Bonnie: The boys – I mean men – in my family like the drinkable yogurts. That all began with our frequent visits to my sister’s home in Belgium, where yogurt drinks have been available for decades.

This one is made with 100 percent organic milk from local Humane-Certified farms. Green Valley Organics adds lactase, an enzyme that converts the milk’s lactose to simple, easily digested sugars (glucose and galactose), making this kefir easily digested and A-okay for lactose-intolerant Americans to drink.

Green Valley Organics also has a plain kefir (a fermented cow’s milk drink), but we like the sweeter taste of this with blueberry, pomegranate and açaí, as well as the antioxidants they provide. And the kefir contains a custom blend of 10 live active probiotic cultures that promote digestive and immune-system health. And a cup provides a good source (15%) of vitamin A and an excellent (25%) source of  calcium in a 160-calorie cupful. And it even tastes good.

Bryan: One of the greatest parts of having relatives who live abroad is the introduction of new foods. For me, our cousins’ arrival from Brussels was more than a family visit; it was a treasure trove of foreign foodie goodies that would amaze and captivate. Though it was usually the Belgian chocolates that wowed us most, there was a sneaky product tossed in the mix that also became a fan favorite: Dan’up.

Dan’up is a drinkable yogurt, a product largely unfamiliar to the American market, made by Danone (the European parent company that operates as “Dannon” in the US). Not popular in survey testing I guess, but the Europeans love this drinkable yogurt and I do, too, whenever I get the opportunity. Think of your morning yogurt, only not as thick, and more like a shake: smooth and creamy. Now you’re in the right frame of mind.

It’s not surprising that today’s product is European-inspired as well, as people seem to like their dairy thick but runny over on that side of the pond.

Green Valley’s Blueberry Pom Açaí Kefir has everything you want for a morning drink, especially if you’re a Dan’up fan at heart. Better yet? It’s lactose free and filled with a triple serving of antioxidant fruits. Remember the old adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away?” Well, this is the 21st century, and açai kefir is the new apple.

Kefir (kee-fer) is fermented, probiotic milk originally from Eastern Europe. We’ve written briefly about it in the past, touting its healthful qualities. In fact, the name loosely means “good feeling,” due to the food’s almost unmatched health-promoting properties. The term “food” can actually be a bit deceiving, as kefir is better described as a liquid, a yogurt with a unique taste and a mythical reputation. Much of the acclaim is surely due to the historically high content of active probiotics in the fermented milk. Probiotics are live, naturally occurring microorganisms that function in the body to promote healthy digestion, as well as boost the immune system and contribute to overall health and well being… and they’re in every sip of Green Valley’s healthier version of a fruit smoothie. Try it; you’ll have no idea you liked kefir so much.

Eric: I love yogurt – and I think if you’re an avid reader of our site, you might have realized that we’ve written about yogurt on more than one occasion (Fage, Chobani). This week it’s time to shine the spotlight on kefir, yogurt’s healthier cousin.

The ironic part of my “yogurtphilia” is that I’m lactose intolerant, and my love for the fermented dairy product always keeps my stomach in a game of Russian roulette. Unfortunately, kefir is not much better than the rest of the yogurt pack when it comes to digestion. Although it does contain an abundance of healthy bacteria, it still wreaks havoc on those of us missing the lactase gene.

Luckily there are companies like Green Valley Organics that are producing lactose-free kefir.

Note: After completing this review we learned from Green Valley Organics GM/CEO Ken Strunk that at the request of consumers, new Green Valley Organics Lactose Free Blueberry Pom Acai Kefir will now be a bit less sweet with 19 vs. 21 grams of sugar as of this posting.