Kefir And Kombucha: All Common Questions Answered
Both kombucha and kefir have grown rapidly in popularity, known for their great taste, purported health benefits, and being fun to create at home. With the rising demand, we are getting questions about kefir and kombucha, with readers eager to know if they’re the same, or if you can even drink them on the same day. Therefore we have compiled a list of the most common questions to answer.
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What Is Kombucha?
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What Is Kefir?
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Can You Drink Kombucha And Kefir In The Same Day?
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Can You Drink Kefir And Kombucha Together?
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Which Has More Probiotics, Kefir Or Kombucha?
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What Is Kefir Kombucha?
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Is Kombucha Kefir?
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What’s The Difference Between Kefir And Kombucha?
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Is Water Kefir The Same As Kombucha?
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Which Is Better, Kefir Or Kombucha?
What Is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a slightly fizzy, sweet, fermented tea, typically left to ferment for between 7-14 days. The ingredients include SCOBY, sugar, tea, and water. It’s readily available in many grocery stores, from named brands such as GT’s or Humm. Alternatively, you could homebrew kombucha at a very low cost, using a kombucha starter kit.
What Is Kefir?
There are two main types of kefir, water kefir, and milk kefir. Below is an overview that covers both common varieties of kefir.
Milk Kefir - Milk Kefir is a cultured dairy drink made from fermenting milk with starter grains. Originating from Eastern Europe, this fermented beverage has become very popular with the health-conscious community. It’s said to have many probiotic benefits as a result of the fermentation process. Only recently has it been made available in grocery and health food stores.
Water Kefir - Water kefir is a vegan alternative that uses water instead of milk as its base. It uses grains as a starter that will ferment the brew, brewing time is typically a lot faster than kombucha, 24-48 hours.
Can You Drink Kombucha And Kefir In The Same Day?
Yes, you can. Kombucha is a fermented tea and kefir fermented milk beverage; you can choose to consume both in the same day. There is not anything contained within each drink that will react badly with the other.
Can You Drink Kefir And Kombucha Together?
You could, but we wouldn’t recommend it. If you’re suggesting if you can mix both kombucha and kefir before drinking, be warned it’s like drinking milk mixed with tea - not the best tasting beverage. It’s said that they also have different effects on your body, kombucha being a digestive aid and kefir containing more probiotics, we would recommend drinking on separate occasions.
If you’re looking to brew kefir and kombucha together, this is possible, but it will be water kefir. For a full recipe, check out How To Combine Water Kefir And Kombucha.
Which Has More Probiotics, Kefir Or Kombucha?
Kefir is said to have more probiotics than kombucha. Kefir has been shown to have higher amounts of lactic acid bacteria after fermentation, than kombucha. Therefore it would be considered to have more probiotics. Some refer to kombucha as a digestive aid, whereas others would refer to kefir as a probiotic drink.
What Is Kefir Kombucha?
Kefir kombucha is a fermented beverage that incorporates both kefir and kombucha. There is limited information online or in books regarding kefir kombucha, as it’s not produced commercially, instead it’s most commonly made by enthusiasts and experimental home brewers.
Tim Anderson from Indestructible cooking wrote a great recipe about ‘Kefir Kombucha Hybrid.’ Where he details how to convert a SCOBY mother into a kefir hybrid, before brewing a batch of kefir kombucha.
Is Kombucha Kefir?
No, kombucha and kefir are two distinctly different beverages; they share no common ingredients or brewing method. Kefir has been made using milk and starter grains, whereas kombucha using tea, sugar, water, and SCOBY. They should not be confused or used interchangeably.
What’s The Difference Between Kefir And Kombucha?
Ingredients - Kefir, and kombucha use very different ingredients. Kefir uses milk and grains, whereas kombucha uses water, tea, sugar, and SCOBY.
Brewing Method - Kefir is very quick to brew when compared to kombucha. Kefir roughly 24-48 hours, whereas kombucha can take up to 14 days.
Color - Kombucha tends to be a dull yellow color due to the tea steeping, whereas kefir a white and vibrant glow from the milk.
Taste - Kombucha is a sweet, slightly fizzy, tart flavor, whereas kefir is thick and almost like drinking yogurt.
Fizz - Kefir is flat, and without carbonation, kombucha, on the other hand, ranges from flat to very fizzy.
Is Water Kefir The Same As Kombucha?
No! Water kefir is not the same as kombucha. Kombucha is a fermented tea drink, whereas water kefir is a thicker ferment made using starter grains.
Which Is Better, Kefir Or Kombucha?
This is down to personal preference, and what you’d hope to get out of the beverage. For example, kefir is a thick probiotic drink that resembles yogurt packed with lactic acid bacteria, perfect for those that seek probiotic benefits. Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that is purported to have health benefits of drinking.
Whether they have any health benefits is inconclusive, but both are tasty and enjoyable drinks to consume.
Conclusion
To conclude, these drinks are often misunderstood and mischaracterized, therefore these short FAQ’s should ade in your knowledge and help you to get to the bottom of both kombucha and kefir benefits.
