What are water kefir grains and why are they a better option than kombucha?

Water Kefir Grains, aka "California Bees", aka gems are a SCOBY, a symbiotic community of bacteria and yeast. Bacteria and yeast live together symbiotically in a delicate "polysaccharide house" so to speak. What you see here in the above picture is basically the outside of their house. This picture is blown up about 30 times the actual size of the kefir grain. These little gems appear to grow appendages as they swim and eat in their sweet sugar solution. The sugar solution must be changed every 48 hours, or else the water kefir grains will dissolve in their own environment! 

What you can't see in the photo above are the 14 to 20 different strains of bacteria and yeast that live in that funky little house. In one milliliter serving there are about .5 - 1 billion CFU (Colony Forming Units). That is only 3% of an ounce! Talk about the best bang for your microbial buck! What's more is that these kefir grains are alive! Most of the most expensive probiotics are not alive when they hit your digestional tract. 

So to answer my earlier question, why should you choose water kefir over kombucha? Water Kefir is a sparkling probiotic, plain and simple, while kombucha made from caffeinated tea, on the other hand is a diuretic. If you're lactose intolerant and are looking for probiotics, water kefir is the perfect choice. If you're an athlete trying to hydrate and get some probiotics in your life, water kefir is the tastiest answer. Water kefir has an unbelievingly balanced profile that lacks the sourness that comes along with kombucha.

And to seal the deal, one more thing. "Kefir" is a Turkish word that means, "feel good", water kefir is a gut decision that leads to good feelings. Make you and your gut happy. Drink West Fork Water Kefir.

Cheers!

-Kate Zimmer