If you know me you know that over the past few months I’ve been going through this Kombucha drink binge. Now I’m not one to go on a huge health kick whether that be a crash diet or an intense workout regimen. But I do like to find things that are easy to incorporate into my every day life that promote energy (which I’m quickly finding I need more and more) and better long-term health. For example, last summer I enrolled myself in an interval strength training class to get into better shape – and I’m proud to say I enrolled myself in it again this summer.
Back to the point. Kombucha. What is it? It’s a bubbly fermentation of a sweet tea. To go into more detail, the sweet tea is fermented by symbiotic kombucha cultures of bacteria and yeast. Before you start thinking that this drink is much too disgusting, keep reading!
Here are some health benefits I found online that are the most agree upon in the online community:
1) Detoxification – Isn’t that lovely to hear? Most notably it produces a healthy liver and aids in cancer prevention. While I don’t suggest doing on a cleanse with kombucha drinks, incorporating one beverage into your daily diet will help regenerate your digestive system and lighten up your pancreatic load.
2) Joint Care – Since it’s a little bit more difficult to objectively say that kombucha has provided me with joint benefits, recent personal accounts show that it aids in the preservation of cartilage and prevents arthritic pain.
3) Aids Digestion & Gut Health – Kombucha is a probiotic drink which means that it improves digestion. That being said, it helps improve intestinal functions.
4) Immune Boosting - Because kombucha is rich in antioxidants, it naturally translates into a better immune system and a boost in energy levels.
If you’re still skeptical, poke around the web a little bit to learn some more about kombucha. For the most part there hasn’t been a lot of research on the drink in the United States more than the research that comes from overseas and personal success stories. And of course, I only have mine to offer up.
So here are some points on my own personal review:
- I hated kombucha when I first tried it. I tried GT’s Multi-Green Organic Raw Kombucha my first time, thinking that since it was green (because of my green smoothie successes) it must be awesome. Boy was I wrong. To be concise, it tasted like post-soccer practice feet. But I’m so glad I kept trying different ones.
- My favorite kombucha drinks come from GT’s Synergy product line. Most notably Trilogy (sorry Christine!), Passionberry Bliss, and Gingerberry. I haven’t found a need to venture out and try a new brand, though I might because GT doesn’t have a pomegranate option…
- I’ve felt a significant increase in energy after a week of drinking kombucha (one a day at lunchtime). I no longer felt sluggish but had more mental clarity and felt recharged in the morning when I woke up – a big deal as I am NOT a morning person.
- Kombucha CAN contain traces of alcohol. I experienced this first hand when I brought a bottle with me to my English class because I was in a hurry. I wasn’t drunk by any means but I did have a little buzz.
- I’ve become accustomed to the taste of kombucha. When you first see a bottle you see chunks of, well, stuff. Those are the cultures themselves. You are supposed to consume them. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they taste good. I’m not saying all kombucha is candy, even I have my own limits. But I’ve found kombucha that I really enjoy after a lot of experimenting. I’m still experimenting if that’s any indication.
Bottom line: Kombucha is definitely an acquired taste. Don’t drink it because of all the health benefit claims. It’s not for everyone – I know I can rave about it to my family all I want but they’ll stick to classic green tea. Now if I saw Jennifer Lawrence drinking kombucha I would say drop everything and follow her lead… But overall, I will say though that I’ve seen a boost in energy and a general clean feeling about my body.
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