Lifeway Original Kefir 32fl.oz

Kiefer is good for probiotic gut health.

We love it. It taste good and is good for your health.

I'm writing this review at least in part for Lifeway Company. I love their plain whole milk kefir and buy it frequently at the Natural Grocer where we do most of our food shopping. I add a small amount of powdered organic stevia and 1 tsp of organic cherry juice concentrate to a cup of kefir if I want it flavored or sweetened. Powdered stevia doesn't give it any kind of "off taste", but it can soften or remove the sourness, if you haven't developed a taste for this. My dad made yogurt for our family and we all got used to eating tart cultured milk. I think it is an acquired taste. I do wish Lifeway didn't wrap the plastic bottle it comes in with a sleeve that has phthalates - it makes me wonder if just handling the bottle is risky. I can smell it in my fridge too. A pair of scissors w/good pointed tips helps me remove the label, but I still think a company making healthful foods should NOT be using chemicals that are known to be toxic - phthalates - what about their employees? I also buy Redwood Hill Farms goat milk kefir. Their kefir isn't packaged like this.

I LOVE Lifeway Kefir and buy several bottles every week. While I do sometimes buy plain, I prefer the coconut chia flavor. At any rate, I took a tip from a friend and do not drink the kefir straight from the bottle. I pour it into a class, add about the same amount of water (or a quarter of the amount of kefir, it just depends upon my mood) and then add a few squirts of water flavoring (the kind in the little tiny bottles). I have used Koolaid grape and cherry, Crush cherry, Margaritaville pina colada and strawberry daiquiri and a few others. Sometimes in the morning I will add orange juice instead of water. It is good on its own but with those few additions it becomes the base for many different flavored drinks that are very good for you. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have kefir everyday and Lifeway is the best. If you don't like yogurt, you won't like this full strength but even if you do not like yogurt, if you add water or juice and some drops of flavoring, you will still like it (I know because have had friends do who did not like yogurt try it). Cannot recommend highly enough!

Update: 3/1/2015 This really is as good as it gets. And I love the taste. "Lifeway Original Kefir" is, by far, the best way to include an assortment of live and active probiotic cultures in your diet (12 different strains). There is also "Organic Kefir". This is a milk product that's certified Gluten free, 99% Lactose free, made from pasteurized, non-homogenized low fat/non fat milk from non GMO grass fed cows that are not given synthetic growth hormones or antibiotics. And it's Kosher, too. Kefir is a fermented milk product and the taste is somewhat like that of Greek yogurt which some people find unpalatable. I, though, really love the taste and use Kefir daily.

Chances are, if you're not European, you will not like this. It is a very thick, sour milk (lapte batut in Romanian). :o) Growing up on it, I was very happy to find it here in the states. You can usually find it at Whole Foods, Wild Oats or in the gourmet section at Safeway/Vons. The regular tastes much better than the low fat, but it's still very thick and sour. They also make it in Vanilla and berries, Blueberry I think. My husband, who is American, says it tastes like milk that's gone bad. I happen to disagree. :o)

The product has very good health implications however it is to early to make a good judgement a sound judgement!

Just not our lifestyle. Wouldn't buy again. Taste is not great