. I’ve had to mop the ceiling twice now.
- 3 cups Water Kefir or Coconut Water Kefir
- 2 cups strawberries
- ¼ cup apple juice
- honey
- First make a batch of water kefir or coconut water kefir by following the directions in the links.
- Add strawberries and apple juice to a blender and blend on high until liquified or pureed. Make sure there are no chunks of strawberries.
- Add the water kefir and strawberry puree to a pitcher and mix well.
- Taste the strawberry water kefir. If it is too sour, add honey or other sweetener to taste. Do not use artificial sweeteners. I use either honey or organic sugar. The amount you need depends on how sweet the strawberries are and your taste.
- Pour the strawberry soda into flip-top bottles or other bottle of choice and seal tightly.
- Place the bottles on the counter, out of direct sunlight for up to 24 hours to get bubbly.
- Place in the fridge and serve cold.
You can strain the Probiotic Strawberry Soda before serving too if you prefer the soda to have less pulp.
Resources
How To Make Probiotic Rich Water Kefir
How To Make Coconut Water Kefir and Get Clearer Skin
More Water Kefir Recipes
Water Kefir Grains
What are the health benefits of strawberries?
The Ultimate Guide To Antioxidants
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What a delicious and refreshing drink. I’ve never made kefir before and must do so now :)
Hi Thalia, If you decide to make kefir, let me know if you have any questions :)
Made it with kombucha and added hydrated chia seeds. My kids and I both love it, hubby too!
Hi Ruth, That sounds so good! I love the chia seeds for that extra punch of nutrition. Thanks for sharing :)
You said that when you buy the water kefir grains you only buy them once but how do you retrieve them once you make your batch of coconut water kefir and drink it? Do you save some? If so, how? Thanks SO much! Sherrie
Hi Sherrie,
Strain the water kefir grains out of the liquid with a fine strainer. Use them to make another batch kefir.
If you want a break from making kefir, store them in the sugar water solution and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to make another batch. They will multiply over time and you can store the extras in the fridge to split up batches, add to smoothies, feed your pets or give them to a friend.
Yep! I took your advice and warned my husband but we still lost half of it to the walls ceiling and even side of our house. Any advice as to how we can prevent this.
Oh no! I’ve had this happen a few times. What a mess! A few tips to avoid this is to not let it second ferment as long. It only needs a few days max when using fresh fruit. And place a towel over the bottle and slowly open it over a sink or outside. Like opening a champagne bottle.
Can I use whey instead of water kefir? Most recipes I see have you simmer the fruit with sugar water, does it matter if you use them fresh or cook them?
I haven’t tried whey with this recipe. I use fresh strawberries, because they are full of live enzymes and it’s healthier than simmering in sugar.
Hi Danielle. Thank you for this recipe. I am breastfeeding so I will be drinking mocktails this holiday season! I tried yours and it’s great! I hope that you don’t mind, I included your recipe in my latest blog. You can see it here: https://omdetox.com/10-healthy-mocktail-recipes-for-the-holidays/
Merry Christmas