WILMINGTON — “Good” bacteria has made its way into to the Port City.
Certified holistic nutritionist, dietary health coach, and author, chef Gailyn Gagliardi opened Kefir Complete Healing Cafe & Catering in Monkey Junction in July.
The kefir connoisseur had spent years shipping frozen kefir throughout the country and catering to a curated clientele. With demand on the rise, Gagliardi decided to open a storefront location to centralize her business and educational services surrounding a relatively unknown “grain.”
Culture Shock
Kefir is known to be described as “yogurt’s cousin.” Perhaps, more accurately, it could be described as yogurt’s overachieving cousin.
Gagliardi’s fermented concoction contains more than 70 live probiotic strains, 10 times the amount of bacteria found in yogurt.
Referred to as “grains,” clusters of kefir begin as live, symbiotic communities of bacteria and yeast. The grains visually resemble cauliflower and have the consistency of gummy bears.
Organic whole milk is added to the cultures which, over time, undergo a process of fermentation. Kefir grains feed on sugars and lactose naturally found in milk. The result is a thick, tart drink, packed with “good” bacteria.
This living mixture originated in the Caucasus Mountains, where kefir consumption is common. In the United States, kefir products and companies are a rarity.
Gagliardi’s kefir comes in three flavors: plain, chia with flax, and strawberry. She recommends newcomers start out with a 2 oz. serving, twice a day until the body adjusts to the influx of probiotic microorganisms.
The kefir at Kefir Complete is packaged and served frozen, with the strawberry flavor resembling a tart sorbet. Vials of kefir are sold individually or in packages included in a 30-day detox program, which is designed to cleanse the digestive system of toxins.
The science behind the benefits of kefir can be simple. Probiotic strains of bacteria are known to help provide health benefits to the digestive system.
“80 percent of our immune system is in our gut, it’s our second brain,” Gagliardi said.
Heal your gut, heal your life?
Stacey Maguire started working for Kefir Complete two months ago.
“I’ve lost 10 pounds without even trying,” she said. “I swear, I lost 10 pounds and I have not done anything extra or different except for eat here and eat kefir.”
Maguire has even applied kefir topically to reduce the discomfort and appearance of rosacea. In the afternoon, she no longer reaches for a cup of coffee to boost her energy.
“I didn’t completely understand it before I worked here,” Maguire said.
Now, Maguire “believes in it wholeheartedly.”
Gagliardi attributes weight loss through kefir consumption to the shedding of toxins.
“The average person carries up to 30 pounds of toxins in their digestive tract starting from their esophagus all the way into their stomach, large intestine, small intestine and that’s just the average person,” she said.
Toxins can be found in packaged foods, household molds, and in the air and water supply, a reality residents of the Port City have recently encountered through the controversy over the chemical GenX.
The chef has noticed that the average person on the 30-day detox program loses 10-30 pounds.
“It’s not from fat, it’s literally from detoxing their body,” she explained. “All health begins in the gut and that’s why it’s so important.”
Come for the kefir, stay for the food
Aside from operating as a regional hub for kefir production, Kefir Complete is a fully functioning restaurant. The menu includes organic paninis, wraps and salads all made in-house.
Fresh bread used for paninis is baked daily and is 99 percent gluten-free due to the appetite of the kefir grains.
Sourced from Tuscany, einkorn wheat berries are ground and combined with kefir, coconut palm, yeast, himalayan pink salt and olive oil. Kefir grains eat the gluten and natural sugars out of the dough, which results in a bread that is safe for people with gluten allergies and sensitivities to consume.
“We pull it out of the oven and they’re gone,” Maguire said.
Only whole, minimally-processed ingredients and organic coconut oil are used in their cooking and food preparation. Gagliardi makes an effort to ensure the food as toxin-free as possible.
Each meal comes with a 2 oz. dose of frozen strawberry kefir.
“Our goal in life is to help people heal their digestive tract,” she said.
The chef considers the food Kefir Complete offers to be more than just “healthy”.
“We call it completely healing,” she said. “We really believe food is medicine.”
By combining kefir and whole foods, Kefir Complete aims to facilitate healing in anyone who walks through the door.
All about kefir
Gagliardi’s passion for kefir is undeniable. Her restaurant features diagrams and free educational fliers for customers who wish to learn more about the health benefits of kefir.
“We’ve been able to break it down to where it’s very user-friendly and people can understand it,” she said.
Through trial and error, Gagliardi has learned to stick to the basics. “My first book wasn’t user-friendly to the average person.”
The staff at Kefir Complete is up to speed on the science behind kefir and will happily educate curious customers on its benefits.
“What we do, no matter what, we tell people about everything,” Maguire said. “Whether they’re just here to have lunch and they don’t have any idea what kefir is or einkorn berry, well, they leave here they know all about it, and they come back.”
The team is in the process of opening up a second location in Lumina Station, which they hope will be completed by the end of the year. With a dance studio next door and more interested customers, they have recently extended their hours until 8 p.m.
For those interested in learning more about the benefits of kefir, Gagliardi has a YouTube channel with educational, inspirational and health-related videos.
Kefir Complete Healing Cafe & Catering is now open and located in Monkey Junction at 5543 Carolina Beach Road.
