Enzyme-rich Drink and Digestive Aid
Keep in mind this is less of a beverage and more of a ‘tonic’ that can be taken in small amounts (4 ounces or less) at different times a day to improve digestion. It’s especially great about 20 minutes before a meal.







Rejuvelac is easy to make but it is takes a couple of days. You must first sprout your grains then ferment the sprouted grains. Choose whole, raw, non-GMO and preferably organic grains that have not been heat treated or radiated.  Once you have some high quality grains, like soft wheat berries you are ready to make Rejuvelac.

Sprouting the Grains:

• Take 1 cup of dry grain and rinse it thoroughly in clean pure water.
• Soak it over night, or about 8 hours, in a 1 quart mason jar with a loose lid.
• Place a clean mesh lid on the top of the jar and strain out the water. 
  
• Fill the jar again with pure water, stir and strain again.
• Flip the jar over, with the mesh lid angled downward, into a dish to drain.
• Rinse your jar of grains once a day.
• Watch for sprouting hairs after day one, it usually takes between 1-2 days depending on the room temperature.

After your grains are sprouted you are on to the fermentation process.

Fermentation:

1. Using a clean, sanitized quart jar and mesh lid, add your sprouted grains to the jar.
   
2. Fill the jar 3/4 full with cool filtered or distilled water.
   
3. Cover your quart jar with a loose lid or a mesh lid and cloth over the top.
4. (As with all ferments, it is important not to use a tightly screwed lid as they may potentially explode.)
5. Ferment on a counter-top or cupboard space, but keep out of direct sunlight.
6. Gently swirl the jar a couple times a day to move the grains around.
7. Allow to ferment for 1-2 days or until it becomes slightly cloudy with some bubbles.
8. Sometimes a slight film may develop on top which can be scraped off.
9. When it is ready to decant, strain the liquid out and save. You can compost the sprouted grains.
   
10. Store the liquid in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If the final liquid outcome looks and tastes pleasant, like it should, these are good signs of a successfully fermented liquid drink.
    

Potential Rejuvelac Contamination
Use common sense like any food preparation and there will not be any issues.  It's a good idea to make sure all your equipment is thoroughly clean and sanitary.  In addition, it is advised to place a loose lid and clean cloth securely over your jar and culture it in a ventilated, yet clean environment away from dust and foot traffic.

There are some that suggest that you can use the sprouted grains again for a second batch of Rejuvelac. A second batch may be made by filling the jar and soaking for 24 hours. After that the berries will be spent and may be put outside for the birds or compost. 

To Your Health
Tamara

Sources:
http://www.superfoods-for-superhealth.com
wikipedia.org
www.culturedfoodlife.com
http://naturalepicurean.com

I believe you are what you eat, but as we age our body does not work as efficiently as it did when we were young.  We are now just starting to understand that about 70% of our immune system is in our digestive tract. If you have stomach issues,  and you know who you are, this simple drink may help with digestion by increasing the enzymes in your digestive tract.



What is Rejuvelac
It is essentially the fermentation of sprouted grains in pure water for a 1-2 day period of time.  It's traditionally made from wheat berries, but can also be produced from other varieties like rye, kamut, barley, millet or quinoa, each having there own special flavor.  It's one of those fermented foods that can't be purchased from the health food store, you must make it yourself.

Benefits
When you consume foods that cannot be efficiently broken down by the body, you are left with undigested waste material and toxins that get trapped inside the gut, causing bloating, constipation, obesity, fatigue and lowered immune response.  Consuming lacto-fermented foods, like rejuvelac, can be a valuable asset to overall health.

Rejuvelac

• Filled with life-giving digestive enzymes.
• Loaded with prebiotics and probiotics.
• Because Rejuvelac is a pre-digested food, all the proteins are broken down into amino acids making them easy to digest and assimilate.
  
• Because the nutrients are so quickly absorbed, Rejuvelac increases our energy instead of decreasing it.
• Drinking Rejuvelac helps digestion, and is a very efficient cure for stomach and colon problems.
  
• You can use Rejuvelac, instead of water in almost any live food recipes.
  
• Rejuvelac cleanses your colon and fills it with friendly bacteria such as Lactobacillus Bifidus.
• "The traditional Rejuvelac recipe made from wheat berries is rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids", writes Deirdre Rawlings in her book, "Fermented Foods for Health." Namely, this beverage is rich in the vitamins E, K, C, B-1, B-3; the minerals magnesium, potassium and manganese; and amino acids.
  

So What Does It Taste Like
Although you wouldn't think that water sitting around for a couple of days with sprouted grains in it would taste all that great, the fermentation process actually produces a very clean tasting, tangy drink with a citrus-like aroma.
Many people describe it has a mild citrus or lemony taste, with a slight bubble. How to make it?

Sources
http://www.superfoods-for-superhealth.com
http://rawmazing.com
wikipedia.org