I Drank a Glass of Good Gut Water Kefir Every Day for 2 weeks — Here’s What I Noticed
You may have heard about all the wonderful benefits of drinking kefir (pronounced kuh-feer) for a healthy gut. But, for many people (*raises hand*), the idea of gulping down a fermented milk drink every day just doesn’t sound appealing. It’s even less accessible if you’re following a dairy-free diet. Fortunately there’s a dairy-free alternative in water kefir. With its light, bubbly taste and live gut-friendly cultures, there’s a lot to love and enjoy in this wellness beverage.
Fermented drinks like water kefir are said to help increase the diversity of gut microbes, which is generally associated with better gut health. After all, the more diverse the microbiome, the better we’re protected from germs (as a Stanford study shows). What’s more, those smarty pants science folk at Stanford found that a healthy gut may even lower certain inflammatory markers.
Water will always be the foundation of my daily hydration routine, but these days I’m also all about supporting my gut health and water kefir sounded like just the thing I was looking for to help increase ferments in my diet. I’ve recently started introducing more ferments, like sauerkraut and kimchi, into my day as a way to help my body battle the inflammation caused by having an autoimmune disease. Water kefir seemed like a natural progression to this new exploration of gut-healthy ferments.
To get the real benefits of kefir, however, the experts say you should drink it everyday. As luck would have it, a Good Gut water kefir parcel landed on my desk recently. I was determined to find out if I’d notice a difference in my own gut health after going steady with water kefir. I decided to give it a shot and replaced my daily portion of kimchi with a glass of Good Gut water kefir. Below, are all the details about what makes water kefir so great, plus what I noticed after 2 weeks of living la vida loca with Good Gut.
The health benefits of water kefir
You could say that Good Gut water kefir has it all. The fermented drink — which is made by culturing water with kefir grains (living cultures of beneficial bacteria and yeasts) — is rich in probiotics. Probiotics help support gut health and consequently, the immune system, which in turn helps prevent disease. Water kefir also contains antioxidants and is said to help improve nutrient absorption.
Despite the name, kefir “grains” aren’t grains at all; they’re just soft, jelly-like clusters that transform simple ingredients into a lightly sparkling, gut-loving drink. Good Gut says its traditional water kefir brewing methods have been lab tested to confirm authentic fermentation, delivering genuine living goodness in every sip.
Naturally rich in probiotics and enzymes, Good Gut works to support digestion, boost wellbeing, and help keep your gut (and you) feeling light, bright, and balanced. When your gut is happy, you feel it everywhere. Drinking water kefir regularly you’re likely to notice: Better digestion, stronger immunity, improved energy and mood, clearer skin and overall vitality, more mental clarity and focus.
This is all thanks to the probiotics contained in the drink. Probiotics are your gut’s good guys—helping keep everything balanced, happy, and running smoothly. Probiotics help to boost immune function, support natural detox processes, contributes to bone health, supports heart health, and may even help with allergies and eczema.
While kefir can be made at home, getting the fermentation just right and keeping the process safe and sanitary takes time and care, which is why I prefer to stick with store-bought versions like Good Gut for my fix.
I was surprised to learn that Kefir is the most researched of all fermented foods, making it an excellent option to get started with fermented foods. Even more exciting is that new research suggests that kefir can also support brain function, particularly relational memory, which is the type of memory you use to remember where you left your keys (we could all use more of that!).
When is it best to drink water kefir?
The best time to drink water kefir is whenever you can manage to incorporate it into your day. But, if you’re all about optimisation, then it may be useful to know that some people report better tolerance drinking water kefir in the morning on an empty stomach. For me, I usually have it in the morning after my breakfast. I’ve noticed this seems to help me to digest heavy meals in the morning and even eases the feeling of fullness on mornings when I feel like I’m not particularly hungry but really need to eat something.
After two weeks of drinking Good Gut I can now drink around 240 ml of water kefir a day. That said, if you’ve never had water kefir before, it’s best to start with half that amount so that your stomach can gradually adjust to the glorious bubbly vibes of the delicious drink.
What I noticed after two weeks of drinking kefir everyday
Drinking Good Gut water kefir daily definitely makes a big difference in terms of my digestion and bloating. I feel like my stomach adjusts to different kinds of food much better; I don’t get as much bloating after eating — even if I’ve eaten too much or had a heavy meal. This alone has had a profound effect on my well-being.
I struggle a lot with bloating and stomach upset if I consumed a lot of dairy or rich foods in one sitting. Usually I can only order a nice big latte as a rare treat (because hell hath no fury like a stomach scorned by cow’s milk) and the occasional generous Sunday lunch is almost always followed by a few hours of my stomach lecturing me about my glutenous betrayal. But, these things don’t seem to bother my overly sensitive stomach if I’ve had my morning water kefir.
To make double sure I wasn’t hallucinating these wonderful changes in my gut, I even took two weeks off my daily Good Gut fix and let me tell you it hasn’t been fun. It was hunky dory for a few days and now the post-meal regret is back and lattes don’t bring me as much joy as they did during those glorious two weeks of having a happy gut. For me, the above is enough reason to keep going.
Why you’ll love Good Gut water kefir
Truth be told, I was a little skeptical of the flavours when first examining the bottles of Good Gut that arrived at my office. I was excited to try the ordinary flavours like Pineapple, Granadilla, and Ginger but left the more less familiar varieties like Rosemary & Chia, Honeybush & Cassia, Organic Buchu, and Sweet Cherry & Hibiscus for last. Of course, these more ‘experimental’ flavours turned out to be my favourites in the end.
It was the Buchu flavour I was the most dubious about. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the bitterness of buchu in a fizzy format but this flavour surprised me the most; what a delightful and delicious way to enjoy the health benefits of buchu! I also love the Rosemary & Chia and the Ginger flavour is a must-try as well.
Good Gut water kefir has a light, delicate flavour that is so refreshing. I don’t usually drink fizzy drinks first thing in the morning, so that was an adjustment, but the flavours are so fresh and wholesome I quickly adjusted to enjoying a glass of my morning bubbly. Water kefir has a very subtle taste compared to kombucha, so if you’re looking for something that is delicious, but not as potent in flavour then this is the drink for you. Good Gut water kefir is closer to a homemade iced tea in terms of its flavour potency, and the added fruit, herbs, and juices ensure you get a more enhanced flavour and additional health benefits.
Even better news? Good Gut water kefir is also low in calories and sugar, making it a healthier alternative to sugary drinks and juices. I love to cycle through the flavours and enjoy a different flavour every other day to keep my gut guessing.
Good Gut water kefir is available in 1 litre (R89.99), 500ml (R47,99) and 330ml (R29.99) bottles. Stockists include Checkers, Wellness warehouse, Dis-Chem, Pick n Pay, and Faithful to Nature.
