If a plant has been grown in soil that has chemicals, toxins, and/or hormones, then it is no longer clean and can pass these harmful substances into our system. When we ingest foods that are not clean, our bodies try to eliminate the unnatural substances. If they cannot, it can lead to inflammation and possibly chronic disease.

Vegan has become shorthand for healthy eating. Many believe that vegan food must be healthy food. Just because a food is labeled vegan, however, doesn’t mean it’s good for you. The food may be processed or loaded with refined sugars or made with contaminated grains or deep-fried or covered in sauces prepared with preservatives or artificial thickeners. “Functional vegan” refers to plant-based, organic foods that confer health benefits. These are foods that are raw or minimally baked in order to preserve maximum nutritional value.

At muun chi, we don’t create foods and beverages for mass consumption. We produce in small batches with love and care. We believe food should be fresh when nutrients are at their best. We will never add anything to our products to make them last. Mass production may be fast, but we prefer to take the time to handcraft and add mama muun love.

A real food probiotic is a live culture that has been naturally fermented and includes billions of microorganisms that populate your gut and strengthen your gut’s microbiome. Prebiotics are fiber-rich food for the probiotics or good bacteria. If you think of your gut as a garden, probiotics are the seeds, while prebiotics are the fertilizer.

In America, most people pronounce it “kee-fur” with the accent on the first syllable. Europeans, on the other hand, will often say, “Oh you mean ka-feeeer” with emphasis on the second syllable. Since kefir originated in Europe, I pronounce it ka-feeer. That reminds me of its origins, which I like. No matter the pronunciation, kefir is probably the most powerful probiotic. It is packed with billions of good bacteria and enzymes that will help your gut in many ways, while also boosting your immune system and cutting sugar cravings.

Traditional kefir is a fermented probiotic dairy beverage that Europeans drink to balance their guts. muun chi kefir is the functional, vegan version. I started making it because I couldn’t find a yogurt that was unpasteurized, free of cane sugar, and plant-based. I also wanted to try a different probiotic since the gut likes diversity, and I hadn’t yet had a kefir. I decided to make a kefir from coconut milk given its many benefits. The result was amazing. muun chi kefir has the consistency of a thick shake - it’s light and fluffy, almost like a creme fraiche. Some eat it with a spoon, with muun chi granola sprinkled on top. Others do the reverse, spooning kefir over a bowl of granola or muesli. Still others drink it like a shake. muun chi’s kefir has a natural effervescence, reminding one that it’s alive and working in the gut. Unlike most dairy kefirs and yogurts that are heat pasteurized - which kills most of the bacteria - muun chi’s kefir is raw and packaged fresh in a clean glass container that can be returned, reused or repurposed. There is no need for refined sugar, as the coconut milk is made sweet by Mother Nature. And because it’s free of dairy, there’s no risk of inflammation or bloating, just pure joy.

muun chi’s kvass is a modern version of an ancient Slavic fermented beverage that was originally made from rye bread and, in more recent times, beets. As a probiotic, it was intended to boost the immune system and keep Russian soldiers from contracting infectious disease during war time. Our kvass is fermented with beets, upcycled orange and banana peels, and ginger. We offer two versions: a classical kvass and a kefir/kvass (see below). The classical kvass has earthy tones and is often sipped like a wine. Both versions are great liver cleanses and blood tonics.

We created the kefir/kvass as a lighter, slightly more effervescent alternative to the classical kvass. muun chi’s Jazz Beet Kefir/Kvass is often served over ice and has a fun tang that keeps your gut happy and in tune. It’s a refreshing experience that you will enjoy as a complement to our Classical Beet Kvass. Athletes have taken to both versions to increase the amount of oxygen their blood is able to carry. The high levels of nitric oxide that the beets provide also naturally lowers blood pressure. A diet that includes muun chi’s kefir, kvass, and kefir/kvass gives you the diversity of good microorganisms that a healthy gut microbiome requires.

Our banana peels and orange peels come only from organic fruits, and they are triple-washed using a blend of Dr. Bronner’s organic oils. We then dehydrate them and add superseeds and nuts to create snacks and teas that are high in fiber and dense in nutrition. Banana peels are common in Indian food, while orange peels are included in some Chinese dishes. Peels are packed with antioxidants and nutrients since they are the first line of defense for the fruit from the outside world.

A real food probiotic is naturally fermented and packed with billions of good micro-organisms that populate your gut and keep it healthy. muun chi’s CoCoFir, Kvass, and CoCoFir Fauxmage are real food probiotics that are made from fresh ingredients. They are packed with dynamic LIVE cultures that colonize, grow, and add diversity to your gut, which in turn strengthens your microbiome, your immune system, your mood, your skin, and your overall health. muun chi’s granola, muesli, bites, and chews are real food prebiotics. They contain fiber that the gut can’t digest but that its healthy bacteria need to grow and thrive. Probiotics and prebiotics in the form of pills or powders are made by pharmaceutical companies using synthetic or processed ingredients. They lack the diversity of micro-organisms that real foods provide – diversity that helps your gut successfully digest a wide variety of foods, including some that might otherwise provoke an allergic reaction.

Many people have been trained to take supplements. Supplements are designed by the pharmaceutical industry and generally are not real foods. Our bodies heal naturally when fed real organic foods, especially plants grown in rich organic soils. The closer we are to Nature, the happier our bodies are and the more likely they are to maintain balance. muun chi has developed a probiotic coconut milk kefir that is fun to eat with our prebiotic No Grain Granola or No Grain Muesli. I like this combination in the morning with a green smoothie, or in the evening topped with cacao nibs, which are naturally caffeine-free and have a calming effect. I sip muun chi’s probiotic beet kvass and kefir/kvass first thing in the morning to get my system moving, and then in an afternoon pick-up, I’ll sip it again while munching on muun chi’s probiotic cheese and prebiotic no grain crackers. Eating muun chi products ensures you are feeding your gut everything that makes it happy and perform in the best form – real food! I love that my snacks energize and balance my gut. muun chi’s prebiotic chews are my on-the-go snack. I carry them in a muun chi tin. They are the perfect addition to my daily routine. Add an apple or a handful of broccoli, and my gut is soooo happy!

muun chi can be found in several stores in the Los Angeles market. The vegan meal delivery service, Real Fuel, also carries our products. And we deliver to a few convenient pick-up locations. Please see our Shop page for details on the subscription packages that we offer.