Nourish goat milk kefir review
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review of Nourish goat milk kefir. We’ll look into the benefits, ingredients, nutrition, use and flavour of this unique kefir. We’ll also compare some health factors against other popular kefir.
This kefir is available in some organic 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 traditionally made by adding kefir grains - clusters of bacteria and yeast living in a natural symbiosis - to milk. (There’s also non-dairy kefir, but we won’t get into that here.)
The result is a tangy, drinkable dairy product similar to yoghurt but thinner in texture. Thanks to its microbial diversity, kefir generally contains a wider range of beneficial bacteria and yeasts than yoghurt, which can make it even better for gut health.
Because of this richer fermentation and the presence of wild yeasts, kefir often has a more complex or slightly ‘funky’ flavour. It can be enjoyed on its own, or added to cereal, smoothies and dressings to boost probiotic intake.
The strong fermentation of milk sugars also means it tends to be lower in lactose and easier to digest for many people with mild lactose intolerance.
However, many commercial kefirs are not made with traditional kefir grains. Instead, they’re produced by inoculating milk with a selected mix of bacterial strains. This method creates a controlled, consistent product, but it lacks the full microbial diversity, postbiotics and complexity of true grain-fermented kefir. So it’s worth paying attention to how your kefir is made and what it really offers - we’ll explore this throughout the review.
Read more about the benefits of kefir and how it differs to yoghurt.
Ingredients of Nourish goat milk kefir
This kefir has very simple ingredients - only goat milk and live cultures.
It’s also very good to see that this kefir is made in the traditional way by adding kefir grains to milk - which should include a vast array of different bacteria and yeast.
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.
Benefits of Nourish goat milk kefir
This product comes with the usual health benefits of kefir, along with the advantages some people find with goat milk. For context, we’ll compare a few key factors against Yeo Valley kefir which is a popular cow milk kefir in the UK.
Live cultures
As mentioned, this kefir is made with kefir grains so it should have a very broad community of live cultures in it.
The label (in a slightly confusing way) states that this kefir includes:
Lactic acid bacteria - which refers to a broad group of bacteria which ferment sugars into lactic acid. Common genera include Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus and Streptococcus
Lactococcus and Leuconostoc strains - which are types of lactic acid bacteria
Saccharomyces yeasts - these convert sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide which is a process central to making bread, beer and wine. In kefir, certain Saccharomyces strains help create mild effervescence and add flavour complexity
Para kefir - which presumably refers to the species Lactobacillus parakefiri
Kefiran - this is actually a polysaccharide produced mainly by Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens, not a microbe itself. It’s a postbiotic that may support gut-barrier integrity, reduce inflammation and promote a balanced microbiota
In comparison, Yeo Valley kefir contains 14 strains of live cultures, most likely provided through inoculation rather than via fermentation with kefir grains.
In terms of the actual amount of live cultures present (usually expressed as colony forming units), both brands don’t give any specific information on this.
Learn more about the benefits of probiotics.
Goat milk
One of the key reasons you might choose this kefir is because it contains goat milk rather than cow milk, which means there is no A1 beta-casein protein in this kefir. For this reason, some people find goat milk easier to digest and gentler on the gut than regular cow milk.
Other health measures
Nourish goat milk kefir presents a mixed bag in terms of health measures compared to Yeo Valley kefir.
Protein: This kefir has low to moderate protein levels at 2.8%. Yeo Valley is higher at 4%.
Sugar: Its sugar content is low at 3.1%, which is almost half that of Yeo Valley at 5.7%.
Fat: It has moderate levels of fat for a kefir at 3.3%, which is above that of Yeo Valley (1.9%).
Calcium: Unfortunately they don’t specify the calcium content. In contrast, Yeo Valley has moderate levels of calcium at 126mg per 100ml.
Appearance
As the picture below shows, it appears very similar to milk. And doesn’t have the bubbles at the surface which kefir often has.
Texture
The texture is very thin for a kefir. And it doesn’t have much effervescence.
Flavour
The aroma is very complex and not super appealing. It’s very goaty and funky - and smells a little like vomit to be honest.
The taste is extremely goaty - think a strong goat cheese in liquid form. And the acidity is very high, almost puckering.
Overall, the taste is too extreme for me and most likely for a lot of people. I’ve had goat kefir before but nothing as strongly goaty as this.
Use
Given the strong goat flavour, the uses of this kefir would be limited. It would really only suit people who love a very strong goat flavour.
Cost of Nourish goat milk kefir
We bought a 500ml bottle in an organic food store for £5.09 - which certainly makes it expensive.
Summary
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5.
Verdict: Nourish goat milk kefir is made in the traditional way with kefir grains. Unfortunately, the taste is quite extreme and will be too goaty for a lot of people.
Pros
authentically made with kefir grains - which should mean broad spectrum of live cultures and postbiotics
very simple ingredients
low in sugar
contains only A2 milk proteins
Cons
taste is extremely goaty and likely too strong for many people
no information on the actual number of live cultures present (ie colony forming unit count)
no information on its calcium content
expensive
Now read about the best kefirs in the UK!
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
Some of the strains of live cultures used in making kefir may be probiotic which means they could offer us health benefits.
Some probiotics may offer health benefits which could include:
better digestive health
better immune function
reduced inflammation
reduced allergies
better nutrient absorption
It’s important to note that the potential benefits of probiotics vary from strain to strain and each won’t offer all the benefits listed above.
Postbiotics
Postbiotics are essentially beneficial things cultures 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 review was written by Travis, founder of Hello Gut Health.
A long-time gut health writer and advocate with over ten years of experience exploring the science of the microbiome and fermentation.
He combines careful research with practical testing to help readers make informed, trustworthy choices.
He has reviewed over 150 gut health products.
Related articles
