We wouldn’t be able to make our incredible, award-winning kefir milk without real kefir grains! The debate over what constitutes “real” kefir has been ongoing. Kefir grains are the secret ingredient that makes this drink so special.
While kefir is celebrated for its probiotic benefits, not all kefirs are created equal. Traditional kefir, made with real live kefir grains, offers superior gut health benefits compared to industrially-produced versions that rely on lab-grown cultures.
Though many have tried, no one has successfully recreated kefir grains artificially. Labs have developed powdered culture starters that mimic kefir, to produce a commercially consistent product. However, these imitations contain far fewer probiotics.1https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/1195007
Unfortunately, many supermarket kefirs use these powdered starters, which lack the full range of beneficial bacteria found in the real thing. At Chuckling Goat, we specialise in real kefir made with real live kefir grains – nothing less!
When choosing a kefir that’s best for your health, you should do your research! Here’s what you need to know.
1. Real kefir is made with live kefir grains
Real, traditional kefir is made using kefir grains – a living symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts that naturally ferment milk. Fake kefir is made with isolated, lab-grown probiotic strains, lacking the full microbial diversity of real kefir grains. Powdered sachets are a lot easier to use because the living kefir grains have to be lovingly tended and looked after, just like animals! Just ask our Head of Dairy Iestyn Crompton (pictured below) – he plays music to our living kefir grains and can even tell you what radio station they prefer!
Why it matters:
The natural fermentation process in real kefir creates a complex ecosystem of probiotics that work together synergistically, making it more potent and beneficial for gut health than lab-cultured alternatives.
Fun fact! We were taught to make kefir in the traditional Russian style by Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride, who pioneered the use of kefir in her GAPS protocol.
2. Real kefir contains a significant mix of bacteria and yeasts
Traditional kefir contains far more different strains of beneficial bacteria and yeasts. Fake kefir often has a limited number of lab-selected strains, reducing its probiotic diversity. Our kefir has been independently tested by Atlas Biomed, CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International) and Aberystwyth University, and has been found to include a diverse range of 27 naturally occurring beneficial live cultures. Everything you need to know about Chuckling Goat strains and health benefits, here.
Why it matters:
A diverse gut microbiome is crucial for digestion, immunity, and overall health. Real kefir offers a broader spectrum of probiotics that support gut diversity.
3. Real kefir has naturally low sugar levels
Real kefir is fermented long enough to break down most of the natural milk sugars (lactose), often leaving just 2-5g per 100ml. Some commercial kefirs, despite “no added sugar” claims, contain higher amounts of sugar, suggesting incomplete fermentation. Chuckling Goat Original Kefir has just 1.6 g of sugar (naturally occurring) per 100 g, and Kefir Light has a tiny 0.4 g per 100 g! Supermarket brands generally contain sugar, sweeteners and/or flavourings that do your gut more harm than good.
Why it matters:
Higher sugar content in fake kefir indicates a less complete fermentation process, which means fewer probiotics and more residual sugars that may not support gut health as effectively.
4. Real kefir is ALIVE
Real kefir is a living, evolving culture that continues to ferment and develop probiotics over time. Some commercial kefirs undergo pasteurisation after fermentation, killing off live probiotics. At Chuckling Goat, we use pasteurised goat’s milk, which is poured on top of our live kefir grains, left to ferment, and then strained. The finished product is not then re-pasteurised, so what you receive is still active and full of beneficial bacteria.
Why it matters:
Dead bacteria do not offer the same probiotic benefits. Traditional kefir ensures you’re consuming active, live cultures.
5. Real kefir contains beneficial yeasts
Real kefir includes beneficial yeasts like Saccharomyces and Kluyveromyces, which aid digestion and help prevent fungal overgrowths like Candida. Fake kefir often lacks these essential yeasts, reducing its effectiveness.
Why it matters:
The yeasts in real kefir contribute to gut balance and B-vitamin production, supporting digestion and overall gut health.
6. Real kefir has a tangy, slightly fizzy taste
Real kefir has a naturally tart, slightly effervescent taste due to the fermentation process. Chuckling Goat kefir is also a bit like champagne – explosively strong! Co-Director Shann says Beware of the easy win – if it tastes super sweet off the shelf, it’s unlikely to work well! Chuckling Goat kefir isn’t sweet for a reason – because once you sweeten it, you lessen the therapeutic effect. Kefir is not a recreational milkshake. It is a functional food, designed to do a job. Fake kefir often tastes more like a mild yoghurt drink, lacking the natural complexity of fermentation.
Why it matters:
Taste and texture are indicators of fermentation quality. A flat, overly smooth kefir suggests a more controlled, industrial process rather than true fermentation. Real kefir made with real live kefir grains will feel and taste strong!
7. Real kefir is fermented for health
Traditional kefir is made to maximise probiotic diversity and gut health benefits. The taste, consistency and fizziness of real kefir can differ from bottle to bottle. These factors are affected by the season, the environmental temperature, and how quickly it reaches the correct pH. Industrial kefir is formulated for consistency, extended shelf life, and mass production, often at the cost of probiotic potency.
Why it matters:
Not all kefirs deliver the same benefits. Choosing real, traditionally fermented kefir ensures you’re getting the full probiotic impact. The late Dr Michael Moseley of Trust Me I’m a Doctor showed that real kefir contains non-transient bacteria that survive the digestive process, which is why it has the most statistically significant effect of any probiotic available today. You can read Dr. Moseley’s findings on real kefir here.
Read more here – Should my kefir be fizzy?
8. Goat’s milk vs cow’s milk
Our real kefir is made with goat’s milk. That’s because cow’s milk contains the A1 casein, a subtype of beta-casein which has been shown to cause many of the symptoms associated with dairy intolerance, including abdominal discomfort. Goats milk is considered a functional food by scientists because it contains the A2 casein and so is easily digestible by humans. (Goats milk is even given to babies who cannot tolerate their own mothers breast milk).
9. Loved, trusted & backed by customers
The power and efficacy of our kefir speak for themselves, as exhibited in the 4.9 out of 5 Trustpilot rating that we have received from more than 8,000 very happy customers. We are Trustpilot UK’s highest-rated and most-reviewed kefir. Check it out for yourself HERE.
10. Bonus points for backed by science!
At Chuckling Goat, we are fuelled by science. Everything we do is evidence-based. That’s why you’re here, right? Nature offers incredible tools that have the power to help you feel good from the inside out, both physically and mentally. Our goal at CG is to find those natural solutions and then take them to the lab, where they are subjected to rigorous scientific testing. Guesswork is not enough – we want to see the proof!
Daily consumption of the Chuckling Goat synbiotic has led to “profound effects on emotional health“. A Cardiff University study produced findings that were described as “striking and enlightening“, highlighting the potential of Chuckling Goat synbiotic to enhance mental health, productivity, and overall well-being. Check it out here – Science backs Chuckling Goat’s synbiotic.
More recently, our Lead Scientific Advisor, Dr Amrita Vijay, carried out a scientific trial alongside Dr Ana Valdes at Nottingham University. 80 healthy participants took dietary interventions for 6 weeks (20 of them got our Chuckling Goat Kefir and Complete Prebiotic) and then had their bloods taken, microbiomes tested and metabolic markers measured. They found that the combination of our kefir and prebiotic reduces inflammation more effectively than either inulin or Omega-3. Read more here, The Biggest and Most Exciting Thing Behind a Podium….
Not all kefir is created equal!
While commercial kefir products may still offer some probiotic benefits, they often fall short of real kefir. If you want the full gut health benefits of kefir, look for real kefir made with real live kefir grains – the gold standard for probiotic-rich, naturally fermented kefir.
At Chuckling Goat, we take our kefir grains very seriously! Ours are cultivated in small batches and carefully nurtured to ensure the healthiest, most active cultures possible. This attention to detail is what sets our kefir apart from others – it’s the key to the smooth, tangy kefir that our customers love.
We take pride in using traditional, high-quality methods to cultivate our kefir grains, ferment our goat’s milk, and craft our kefir – ensuring you get all the benefits with every sip!
Insights from Co-Director, Shann Jones
I learned to make kefir from Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, who came from Russia where they make the proper stuff. Dr Natasha wrote the seminal work on the gut-brain connection Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia, A.D.D., Dyslexia, A.D.H.D., Depression, Schizophrenia, (2018) and she used kefir to help her patients with astonishing results.
Here’s what Dr. Natasha taught me:
Real kefir is completely pure. Supermarket probiotics are processed, with added fruits, flavourings and stabilisers. When you mix a lot of stuff in, you have to put in stabilisers to keep that stuff from going off. And when you add things to make it taste good, those things tend not to be good for your gut. PURE IS PURE. Processed is processed. You can’t be a little bit pure – it’s like being a little bit pregnant.
Want to take your gut health to the next level? Combine our kefir with our Complete Prebiotic, which contains 18 different natural fibres that feed your probiotics and boost your microbiome. This dynamic duo, part of our Gut Health Protocol.
Any questions? Contact one of our Nutritional Therapists via live chat, weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm.
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