Bio & Me kefir review
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review of Bio & Me kefir. We’ll look into the benefits, ingredients, nutrition, use and flavour of this quality kefir. We’ll also compare some health factors against other popular kefir.
This kefir is available in some supermarkets and food stores in the UK.
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 - which are 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 can be had 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 Bio & Me kefir
This is a simple and natural kefir which only contains cow’s milk and live cultures.
All good so far!
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Benefits of Bio & Me kefir
This kefir comes with various health benefits related to its live cultures and nutrients. For context, we’ll compare a few key factors against Yeo Valley kefir which is a similar, quality product.
Probiotics
Probiotics are live, beneficial microorganisms that have been proven to support health. They are a specific type of live culture.
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 comparison, Yeo Valley kefir includes 14 strains of live cultures but also doesn’t specify what strains are included.
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).
In comparison, Yeo Valley doesn’t give any information on this.
Learn more about the benefits of probiotics.
Other health measures
Bio & Me’s health measures are a mixed bag when compared to Yeo Valley.
Protein: Bio & Me kefir claim to be high in protein, however I’d say their protein content at 3.4% is more at a moderate level. Yeo Valley is higher at 4%.
Sugar: Its sugar content is low to moderate at 3.4%, which is much below Yeo Valley at 5.7%.
Fat: It has moderate fat levels at 3.4%, which is significantly higher than Yeo Valley (1.9%).
Calcium: Its calcium content is moderate at 113mg per 100ml - which is just under Yeo Valley’s level of 126mg.
Appearance
As the picture below shows, it appears very similar to milk, but with a few bubbles on the surface.
Texture
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.
Flavour
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.
Use
Given the simple and clean taste this kefir would be very versatile. You could have it on its own or add it to cereal or smoothies. And it could also be used as a dressing.
Cost of Bio & Me kefir
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
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 beneficial 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.
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.
Your reviewer
This hands-on review 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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