When it comes to fermented drinks, you have options.
If you have been following fitness trends in the last few years, or have ever even been inside a yoga studio, you probably know what kombucha is. For those of you who don’t however, kombucha is essentially fermented tea that contains beneficial probiotics and antioxidants. It is great for digestion, can help your body burn fat, improve cholesterol levels, help control blood sugar, and contains polyphenols that may help fight cancer.
To be completely honest though, it doesn’t taste so great. Sure, it’s an acquired taste like almost anything else, but in terms of drinkable probiotics, it finally has some competition.
Water kefir is similar to kombucha because it is a fermented drink that you can brew at home. It is made from kefir grains (which are actually just small clusters of bacteria and yeast with probiotic properties), and can be made of sugar water, juice, or coconut water. Unlike kombucha however, water kefir doesn’t contain caffeine or trace amounts of alcohol. You can also brew it longer (around 48 hours) to reduce any small amounts of sugar.
READ MORE: Five Things You Should Know About Probiotics
So basically it has most of the healthy benefits of kombucha without the tangy taste.
So if you are looking to explore different ways to get your probiotic fix, jump off the kombucha bandwagon and give water kefir a try.