Cultured Guru Logo
Cultured Guru Logo
  • Start Here
  • RecipesWe love to create delicious recipes with gut health in mind. By using our recipes, you can easily create any dish knowing that it’s good for gut health! Our recipe blog also includes Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, and Paleo Recipes.
  • About
  • Learn
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Start Here
  • RecipesWe love to create delicious recipes with gut health in mind. By using our recipes, you can easily create any dish knowing that it’s good for gut health! Our recipe blog also includes Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, and Paleo Recipes.
  • About
  • Learn
  • Shop
  • Contact
Fizzy Drinks

Water Kefir vs Kombucha: Which One is Healthier?

These fizzy drinks are unique. When looking at water kefir vs kombucha, the main difference is the microorganisms in the starter cultures.

RECIPE INDEX

|

Ferment | Fizzy Drinks

Water Kefir vs Kombucha: Which One is Healthier?

These fizzy drinks are unique. When looking at water kefir vs kombucha, the main difference is the microorganisms in the starter cultures.

Water Kefir vs. Kombucha: A Comparative Guide to Fermented Beverages


Water kefir and kombucha are the most popular fermented fizzy drinks. Each has unique fermentation processes, flavors, and health benefits. Let’s explore how these drinks differ in their microbial cultures and fermentation.

Key Differences in Microorganisms and Fermentation Processes

Kombucha: This effervescent drink comes to life through a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast), rich in acetic acid bacteria and various yeasts, including Saccharomyces. These microbes work together to ferment the sweetened tea, producing a tangy flavor and a host of postbiotic compounds. The process usually takes about two weeks, involving a primary fermentation that develops its distinct taste and a secondary fermentation that enhances carbonation.

Water Kefir: On the other hand, water kefir uses kefir grains—gelatinous colonies composed primarily of lactic acid bacteria from the Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Leuconostoc genera. These grains ferment sugary liquid and create a mild, slightly tangy beverage. Carbonation occurs during a shorter secondary fermentation phase, typically lasting around four days, primarily facilitated by Leuconostoc bacteria.

Health Benefits and Nutritional Profile: Water Kefir vs Kombucha

Kombucha: Kombucha’s health benefits are primarily derived from its rich composition of postbiotic compounds such as glucuronic acid, polyphenols, and various organic acids. These substances are believed to offer detoxifying properties and support overall wellness. The fermentation process also infuses kombucha with antioxidants and vitamins, contributing to its reputation as a healthful drink.

Water Kefir: Water kefir stands out for its probiotic properties, thanks to its diverse bacterial culture. In addition to probiotics, it produces a range of postbiotic compounds, including organic acids and bioactive peptides, which are beneficial for gut health and general well-being.

Water Kefir vs Kombucha Conclusion

When choosing between water kefir vs kombucha, the decision often hinges on personal preference for flavor and specific health benefits. Kombucha offers a robust, vinegary taste and a rich array of health-promoting compounds, making it ideal for those seeking a potent fermented beverage. With its gentler flavor and probiotic content, water kefir is perfect for those looking for a probiotic boost in a lighter, refreshing form.

Both beverages enrich the diet with beneficial microbes and offer delightful ways to enjoy the advantages of natural fermentation.

Click here to buy some high-quality water kefir grains

Click here to buy some high-quality kombucha starter

  • A Guide to Water Kefir Grains
  • How to Make Coconut Water Kefir
  • What is a SCOBY? How to Make, Feed, and Store a Kombucha SCOBY
author avatar
Kaitlynn Fenley Author, Educator, Food Microbiologist
Kaitlynn is a food microbiologist and fermentation expert teaching people how to ferment foods and drinks at home.
See Full Bio
fermentation food microbiology sourdough sauerkraut fermenting at home fermented foods fermented drinks
social network icon social network icon social network icon social network icon

welcome!

hey i’m kaitlynn, i’m a microbiologist and together with my husband jon we are cultured guru.

more about us

let’s connect!

newest recipe

Sourdough Cottage Cheese Banana Bread (High Protein)
Sourdough Discard

Sourdough Cottage Cheese Banana Bread (High Protein)

never miss a thing

learn more about microbes from a microbiologist
Loading

on pinterest

Instant Pot Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup
Sourdough Smores Cookies
High Protein Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese
Sourdough & Miso Chicolate Chip Cookies
Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Homemade Cottage Cheese

top rated recipes

How to Make Moroccan Preserved Lemons with Sea Salt
Fruits & Roots

How to Make Moroccan Preserved Lemons with Sea Salt

Slow Cooked Pork Roast with Sauerkraut Potatoes and Carrots
Protein

Slow Cooked Pork Roast with Sauerkraut Potatoes and Carrots

Sparkling Golden Beet Kvass Made the Traditional Way
Fizzy Drinks

Sparkling Golden Beet Kvass Made the Traditional Way

learn more

Understand microbes and master fermentation with our online courses!

learn

rate and review
We would love to hear what you think!
Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. A Real Address
    01|01|2022

    Hi.

    I wondered if, as an interested scientist, you could answer this one for me?

    I read on Happy Gut Pro a claim that their water kefir (WK) is “concentrated with b12, b6, and b1”. I challenged them on this & by reply they sent a paper referring to milk kefir. Now, obviously, milk already has B12 in it, so I presume that is the source. Have you ever seen any evidence that WK can produce B12? By reading of the list of bacteria is that there are no B12 producing bacteria in it, & where would they get the cobalt to do so?

    I’m also interested in the actually level of micronutrients (concentrated reads as awfully misleading to me) but also their nutritional requirements. Beyond just dropping a fig in now & again, could we/should we been feeding them more than just sugar? Could that increase their nutritional value & health?

    On the other hand, I’d be interested to know if it was possible to add B12 bacteria to the culture. It would be a real game changer for the vegan movement if you could “home brew” your own B12. For example, B12 producing endosymbiotic bacteria have recently been discovered in some plant sources.

    Sorry to be so verbose but I find the lack of serious discussion about these beyond the hype on the internet to be very frustrating. Even the relatively few academic papers really don’t seem to say much beyond “more study required”.

    Cheap, alternative fizzy pop aside, do we even know if or how good drinking it is on a long term basis?

    Lastly, have you ever done any alcohol level testing on yours?

    Thank you

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      01|02|2022

      Hi there,

      First, mostly all acedemic studies end with “more studies are required”. That’s the nature of science. There’s always more to know, and more to find out. Not all fermented foods and drinks are created equally. There are a lot of vriables that impact fermentation and what microbially syntesized byproducts are in fermented foods and drinks. This makes it hard for studies to draw “blaket” conclusions about specific fermented products. For instance, my water kefir and sauerkraut are vastly different from any others.

      I do not fact check or validate fermentation information provided by others, so let’s just move straight to discussing bacteria that produce B12…

      Water kefir grains and milk kefir grains do contain similar microorganisms, but there are a few species differences. Species in water kefir grains vary, depending on the source and how they are cared for. Yes, I have read in a few studies that the Lactobacillus species in water kefir can produce B12. Some of these microbes have a B12‐dependent metabolic pathway that converts glycerol (glycerol is produced by Leuconostoc bacteria via heterolactic fermentation) into propanediol, which allows LAB to synthesize B12. It happens in sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables too, but conditions and fermentation parameters like salt concentration and fermentation time have to be right.

      I feed our water kefir with molasses, sea salt and sugar to provide nutrients. So yes, I think they should be fed more than just sugar. The molasses provides manganese, magnesium, copper, vitamin B6, selenium, iron and calcium.

      Yes, drinking water kefir is wonderfully healthy in moderation. 6 ounces a day is enough and it provides vitamins, enzymes and probiotic species of microbes. But again, the health attributes and safety all depend on how it is made, ingredients used, fermentation time, source of grains etc.

      No need to do alcohol testing, as I fully understand the microbial metabolism that happens with my grains. I do not use more than 5% sugar, so there’s never more than about 0.2% alcohol in my water kefir.

      Reply
  2. A Real Address
    01|01|2022

    * (I tried making a ‘long term brew’ entire in the fridge a few times, & it came up with a really nice, sharp & clear taste, which I put down to a higher alcohol level. No sweetness, but no vinegary flavor at all).

    Reply

you may also like

A Guide to Water Kefir Grains (Water Kefir Primary Fermentation)
Fizzy Drinks View Recipe

A Guide to Water Kefir Grains (Water Kefir Primary Fermentation)

How to Make Coconut Water Kefir
Fizzy Drinks View Recipe

How to Make Coconut Water Kefir

Fermented Grape Juice Water Kefir (Secondary Fermentation)
Fizzy Drinks View Recipe

Fermented Grape Juice Water Kefir (Secondary Fermentation)

join us on insta

@cultured.guru

sourdough discard 🤝 cottage cheese combined tw sourdough discard 🤝 cottage cheese

combined two of the best fermented foods to make the best pancakes. And yes, you can ferment the batter overnight in the fridge for easier digestion. 

My recipe makes 15 pancakes and each serving of 3 pancakes had 17 grams of protein! 

Get the recipe from my recipe index, linked in my profile✨

#sourdough #cottagecheese #pancakes #fermentation
It can suppress overgrowth of Candida albicans, wh It can suppress overgrowth of Candida albicans, while boosting good bacteria in your gut! 

Roasting garlic increases beneficial garlic compounds like diallyl sulfide and diallyl disulfide — or DADS, for short. Both of these compounds have been studied for their anti-inflammatory (anti-cancer), antioxidant, and antifungal properties.

It’s definitely a sauerkraut you should keep in your rotation.

To get the recipe google “garlic sauerkraut.” and you’ll see mine it’s the first one.

Sources:
PMC8777027 (Diallyl Disulfide (DADS) Ameliorates Intestinal Candida albicansInfection by Modulating the Gut microbiota and Metabolites and Providing Intestinal Protection)

https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9100401 (diallyl disulfide (DADS) shows a substantial increase, with concentrations rising from 1.6 mg/g in non-fermented garlic to 4.8 mg/g in its fermented counterpart, suggesting enhanced bioactivity through fermentation)
✨Cottage Cheese Ice Cream✨with Brown Butter an ✨Cottage Cheese Ice Cream✨with Brown Butter and Vanilla

I know, I know, I’m making everything with cottage cheese right now. But how can I not? Cottage cheese is one of the most protein-rich fermented foods.

If you love ice cream and cheesecake-like flavor, you’ll love this recipe. it’s high in protein, requires only four simple ingredients, and does not require churning. So, you do not need an ice cream maker!

A half-cup serving of this ice cream has 12 grams of protein, making it a healthy and balanced sweet snack. Get the recipe from the recipe index linked in my profile. 

#cottagecheese #icecream
Baked ✨Cottage Cheese✨ Queso Dip It’s crea Baked ✨Cottage Cheese✨ Queso Dip 

It’s creamy, cheesy, and packed with protein, but with fewer calories thanks to the cottage cheese base. And it’s only 6 ingredients +toppings! 

I love it topped with cilantro, diced tomatoes, onions and fresh jalapeños! 

Get the full recipe from my recipe index, linked in my bio. 

#queso #cheese #cottagecheese
Why do you add water to sauerkraut? To that I as Why do you add water to sauerkraut? 

To that I ask: who told y’all you can’t add water to sauerkraut? 

Adding water standardizes my recipes, making sure everyone gets enough brine, regardless of cabbage variability. 

Google “cultured guru sauerkraut” and you’ll see my recipes! 

#sauerkraut #fermentation
Bok choy is similar in texture to Napa cabbage and Bok choy is similar in texture to Napa cabbage and lovely for fermentation. 

Since bok choy and all cabbages grow low and very close to the soil, their microbiome composition is wonderful! This makes all cabbages easy vegetables to ferment, and fermented bok choy is one of my absolute favorites.

Google fermented bok choy and you’ll see my recipe, it’s the first one. ☝🏼 #cabbage #fermentation #homestead 

Ps. I used some tiny weck jar lids for weights in my bigger weck jar and it worked great!
LEARN ABOUT MICROBES FROM A MICROBIOLoGIST
Loading

recipes

  • Sourdough
  • Sauerkraut
  • Yogurt & Kefir
  • Pickles
  • Sweets & Snacks

more

  • Start Here
  • About
  • Learn
  • Shop
  • Contact

social

  • TikTokVisit Cultured Guru TikTok Account
  • InstagramCultured Guru Instagram Account
  • PinterestVisit Cultured Guru’s Pinterest Account
  • FacebookVisit Cultured Guru’s Facebook page
  • Privacy & Terms
copyright

©2025

Cultured Guru

.

website by saevil row + MTT. all rights reserved.