Re: Fungus Made Kefir?

 A friend just told me that milk kefir is made from fungus? [She believes fungus is the basis for all diseases so avoids anything that contains fungus or might be fermented from fungus. She's a bit 'fungalphobic'!!]

Kefir grains are sometimes referred to as kefir fungus or kefir mushroom.  But technically the live microorganisms in the grains are a combination of bacteria and yeasts.   I really don't think that it could be classified as a fungus since as far as I know it does not produce any hyphae like actual fungi do.

But I believe there are beneficial fungi too. Just like with bacteria in the gut, some are "bad", some are beneficial. So if the milk kefir 'grains' ARE considered a 'fungi' it would be considered a beneficial one, right? Just like the kombucha scoby and the water kefir crystals?

Yes there are beneficial fungi.  Look at medicinal mushrooms such as oyster, enoki, reishi, shiitake, maitake, chaga, turkey tail, lion's mane, etc.

Kombucha is in the same boat.  Even though it is sometimes referred to as a "mushroom" it is not really a mushroom or any other form of fungus.  As with kefir there are no fungal hyphae formed in kombucha and like kefir it is instead of combination of bacteria and yeasts.

Please clarify and help me understand this better.