Kefir FAQs
You have questions. We totally get it! That's why we have answers.
WHEN i START DRINKING WATER KEFIR, HOW MUCH DO I DRINK?
When you are new to water kefir and to fermented foods in general, we advise you to drink about 1/2 cup on the first day. You want the flood of good bacteria and probiotics to go in a little at a time. The good goes in and overtakes the bad bacteria. If you drink more, there's a possibility of a bit of diarrhea or "looseness". You can literally drink as much as you want after that. This doesn't happen to everyone, but it has happened to some.
Are there a lot of calories in Water Kefir?
As for the calories in the water kefir, the sugar content of the water kefir would dictate the calorie count. The kefir grains actually feed on the organic sugar that we use. We flavor the kefir with the organic juices and then do what is called a secondary fermentation which further uses up the sugars in the juices. The finished product should be EXTREMELY low in sugar if there is any at all left. However, since water kefir is a living food, it can vary from batch to batch. Water kefir is affected by both time and temperature. The point is that there could be varying degrees of sugar content based on changing environmental temperatures. Our goal is for the sugar content to be extremely low. The final calorie count for 1 cup of water kefir should be around 10 calories. The flavors that have the potential for being the lowest in sugar content would be Lemon, Ginger/Turmeric, and Vanilla because there are no sugars in these flavors. Even the others, though, due to the secondary fermentation, should still be extremely low in sugar content.
How long is Water Kefir good for?
The Water Kefir doesn't necessarily go bad. It just continues to ferment. It will need to be kept refrigerated and it will still ferment, but at a much slower rate. Certain flavors tend to ferment quicker than other because of the greater amount of natural sugars in the fruit (e.g. citrus and pineapple). The others a bit more slowly. All that being said, the Water Kefir is best within two months of purchasing and less than three weeks for pineapple, and the citrus flavors. Since it's a living drink, the dynamic could vary a bit.
YOUR KEFIR IS MADE WITH SUGAR, DOES IT CONTAIN A LOT OF SUGAR?!
NO. It does not. What happens is the Kefir culture ‘feeds’ on the organic sugar used to make the kefir and in return creates the probiotics and live, digestive enzymes. The sugars are 'fermented out' through the process and in addition, is also low in calories. See calorie explanation above.
My Kefir isn't fizzy, why not?
Because Water Kefir is a living and fermented drink, it is continually changing. Placing it in a warmer environment lets the Kefir ferment faster, thus creating more of the carbonation. When you store it in the refridgerator it also continues to ferment, but at a much slower rate. Also, different flavors ferment faster than others. (e.g. Citrus Burst ferments much faster than Ginger/Turmeric because there are more natural sugars in the citrus for the Kefir to ferment out.) Also, in the winter fermentation takes a lot longer, that is why some Water Kefir may be fizzier than others.
There is something cloudy at the bottom of my Water Kefir, is it still ok to drink?
Yes! It's still ok to drink. What you are seeing is some of the beneficial yeasts and bacteria. It could also be the pulp from the whole fruit juices that we use to flavor the kefir. Blueberry, pineapple and apple are some of flavors that can have this and it’s perfectly fine to drink
Is there an advantage to drinking water kefir instead of taking a probiotic supplement?
Yes. Fermented foods such a water kefir are considered functional foods. Functional foods offer enzymes, pre-digested nutrients, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, calories/energy, and billions of probiotics. Probiotic supplements contain just one or a select variety of bacteria, and usually that’s it. It’s always better to eat something beneficial in its ‘whole-food’ form when possible. Each part works together to make the other parts more digestible.
Does water kefir contain gluten?
No. Water kefir does not contain gluten.
Should people with Candida drink Water Kefir?
Many people who have Candida issues have reported that Water Kefir has been beneficial for them. Kefir is a balanced symbiotic relationship of both bacteria and yeast, which is something that we strive to achieve within our bodies for optimum health. Kefir grains and kefir itself does not contain Candida Albicans bacteria, and there is no reason for it to aggravate the symptoms of Candida. Some sources say that the kefir yeast can even help to decrease the candida yeast. However, since everyone is unique, you should listen to your own body's response to Water Kefir over time and determine if your health seems to improve, remain stable, or if your symptoms are aggravated by Water Kefir.
Can I drink Water Kefir to help a Yeast Infection?
Everyone has a number of good and bad yeasts in their gut. Yeast infections are the result of an overabundance of bad yeasts in the body. Water kefir, and other fermented or cultured foods can help bring back the balance between the good and the bad yeasts and bacteria in the gut. When someone has an overgrowth of Candida, adding water kefir and other fermented foods, they can experience "die-off" symptoms. These range from headaches, nausea, dizziness, to gas and bloating and more. Eventually, this stops, and the good guys win. Eating/drinking fermented foods and beverages ensures that bad bacteria and yeasts are kept in check. Also see Water Kefir and Candida information above.
*These statements on this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.