Best kefir in the UK reviewed
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review of some of the UK’s most popular kefirs, including ones from M&S, Biotiful, Bio & Me, Graham’s and Yeo Valley.
We’ll look into the benefits, ingredients, nutrition and flavour of these popular kefirs.
You might also be interested in reading our article on the best probiotics in the UK if you want to add more healthy microbes to your diet.
About kefir
Kefir is a fermented dairy drink which is made by adding kefir grains - full of different strains of bacteria - to milk. (There’s also non-dairy kefir, but we won’t get into that here.)
The result is a tangy dairy drink which is similar to yoghurt but more runny. It also has a lot more bacterial diversity than yoghurt does which makes it better for our gut.
Because of this diversity and increased microbial activity, kefir can sometimes taste a bit more ‘funky’ than yoghurt.
Kefir is a refreshing drink on its own or you can add it to cereal, yoghurt or dressings to increase your probiotic intake.
And because of the strong fermentation of the milk sugars, it is better for people with some degree of lactose intolerance.
Read more about the benefits of kefir and how it differs to yoghurt.
M&S x ZOE gut shot kefir
M&S x ZOE gut shot kefir is the best kefir in the UK in our opinion.
This kefir is unique in that it comes in the form of a gut shot, rather than a 500ml bottle or similar. This means it doesn’t provide that value of others but its ingredients and benefits are superb.
This gut shot of kefir contains over 5 billion live cultures from 14 different strains.
It also contains ginger and lemon, as well as prebiotics to feed the good bacteria in your gut.
Flavour
The aroma is sweet banana and mixed fruit.
The taste is similar to yoghurt but with a slight vinegary, gingery acidic tang finish which lingers a bit. It also has an indistinct berry and mixed fruit taste with some banana coming through.
Typical of kefir, it is a bit funkier than yoghurt, with a finish that is not as clean. I would say the taste is still pleasant, but if it’s your first time drinking kefir then you will notice the difference initially.
Cost and availability
I bought it for just over £2 in a small M&S store. It is generally available in most M&S stores in my experience.
Summary
4.75 stars out of 5.
It’s hard to want much more from a kefir. It has probiotics, prebiotics, fruits, ginger and lemon - all which have been shown to be good for the gut.
Pros
huge amount of live cultures
large diversity of bacterial strains
contains prebiotics
contains ginger and lemon
Cons
strong kefir takes a little getting used to initially
a small shot doesn’t provide the value of other kefirs
Our favourite gut health products in the UK
YourBiology Gut+ probiotic not only offers 10 strains of probiotics, but also includes two types of prebiotics, three digestive enzymes and vitamin D for gut health support. All this means it offers a lot more benefits for gut health and general health than most probiotic supplements do
Healthpath gut health test is the UK’s most comprehensive gut health test. It tests over 100 biomarkers, checks your digestion and immune response, analyses leaky gut and provides a clear and understandable report on your microbiome
YourBiology SuperGreens+ is a superfood and greens supplement which makes it very easy to get a huge amount of nutrition - vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fibre, polyphenols and more - in one glass. Great for supporting gut health, skin health, energy, mental clarity and immunity.
Read more about the best gut health products in the UK.
Yeo Valley kefir
This natural and unflavoured kefir only contains milk, and yoghurt and kefir cultures.
Yeo Valley kefir has an impressive 14 strains of bacteria in it. Unfortunately they don’t specify which strains these are or provide information on the actual amount of bacteria present (ie colony forming units).
This kefir is also a good source of:
calcium
protein - it is 4% protein
phosphorus
vitamin B2
Flavour
Being unflavoured, the natural kefir taste really shines.
The aroma is very similar to that of yoghurt - slightly acidic and milky.
The taste is quite similar to yoghurt also and doesn’t have the funky notes which some kefirs do. There’s not too much else to say about the taste; essentially it is a nice, refreshing and slightly acidic milky drink which is very approachable.
Cost and availability
I bought a 500ml bottle from a big Sainsbury’s for £2.25 (or £1.75 with a Nectar card).
Summary
4.5 stars out of 5.
A natural, organic kefir with good microbial diversity and great taste for a reasonable price.
Pros
natural and organic
14 strains of bacteria
refreshing taste
very approachable to people new to kefir
Cons
lacks information on which live culture strains are present
needs more information on the actual amount of bacteria present (ie colony forming units)
Biotiful kefir
Biotiful kefir includes milk, cherry puree, fruit extracts, pectin, lemon, natural flavourings and various cultures.
Biotiful lists various bacteria as being present such as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. It’s not possible to say exactly how many strains of Bifidobacterium are present as they only list the genus.
Unfortunately they don’t provide specific information on the actual amount of bacteria present (ie colony forming units). They only state there are ‘billions’ of bacteria.
This kefir is also a good source of:
calcium (which helps digestion)
protein - it is 3.3% protein
phosphorus
vitamins B2 and B12 (which supports immunity)
Flavour
The flavour is brilliant.
The aroma is like a cherry yoghurt - with none of the funky vibes you can get with kefir.
The taste is fruity with cherry being dominant. Interestingly I would say it tastes more like a clean yoghurt than a kefir given the absence of any kefir funky flavours. This may make it appealing to a lot of people and it certainly makes it very approachable.
Cost and availability
I bought a 500ml bottle from a small Coop for £2.85.
Summary
4.25 stars out of 5.
Biotiful kefir is a delicious kefir which is more akin to yoghurt in taste.
Pros
clean ingredients (but not organic)
great cherry taste
very approachable, clean flavour
Cons
more specifics on the number of bacterial strains present would be helpful
needs more information on the actual number of bacteria present (ie colony forming unit count)
not the cheapest
Our favourite gut health products in the UK
YourBiology Gut+ probiotic not only offers 10 strains of probiotics, but also includes two types of prebiotics, three digestive enzymes and vitamin D for gut health support. All this means it offers a lot more benefits for gut health and general health than most probiotic supplements do
Healthpath gut health test is the UK’s most comprehensive gut health test. It tests over 100 biomarkers, checks your digestion and immune response, analyses leaky gut and provides a clear and understandable report on your microbiome
YourBiology SuperGreens+ is a superfood and greens supplement which makes it very easy to get a huge amount of nutrition - vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fibre, polyphenols and more - in one glass. Great for supporting gut health, skin health, energy, mental clarity and immunity.
Read more about the best gut health products in the UK.
Graham's kefir
This is a good choice for those looking for a fully lactose-free kefir or those wanting a good value kefir.
This is a fairly simple kefir which only includes milk, live cultures and lactase enzyme. It’s the added lactase which breaks down all the lactose in this drink.
Graham's kefir includes 13 strains of live cultures.
Unfortunately it gives no information on the actual amount of live cultures present (ie colony forming units).
It has moderate levels of protein (3.4%) and fat (3%), low to moderate levels of sugar (3.6%) and excellent levels of calcium with 295mg per 100g.
Flavour
The texture is a bit lacking and more on the thin, milky side for a kefir. It doesn’t have lumps like some kefir does and you can’t notice much effervescence.
The aroma is like yoghurt without any funky vibes kefir can have.
The taste is very clean and simple. It’s like a yoghurty acidic milk. And the acidity makes it quite refreshing.
Overall, the taste is good and certainly very approachable. But my only criticism is that it is a bit one dimensional and doesn’t have the complexity other kefirs have. However I could imagine a lot of people would appreciate this simple, more familiar taste.
Cost and availability
We bought a 500ml bottle from Lidl for £1.35.
Summary
Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5.
Verdict: Graham's kefir is a good value, lactose-free kefir with an approachable taste. Kefir aficionados may find this taste and its texture a bit underwhelming though.
Pros
14 stains of live cultures
excellent calcium levels
lactose free
cheap
approachable taste (if that’s what you’re looking for)…
Cons
…but the taste will be uninspiring to some who are more used to traditional kefir
more information on which live culture strains are included would be good
no information given on the actual amount of live cultures (ie colony forming units)
Bio & Me kefir
Bio & Me kefir offers good bacterial diversity and a clean, approachable taste.
This is a simple and natural kefir which only contains cow’s milk and live cultures.
Bio & Me kefir includes 18 strains of live cultures. However, they only state that these are from the ‘Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria families’. So while many of these would likely be probiotic, we don’t know for sure.
In terms of the actual amount of bacteria present (usually expressed as colony forming units), Bio & Me state there are ‘100 billion gut friendly cultures’ - which presumably means there is that many in the whole bottle (rather than per serving or per 100ml).
It has moderate levels of protein (3.4%) and fat (3.4%), low to moderate levels of sugar (3.4%) and moderate levels of calcium with 113mg per 100g.
Flavour
The texture is fairly thick and nice to drink. It doesn’t have lumps or much effervescence which you can often find in traditional kefir.
The aroma is simply of yoghurt without any funky notes kefir can have.
The taste is very simple, clean and basically of a yoghurty milk. The acidity is at a moderate level.
Overall, the taste is refreshing and approachable. Similar to Graham’s kefir, if I were to nitpick I’d say the flavour is a bit one dimensional and lacks the complexity other kefirs have. But many may prefer the clean, milky yoghurt taste.
Cost and availability
You can buy a 500ml bottle from Tesco or Sainsbury’s for £2.60 - which places it at the expensive end of the market.
Summary
Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5.
Verdict: Bio & Me kefir is a simple kefir with good bacterial diversity and an approachable taste.
Pros
simple, natural ingredients
18 stains of live cultures
low in sugar
clean, approachable taste (if that’s what you’re looking for)…
Cons
…but the taste will be uninspiring to some who are more used to traditional kefir
lacks information on which live culture strains are included
on the more expensive end of the spectrum
Health benefits of dairy kefir
Probiotics
These are the beneficial living microbes you are ingesting when you drink kefir. Kefir generally has a greater diversity of microbes than most fermented foods.
Probiotics offer many health benefits including:
better digestive health
better immune function
reduced inflammation
reduced allergies
better nutrient absorption
Postbiotics
In simple terms, postbiotics are essentially beneficial things probiotics produce during fermentation. These include short-chain fatty acids which nourish our gut lining and may help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Reduced lactose
Because of the strong fermentation of milk sugars by a diverse range of bacteria and yeasts, kefir is better for people with some degree of lactose intolerance compared to milk or yoghurt.
Vitamins and minerals
Dairy kefir retains the key vitamins and minerals present in milk such as:
Calcium – essential for bone strength and muscle function
Phosphorus – important for bones and energy production
Magnesium – supports nerve and muscle function
Potassium – helps regulate blood pressure and fluid balance
Sodium – maintains fluid and nerve function
Iodine – essential for thyroid function
Zinc – supports immunity and wound healing
Selenium – antioxidant and supports thyroid health
Vitamin A – supports vision and immune function
And through fermentation, kefir increases certain vitamin content compared to fresh milk or adds some vitamins not present in this milk:
B2 (riboflavin) is boosted by microbial activity during fermentation. This supports energy metabolism and helps reduce tiredness.
B1 (thiamine), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folate) are synthesised in extra amounts by lactic acid bacteria. These support energy release, brain function and red blood cell formation.
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) may increase slightly depending on the microbial strains. This supports nerve function and blood cell production.
Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) is not present in fresh milk but is produced during fermentation. This supports bone strength and cardiovascular health.
Bioavailability of minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus) is improved by fermentation as inhibitors like phytic acid are reduced. These support bone health, energy production and muscle function.
Our favourite gut health products in the UK
YourBiology Gut+ probiotic not only offers 10 strains of probiotics, but also includes two types of prebiotics, three digestive enzymes and vitamin D for gut health support. All this means it offers a lot more benefits for gut health and general health than most probiotic supplements do
Healthpath gut health test is the UK’s most comprehensive gut health test. It tests over 100 biomarkers, checks your digestion and immune response, analyses leaky gut and provides a clear and understandable report on your microbiome
YourBiology SuperGreens+ is a superfood and greens supplement which makes it very easy to get a huge amount of nutrition - vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fibre, polyphenols and more - in one glass. Great for supporting gut health, skin health, energy, mental clarity and immunity.
Read more about the best gut health products in the UK.
Factors we consider in our ratings
The factors we consider when doing a review (and the weightings of each of these) may vary depending on the product we are testing, but here are the key general factors we consider when we settle on a rating for a product.
Health benefits
We find out how the product will be good for your health and outline the benefits for you in simple language. This often involves doing research so you don’t have to. We often link to scientific studies or articles summarising scientific findings so you can dig deeper if you want to.
Things detrimental to health
We want to highlight where a product might include something bad for your health - even if it might be good for you in another way. This could include such things as pointing out certain additives it contains or high sugar levels.
How it’s made
This will vary depending on the product, but we want to see a quality process for making it and quality ingredients. For example, we want to see a kombucha traditionally fermented with lots of different microbial strains and we want to see a yoghurt made with fresh milk and not milk powders.
Price
While we expect quality products to be more expensive, they still have to be priced within reason. On the other side of things, a product which is priced very competitively will get a ratings boost based on the value it provides.
Flavour
For some products flavour won’t be a factor (eg probiotic tablets), but for others, like yoghurt or kimchi, flavour is a key aspect because these products are made to be enjoyed as well as being healthy! We will try to be as subjective as possible and describe the flavour in detail so you can get an idea of whether you would like it or not.
Your reviewer
This article was written by Travis, the founder of this website, long-time gut-health enthusiast, science nerd and passionate kombucha maker of over 10 years!
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