Tag: Symbiotic culture

Over a thousand years ago, nomadic herders in the Caucasus Mountains created a fermented milk drink known as kefir, and yes, kefir grains do contain fungi. This symbiotic culture, known as a SCOBY, relies on a complex mix of bacteria and beneficial yeasts to produce the tangy, creamy beverage celebrated for its probiotic properties.

With a reported count of up to 400 different types of organisms, water kefir has a vast array of beneficial microbes. It is a vegan-friendly, dairy-free fermented beverage made with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) known as 'grains'. These grains work to convert sugar water into a probiotic-rich, fizzy drink that is great for gut health and digestion.

Water kefir grains are a complex and symbiotic community of bacteria and yeasts, with some studies identifying up to 70 different strains of microorganisms. This dynamic microbial ecosystem is responsible for fermenting sugar water into a fizzy, tangy probiotic beverage. To understand what kind of bacteria are in water kefir, one must look at this diverse and variable microscopic community.