Best kefir in Australia reviewed
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review of some of Australia’s most popular kefirs, including ones from Table of Plenty, Babushka’s and The Collective.
We’ll look into the benefits, ingredients, nutrition and flavour of these popular kefirs and see where each kefir stands above the competition.
About 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 and sometimes a little fizzy from the yeast fermentation. 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 nice drink on its own or you can add it to cereal, smoothies or dressings to increase your probiotic intake.
As we will see below, some brands straddle the boundary between kefir and yoghurt (and market themselves as both) and it can sometimes be difficult to tell whether the product is technically a kefir or a drinking yoghurt.
Read more about the benefits of kefir and how it differs to yoghurt.
Best overall kefir in Australia
Table of Plenty kefir
This is an authentic, simple kefir which only contains fresh milk and cultures. Surprisingly, this is uncommon in many commercial kefirs.
The main benefit of this kefir is the probiotics (ie live beneficial bacteria) it contains. It is fermented with 10 different strains of bacteria. In terms of the amount of bacteria present, there’s over 37 billion colony forming units per 100g of this kefir - which is far more than competitors.
Flavour
This kefir appears like a lumpy milk. It is quite lumpy and thick, even by kefir standards.
The aroma is like a clean, soured milk - with no funky notes.
The taste is a very clean milkiness with a relatively subtle sourness. There’s a nice creaminess to it too.
Overall the flavour is great - and it does come across as authentic, clean and natural. Aside from the lumpy texture which will trouble you if you haven’t had kefir before, the taste is actually very approachable and moreish.
Cost and availability
You can buy a 1l bottle from Coles for $8.90. At first this may seem expensive, but on a per ml basis it’s only a little more expensive than other kefirs.
Summary
5 stars out of 5.
A delicious, natural, authentic kefir made from fresh milk with good microbial diversity.
Pros
clean ingredients
good microbial diversity
approachable, clean flavour
good source of vitamins and minerals
made from fresh milk (not milk powders)
Cons
the lumpiness can be confronting
a little more expensive than other brands
Best high-protein kefir
The Collective Protein Kefir
On the bottle this drink is labelled as an “active probiotic protein kefir yoghurt” - which leaves you wondering whether it is actually a kefir or a yoghurt!
Given that it makes no mention of kefir grains on the bottle or website, and that it pours very thick and tastes like a yoghurt, I’m inclined to view it more as a yoghurt which is fermented with more strains of bacteria than usual.
This kefir isn’t made from fresh milk - it is made from milk powders and milk solids. This makes it lack a sense of authenticity in my opinion.
The specific ingredients are: Water, Whole Milk Powder, Skim Milk Powder, Milk Solids, Stabiliser (Pectin), Live Cultures (Milk).
The main benefit of this kefir is the 13 different strains of live cultures it contains. In terms of the amount of bacteria present, there’s a minimum of 10 billion colony forming units per 100g - which is a lot less than Table of Plenty.
Unsurprisingly given its name, this kefir has a high protein content at 7.3% - which is more than double that of Table of Plenty.
Flavour
It has the appearance (and texture) of a thick yoghurt - not the liquid appearance typical of a kefir.
The aroma is like a sour yoghurt with some funky notes coming through.
It has a fairly high level of sourness and otherwise tastes like a natural yoghurt. And it doesn’t come across like it is made from milk powders (unlike Babushka’s kefir below).
Overall, the taste is nice and clean - but more like a yoghurt than a kefir.
Cost and availability
You can buy a 700ml bottle from Woolworths for $6.
Summary
3.75 stars out of 5.
A kefir (or yoghurt?) made from milk powders with a nice taste and good bacterial diversity.
Pros
13 strains of live cultures
high in protein
good source of vitamins and minerals
Cons
made from milk powders, not fresh milk
low actual amount of probiotics (ie colony forming units) compared to some leading brands
Other kefirs in Australian supermarkets
Babushka’s kefir
Like The Collective Protein Kefir, this kefir isn’t made from fresh milk - it is made from milk and cream powders. And it has a few more ingredients than you might be expecting, however it is organic.
It includes whey protein, as well as three types of fibre which are beneficial to gut health - inulin, citrus fibre and pectin.
Unfortunately, there is no mention of the number of different bacterial strains present. In terms of the amount of bacteria present, there’s 10 billion colony forming units per 100g - similar to The Collective Protein Kefir.
Flavour
This kefir appears like a thick milk and 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.
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.
Cost and availability
You can buy 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
Health benefits of kefir
Vitamins and minerals
Kefir is a source of various vitamins and minerals including:
calcium
B vitamins (B12 and riboflavin)
magnesium
potassium
These vitamins support bone health, energy production, 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
In simple terms, postbiotics are essentially things probiotics produce. These include short-chain fatty acids which nourish our gut lining and may help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Prebiotics
Not traditionally in kefir, but some brands (like Babuska’s) add prebiotics for extra health benefits.
Prebiotics are essentially fibres which feed the good bacteria in your gut and help them multiply.
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.
Your reviewer
This article was reviewed by Travis, the founder of this website, long-time gut enthusiast and passionate kombucha maker!
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