<p>This study investigates the nutritional and biofunctional potential of kefir enriched with methanol and aqueous extracts of edible insects (<i>Macrotermes nigeriensis</i> and <i>Ruspolia differens</i>, green and brown forms). In this context, the comparative evaluation of two different edible insects and their two different extracts in coconut milk-based kefirs for the first time has provided an innovative perspective on the use of alternative functional compounds in plant-based kefir production. Insect extracts were incorporated into traditionally produced kefir, and the resulting formulations were analyzed for amino acid and phenolic compound profiles using LC-MS/MS. In addition to physicochemical analyses, antidiabetic and anticholinesterase activities were also evaluated. The results showed that kefir enriched with methanol extract of green <i>R. differens</i> had the highest levels of bioactive and nutritionally relevant amino acids, including threonine, alanine, and ethanolamine. Additionally, the water extract of brown <i>R. differens</i> yielded the highest concentrations of quinic acid, fumaric acid, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. Significant differences (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.01) were detected in terms of physicochemical properties and the positive contributions of the extract addition were recorded. On the other hand, only α-amylase inhibitor activity was determined in the samples, and it was found that the addition of edible insect extract led to a decrease in inhibition compared to the control samples. The findings demonstrate that insect-based kefir formulations significantly enhance nutritional quality and functional properties, offering promising applications in the development of sustainable and health-promoting functional foods.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>