Babushka's kefir review
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review of Babushka's kefir. We’ll look into the benefits, ingredients, nutrition and flavour of this kefir.
For this review we have tested the original, unflavoured version.
You can find this Kefir in Woolworths supermarkets and some health food stores in Australia.
You might also be interested in reading our popular article on the best probiotics in Australia if you want to add more healthy microbes to your diet.
What is kefir?
Kefir is a fermented dairy drink which is made by adding kefir grains - full of different strains of bacteria and yeast - 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, smoothies 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.
Ingredients of Babushka’s kefir
This kefir has a few more ingredients than you might be expecting (especially compared to competitors on the market like Table of Plenty).
The first thing to note is that this kefir isn’t made from fresh milk - it is made from milk and cream powders. This makes it lack a sense of authenticity in my opinion.
It also includes whey protein - presumably to increase the protein content because they use milk powders.
In contrast to other kefirs, it also includes inulin, citrus fibre and pectin which bring health benefits (more on this below).
The specific ingredients are: Water, Organic Whole Milk Powder, Whey Protein, Inulin (Prebiotic Fibre), Cream Powder Extract, Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Citri-Fi (Citrus Fibre), Pectin and Live Cultures.
Despite the use of milk powders, it doesn’t contain any nasty or questionable ingredients and is certified organic.
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Read more about the best gut health products in Australia.
Benefits of Babushka’s kefir
This drink comes with the usual health benefits of kefir, but also from the added fibre.
Live cultures
The main benefit of this kefir is the live cultures it contains. However, there is no mention of which strains are present so we don’t know whether they can be considered probiotic (which means they are beneficial to our health).
In terms of the amount of live cultures present, there’s 10 billion colony forming units per 100g. However, this is far below the 37 billion in Table of Plenty.
Learn more about the benefits of probiotics.
Fibre
This kefir has three types of fibre added to it: inulin, pectin and citrus fibre.
Inulin and pectin are prebiotic fibres which means they feed the good bacteria in your gut and help them multiply to create a healthy microbiome.
Read more about the benefits of prebiotics.
Vitamins and minerals
This kefir is also a good source of:
calcium (which helps digestion)
protein - it is 3% protein
magnesium
phosphorus
vitamins B2 and B12 (which support immunity)
vitamin C (which is an added ingredient in this kefir)
Appearance
This kefir appears like a thick milk.
It is also ‘bit-y’ - and by this I mean little bits of the kefir stick to the side of the glass after you drink it. Perhaps because it is made from milk powders.
Texture
It has the classic lumpy milk texture of kefir with the slight powderiness mentioned above.
Flavour
The aroma is really just like milk.
To me it has the taste of powdered milk with a bit of citrus coming though also. And for kefir it has a low to moderate sourness.
Overall, the taste is a weak point and doesn’t taste quite like a fresh-milk, authentic kefir does.
Use
This kefir would work well in smoothies where the underwhelming taste would disappear with the other ingredients.
Cost of Babushka’s kefir
I bought a 750ml bottle from Woolworths for $6.
Summary
3 stars out of 5.
A kefir made from milk powders - and the taste reflects this. The added fibres do give extra health benefits though.
Pros
organic
added prebiotic fibres
good source of vitamins and minerals
Cons
made from milk powders
taste is underwhelming
no information on the different bacterial strains present
low actual amount of probiotics (ie colony forming units) compared to other leading brands
Other health benefits of kefir
Along with the specific benefits of this kefir mentioned above, kefir in general is good for our health in the following ways.
Vitamins and minerals
Kefir is a source of various vitamins and minerals including:
calcium
B vitamins (B12 and riboflavin)
magnesium
potassium
phosphorous
These vitamins collectively support bone health, energy production, muscle function, immune function and cardiovascular health.
Probiotics
These are the beneficial living microbes you are ingesting when you drink kefir. And kefir in general usually has a lot more different strains of probiotics than yoghurt or kombucha does.
Probiotics offer many health benefits including:
better digestive health
better immune function
reduced inflammation
reduced allergies
better nutrient absorption
Postbiotics
Postbiotics are essentially things probiotics produce during fermentation. These include healthy 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.
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.
Our favourite gut health products in Australia
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
FixBIOME is a natural and very evidence-based supplement which is specifically designed to get your gut back into good shape. Perfect for those who need a gut reset
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 Australia.
Your reviewer
This article was reviewed 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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