The gut microbiota is the collection of microorganisms that live in our gut, where they help us in many ways.

The microbiota plays an important role in digestion, weight management, blood regulation, and the immune system. No wonder it is called the “second brain” !

The microbiota is a complex research topic, but there is increasing evidence that eating fermented foods is beneficial to our health. Indeed, studies have shown that some of the yeast and bacteria found in water kefir may colonise our gut and have a positive effect on our microbiota.

Agua de Madre is vegan, sparkling water kefir, packed with billions of live cultures but gently pasteurised and with the addition of Organic Bacillus Subtilis, an organic probiotic that survives in your gut and in the bottles. The new recipe allows you to store the bottles outside the fridge and offers a longer shelf life of up to 12 months.

More information on the Organic Bacillus Subtilis can be found here and here.

Yes! Drink the Madre chilled.

While similar in concept (a fermented beverage made from a bacterial culture) and process, they are completely different cultures and therefore contain different strains of probiotics and different digestive enzymes. Kombucha is a fermented tea and is often caffeinated, water kefir has no caffeine. While both fermented drinks are great digestive aids, they each contain different levels of acids and bacteria. Kombucha is much more acidic than water kefir.

Water kefir is perfect for people who are sensitive to caffeine, or for those who wish to reduce their consumption.

It is low natural sugar and we do not add fake sweeteners (not even stevia). You can see the sugar levels of the cans and bottles on their respective product pages. Here for cans and here for 33cl.

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Water kefir has a sweeter taste compared with milk kefir which is tart and strong flavoured. Water kefir is also dairy-free, making it a perfect choice for those who want to avoid dairy or are vegan. 

Water kefir is a lighter drink, making it easier to drink in larger quantities especially during warm weather for hydration. Both have similar numbers of live lactobaccillus cultures just different strains.

For more detail, read our blog post on the difference between water kefir and dairy kefir Water Kefir vs Dairy Kefir.