I Tested 7 Kefir Drinks for Gut Health: The Surprising Winner
Following a course of strong antibiotics, my stomach was feeling decidedly grumbly and out of sorts. A friend recommended I try kefir, a cultured, fermented milk drink celebrated for its billions of live probiotic bacteria that can help restore balance in the gut. Intrigued, I delved into some research and discovered that kefir is also praised for supporting healthy bones, protecting against bacterial infections, and even reducing blood pressure and heart disease risks.
But with so many brands and forms available—drinks versus yoghurts—which one should you choose? To find the best and most cost-effective option, I purchased kefir yoghurt drinks from seven major supermarkets: Asda, Tesco, M&S, Aldi, Lidl, Sainsbury's, and Morrisons. I compared them rigorously based on price, flavor, and nutritional values. Interestingly, while my children adore yoghurt, they were not fans of kefir's tart, sour taste, so this taste test was a solo mission. Here is my detailed breakdown of each product.
Yeo Valley Mango and Passionfruit Kefir Drink
Priced at £2.50 for 500ml from Morrisons, this works out to 50p per 100ml. Made with organic milk fermented with live yogurt and kefir cultures, it includes organic mango purée (7%), organic concentrated grape juice, organic passion fruit juice, organic maize starch, and natural flavorings. A 100ml serving contains 66 calories, 1g of saturated fat, 7.7g of sugars, and 3.5g of protein, plus calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin B2.
This drink tasted incredibly fresh, like pure health in a bottle. I loved the zingy mango and passionfruit flavor, which wasn't overly sweet, allowing the sourness of the kefir to shine through in each sip. It had a good creamy texture without being too thick. I was instantly hooked and gave it a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.
Biotiful Gut Health Strawberry Kefir Drink
Costing £2.60 for 500ml from Tesco (52p per 100ml), this drink is made with pasteurised cow's milk (88%) fermented with live kefir cultures, water, fruit concentrate (apple, carob, grape), strawberry puree (2.8%), stabiliser (pectin), natural flavouring, and lemon concentrate. A 100ml serving has 63 calories, 1.8g of saturated fat, 5g of sugars, and 3.1g of protein, plus calcium and vitamin B12.
In my opinion, this kefir drink lacked flavor. It had neither the sweetness of strawberry nor the sourness of kefir. While the consistency was acceptable, it wasn't particularly moreish, so I wouldn't buy it again. I rated it 2 out of 5 stars.
Sainsbury's Strawberry Kefir Drink
Priced at £1.95 for 500ml (39p per 100ml), this is cheaper than many original brands. It's naturally sweetened and said to contain more than five billion live cultures across 14 strains. Ingredients include kefir yoghurt (82%), strawberry puree (11%), date syrup, inulin, water, cornflour, flavourings, colour: anthocyanins, lemon juice, and acidity regulator: citric acid. A 100ml serving offers 66 calories, 1.7g of saturated fat, 5.3g of sugars, and 3g of protein, plus calcium.
This had a very subtle flavor; I could hardly taste the strawberry, which only slightly reduced the sharpness of the kefir, making it a bit bland. The texture wasn't very creamy, so I gave it 2 out of 5 stars.
Tesco Gut Sense Kefir Raspberry
Costing £2.90 for 750ml (39p per 100ml), this product boasts 14 culture strains and has a short ingredients list: kefir, raspberry puree (7%), concentrated apple juice, inulin, maize starch, flavourings, and concentrated lemon juice. A 100ml serving contains 71 calories, 1.5g of saturated fat, 5.8g of sugars, and 3.5g of protein, plus calcium.
This drink had quite a sharp flavor, likely from the tart raspberry and sour kefir combination, but it didn't work as well as other flavors. I rated it 2 out of 5 stars.
Lidl Beautiful Everyday Mixed Berries Kefir Drink
Priced at £2.09 for 750ml from Lidl (28p per 100ml), this is considerably cheaper than many competitors for a larger bottle. It contains billions of live cultures and natural ingredients: pasteurised low fat cow's milk fermented with live kefir cultures, water, sugar, mixed berry puree (strawberry, cherry, and redcurrant) (2%), stabiliser (pectin), natural flavourings, colour (purple carrot concentrate), and lemon concentrate. A 100ml serving has 56 calories, 0.8g of saturated fat, 7.4g of sugars, and 3g of protein, plus calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B12, and phosphorus.
This drink had a wonderfully rich tanginess from the cherry, redcurrant, and strawberry flavors, setting it apart from the others. It was both sweet and pleasantly piquant simultaneously. The texture was incredibly moreish—I had to restrain myself from finishing the bottle in one go—and it felt packed with goodness, making it a wholesome treat. I gave it a full 5 out of 5 stars.
Aldi Brooklea Mixed Berries Kefir Drink
Costing £2.09 for 750ml (28p per 100ml), the same as Lidl, this contains billions of live cultures in 14 strains. Ingredients include natural kefir, kefir cultures, raspberry, strawberry, and blackberry preparation (5%) (water, sugar, waxy maize starch, raspberry juice concentrate, plant extract (carrot concentrate) flavouring, strawberry juice concentrate, blackberry juice from concentrate, and lemon juice concentrate. A 100ml serving offers 69 calories, 1.2g of saturated fat, 5.4g of sugars, and 3.5g of protein, plus calcium.
I really liked the viscosity of this kefir drink; it was just as moreish as the Lidl version. However, the flavor was less pronounced, feeling more like a hint of berries rather than a fruity zest. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.
M&S Plain Kefir Drink
Only plain kefir was available at the M&S store I visited, with a short use-by date and a price of £2.90 for 500ml (58p per 100ml), making it more expensive than Yeo Valley and Biotiful. Said to contain billions of live bacterial cultures, it has a short ingredients list: kefir, chicory fibre, and cultures. A 100ml serving contains 61 calories, 1.7g of saturated fat, 4g of sugars, and 3.7g of protein, plus calcium.
I appreciated the sharpness of the flavor and didn't find it bitter. It could be a good option for those seeking a lower-sugar kefir drink, but it wasn't my first choice, and I felt it was overpriced. I rated it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Overall Verdict
I had two clear favorites. The Yeo Valley kefir drink impressed me with its clean, healthy feel, but it was almost twice the price of my other top pick: the Lidl Beautiful Everyday Mixed Berries Kefir Drink. Although the Lidl option had a slightly higher sugar content, it boasted the lowest calories and saturated fat levels of all the supermarkets tested, plus additional vitamins and minerals.
It felt like a genuinely healthy drink, and a bottle lasted three days, working out to just 70p per day for a sweet treat that also provided a significant health boost. Most importantly, it effectively settled my grumbly tummy. I will definitely continue to incorporate this budget-friendly winner into my diet moving forward.
