Water kefir, also known as tibicos, is made from water, sugar and water kefir grains. It contains different strains of bacteria to milk kefir. 

With water kefir you can add lemon and different kinds of fruit or vegetables to the mixture. It makes a nutritious fizzy drink alternative to soda. Because the bacteria cultures in water kefir break down sugar to produce the fizziness of the drink, it has a relatively low GI, meaning that it probably won’t raise your blood sugar levels suddenly. However, sugar levels can vary, so use caution if you are diabetic or insulin resistant. Water kefir also contains B vitamins and can aid in digestion.

Some people are concerned about the proteins and lactose in milk.  Both of these are broken down and predigsted by the friendly bacteria making it very easy to digest, even for those with lactose intolerance.

The different types of kefir have different benefits. Milk kefir is an excellent source for protein and calcium. Water kefir may have a higher sugar content, but basically the same vitamins. Each type may have their own atvantage for each individual and they are easy to make at home, so if you can, you might like to try both to find which one goes best with you.