Kefir Vs Kombucha 2024: Which Fermented Drink Is Better?

Kefir vs Kombucha, over the last decade or so, has officially entered into the mainstream. They’re no longer specialty items exclusively for raw vegans and health food nuts. You might even be able to find them in your local supermarket’s dairy section. 

Kombucha and kefir are both wildly popular gut-friendly probiotic fermented drinks. They’re not identical, however. And, their differences may help define which one is best for you. Pregnant should not consume Kombucha, or breastfeeding women or children, so this is not the best choice for them; Water kefir is best for those with lactose intolerance, or diabetes, or for those who need to lower their cholesterol. At the same time, kombucha tea is great for those plagued with inflammation or who need to detoxify their bodies.

How are fermented beverage kefir and kombucha made, and where do they derive their extraordinary health properties from? 

How Is Kombucha Made?

Kombucha is a byproduct of sweetened tea, usually green or black tea, fermented for weeks or even months at a time. Dried tea leaves are steeped briefly in sugar water before being put away for the probiotic beverage’s first round of fermentation. The bacterial culture is added through something called a SCOBY. 

“SCOBY”^[1] is an acronym that stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.” It’s a gelatinous membrane, a “pellicle” or a “biofilm,” that floats at the top of the kombucha brew, anywhere from pale beige to deep yellow or orange. This SCOBY acts as the “mother”^[2] culture for the starter tea and is retained between batches and brews.

While there is usually plenty of added sugar for the bacteria to feast upon during the fermentation process, there are no other ingredients aside from water, tea, sweetener, and a SCOBY or a commercial kombucha starter. This mix of ingredients makes kombucha tea becomes great low-calorie fermented beverages for a refreshing, tangy break at any time of the day. 

Bottled kombucha tea is delicious and convenient, but making kombucha and brewing your kombucha tea can be a lot of fun and a great project to try at home. You’re able to customize your kombucha tea’s sugar content and even add flavors like ginger, lemon, coconut water, or cayenne to cut down on the added sugar. 

How Is Kefir Made?

At the other end of the spectrum is milk kefir, nourishing and sustaining probiotic drinks made from kefir grains fermented in whole milk.^[3] The key to this ancient cure-all is the kefir grain itself, a unique blend of complex sugars, yeast overgrowth, and other beneficial gut bacteria. 

The kefir grain finds itself in an environment rich with milk proteins to break down; the sheep’s milk, goat’s milk, or cow’s milk, nourishes the microbiota that it bears perfectly. The combination results in an abundance of lactic acid bacteria ethanol, carbon dioxide, acetoin, and acetaldehyde, culminating in the famous sour taste that traditional kefir.

Milk-based kefir is creamy and delicious without being overly sweet. There is no added sugar in authentic kefir, but you’re likely to find many sweetened, flavored varieties of this milk-based treat in any grocery store. Much like making your homemade kombucha tea, it’s really easy to ferment your kefir at home. 

The Health Benefits Of Kefir And Kombucha

There are some difference between kefir and kombucha. A few of the benefits of kombucha include:

• It can improve the function of your digestive system. Kombucha is an excellent source of probiotic bacteria.
• Kombucha tea contains an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols, plus powerful antioxidants that may help prevent neurodegenerative disease and even cancer.
• It also contains glucuronic acid, a natural detoxifier that can help your body flush out impurities in your system, as well as the residue of hormones that have already run their course.
• Kombucha boasts all of the ordinary benefits of black tea and green tea alone — a boost in energy, an anti-inflammatory kick, and a neuroprotective edge.^[4]

Kefir shares many of these benefits. A few more that might interest you include:

• Kefir is an excellent snack for the weight-conscious. It’s been shown to nourish the body without causing an undue spike^[5] in blood sugar levels. However, consuming kefir may lead to insulin issues for diabetics if they overindulge—more on this in a moment.
• Kefir stimulates^[6] the immune system and might improve lactose tolerance by making it easier for the body to process without causing an allergic reaction.
• Rats fed a diet supplemented with the kefir superstar Lactobacillus plantarum enjoyed lower serum cholesterol, lower LDL cholesterol, fewer triglycerides, and lower liver cholesterol. The culture was able to help them metabolize^[7] and rid themselves of the cholesterol in their bodies much more efficiently.
• Milk kefir can be used topically as a protective, antiseptic burn treatment. 

The perks associated with the inclusion of beneficial bacteria in your diet speak for themselves.

Possible Risk Factors

Few wellness professionals will deny the health benefits that either of these probiotic beverages brings to the table. 

As with anything, however, there are always possible risk factors to take into consideration. Some of these risks come as a result of drinking too much kombucha or kefir. However, a few more insidious risk factors may surprise you.

Possible Risk Factors Of Drinking Kombucha

• Kombucha contains trace amounts of alcohol. Pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding should avoid drinking kombucha.
• Trace amounts of lead have been detected in commercial kombucha during the fermentation process. While the resulting final levels in each bottle weren’t high enough to poison adult kombucha drinkers, children are advised to avoid kombucha for this reason^[8].
• As with any other caffeinated beverage, overconsumption of kombucha may lead to jitters and anxiety, especially if you’re prone to this type of reaction.
• Kombucha is regarded as a health food beverage, but many brands do add a significant amount of sugar. If you’re diabetic or blood sugar-conscious, tread cautiously.

Possible Risk Factors Of Drinking Kefir

• As mentioned in the 2020 survey^[9] on kefir, its characteristic profile of nutrition requires animal milk to provide what it traditionally provides, often a mix of two types of milk or even several. As such, in a classical sense, kefir really cannot be vegan with something like coconut water or soy milk. A smoothie with cultured vegan yogurt might be one viable option for a vegan probiotic beverage.
• Drinking too much kefir might be enough to throw your healthy digestive system out of whack — an upset stomach, cramps, and even diarrhea may result as your body “over-digests” its current contents.
• While kefir is a low glycemic index beverage, it may disproportionately affect the drinker’s blood insulin levels. It’s been shown to exist on the level of white bread^[10] as far as its insulin index is concerned.

With that said, neither of these probiotics is harmful when consumed in moderation. Bottoms up: you’re about to look and feel amazing.

Kombucha Vs Kefir: A Brief Comparison

There is no fight to be won between Kombucha and Kefir. Both are light, refreshing, gut-busting probiotic beverages; therefore, we can heartily recommend either one. Depending on your hunger, dietary preferences, or taste, one will naturally become your choice.

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