FAQ

The Cultured Coconut isn’t your standard probiotic for one main reason - we use ancient milk kefir grains that evolved over 2,000 years to traditionally ferment our handmade organic coconut milk. By using these living organisms instead of significantly weaker powdered starter, a higher quantity and diversity of probiotic strains naturally develop through the fermentation process.

Our probiotic is the most powerful probiotic on the market. With 4 trillion CFU per tablespoon and over 40 probiotic strains, each serving has at least 30 times more bacteria than the average probiotic supplement and at a fraction of the cost. This natural ecosystem of beneficial bacteria works together to help keep your gut flora robust and diverse.

A microbial analysis (including DNA extraction, PMA treatment, Shotgun library preparation, sequencing, and bioinformatics analysis and Total bacteria enumeration by qPCR) was conducted on The Cultured Coconut by Teagasc Food Research Centre, an internationally-recognized bioscience food lab based in Cork, Ireland. From this, they are able to confirm the minimum potency (expressed in Colony Forming Units), and identified the full bacterial strain composition. Learn more about our probiotic strains here.

The first few times you open a new bottle, you may notice this sulphur smell which can sometimes be stronger than other batches. Our traditional fermentation process produces this natural aroma. Given that our probiotic is sugar-free, the taste can range between sour and tangy, depending on one’s tastebuds. Both of these characteristics are completely normal - we can guarantee that every bottle is 100% safe to consume given its low acidity levels that is well under the mandatory level of 4.6 pH for all fermented foods.

Whole coconut naturally contains beneficial fats. When The Cultured Coconut goes through the cooling process, the fats become solid. These fats also contain probiotics and are healthy for you. If you would prefer a more uniform consistency, you can pour the contents of your jar into a blender and blend until the chunks have been dispersed. Simply pour the liquid back in the bottle and store in the fridge as you normally would.

The best before date on the lid of your bottle refers to when the product should be sold by a retailer to a customer. It is calculated nine (9) months from date of bottling. Once a bottle is opened, it is best to consume within 8 weeks for maximum potency. After this period, it can still be consumed but the potency will slowly start to decline.

Organic Coconut Milk * (non-chlorinated and fluoride-free water, organic whole coconut*), bacterial cultures and yeast. *Certified Organic by CCOF. Grown in Mexico. Made in a facility that only processes coconut.

Absolutely, a food lab at the University of Guelph has confirmed this from samples that were tested.

Our probiotic is the strongest probiotic on the market so it’s important to go slow as you introduce this ecosystem to your own gut flora. Start with 1 teaspoon and gradually increase to 1 tablespoon daily. Heating it over 40C destroys the probiotics although it is fine to add it to warm food. Many of our customers have found a lot of creative ways to ensure they get their 1 tablespoon per day. Here are some suggestions:

Some people may be able to enjoy taking one tablespoon of The Cultured Coconut from the start, but we always recommend starting with one teaspoon per day and slowly working your way up to one tablespoon per day. There are a few reasons for this approach. Probiotics are living organisms that our immune system and diet interact with. When we introduce new probiotics into our gut, our own ecosystem of organisms needs time to welcome their new “roommates” and our immune system needs to learn that these new probiotics are friendly and helpful. Taking too much too soon rushes this introduction and can result in gas and bloating in some people.

Probiotics can be helpful for preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea and yeast overgrowth that result from the antibiotic attacking the problem bacteria along with healthy gut flora. The general recommendations for taking probiotics with antibiotics is to ensure you’re taking your probiotic 2-3 hours away from your antibiotic. Feel free to consult your doctor if you have more questions about when to take our probiotic.

Much research has been done on the health benefits of probiotics, including many of the strains that live in The Cultured Coconut. Beyond improving gut flora, some customers experience very interesting and surprising effects on their digestive and overall health. Please see our feedback page for how our customers have experienced the product or check out our Facebook page for reviews from our customers.

We have many reports from satisfied customers about it helping their furry friends.

Although our kefir has been verified dairy-free by the University of Guelph food lab, our living milk kefir grains (that do not contain milk themselves) need to rest in dairy milk in between fermenting batches of organic coconut milk. Otherwise, they will die unless that have access to lactose, their native food. We chose to use milk kefir grains instead of water kefir grains as the probiotic value created by milk kefir grains is superior. Our milk kefir grains are then treated before they ferment coconut milk, so that they will not carry any trace of milk. We have found that customers who choose veganism for health reasons are accepting of this requirement, however, those adhering to the highest vegan standards, may object to this contact with dairy. Out of respect for this group, we do not claim that our kefir is vegan despite our probiotic strains and ingredients in the product being plant-based.

It should stay refrigerated to preserve the trillions of probiotics in each bottle. If you’re travelling across borders, we recommend keeping the cultured coconut in the original bottle, unopened if possible. Our customers have travelled with it by packaging it in a box or small cooler with an ice pack. If you have a thermos that the bottle will fit in, this also works well to insulate it. Remember, it needs to arrive still cold to preserve the benefits. Remember that these are guidelines. Cross border transport of your probiotic will depend on airport and border security protocols.

Just two important ones - antibiotics (which is why you need to take our probiotic kefir at least two hours before or after taking this med), and heat above 40C/104F (for example, adding it to coffee or tea would kill the beneficial bacteria). Freezing on the other hand, is perfectly fine. Many of our customers add our kefir to homemade popsicles for their kids (and ‘pupsicles’ for pets, as well).