Whatcha Drinkin' - Kombucha

In my search to heal my gut, I came across the need to eat/drink fermented foods.  One such fermented product that caught my eye, mainly of a few reasons:

1.   There were at least 10 different flavors to chose from.

(Gingerberry is my favorite)

2.   There were things floating in it - yep, this reason made me do a double take.  I'm sorry, but anything floating in my drink is never a good sign.

3.   It is full of "good for you stuff" that is supposed to help those who suffer from digestive issues.

Downside:  It is kind of expensive: $3.70 a bottle.

After doing some more research on Kombucha, I decided to go ahead and try it - despite the fact that I was still (and even to this day) grossed out about the floating things in this drink.  Well, needless to say, the stuff is good. 

What are the health benefits of Kombucha?

Taken from http://www.foodrenegade.com/kombucha-health-benefits/)

Kombucha Health Benefit #1 — Detoxification

Detoxification produces healthy livers and aides cancer prevention. One of kombucha’s greatest health benefits is its ability to detox the body. It is rich in many of the enzymes and bacterial acids your body produces and/or uses to detox your system, thus reducing your pancreatic load and easing the burden on your liver. Kombucha is very high in Glucaric acid, and recent studies have shown that glucaric acid helps prevent cancer. I know 2 people in my immediate circle of friends who have had cancer (pancreatic and breast) and fought it into remission without any chemo or radiation therapy. Instead, they warded it off by detoxing their lives (going 100% organic, removing chemical cleaners and agents in their home, changing their diet to be at least 80% raw or fermented, etc.) Central to the detoxification process was drinking Kombucha regularly. Even Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the recently deceased Russian author and nobel-prize winner, in his autobiography, claimed that kombucha tea cured his stomach cancer during his internment in soviet labor camps. (And because of this testimony, President Reagan used Kombucha to halt the spread of his cancer in 1987. You’ll note he didn’t die until 2004, and that was from old age, NOT cancer.)

Kombucha Health Benefit #2 — Joint Care

Kombucha contains glucosamines, a strong preventive and treatment all forms of arthritis. Glucosamines increase synovial hyaluronic acid production. Hyaluronic acid functions physiologically to aid preservation of cartilage structure and prevent arthritic pain, with relief comparable to NSAIDs and advantage over glucocorticoids. Hyaluronic acid enables connective tissue to bind moisture thousands of times its weight and maintains tissue structure, moisture, lubrication and flexibility and lessens free radical damage, while associated collagen retards and reduces wrinkles.

Kombucha Health Benefit #3 — Aids Digestion and Gut Health

Because it’s naturally fermented with a living colony of bacteria and yeast, Kombucha is a probiotic beverage. This has a myriad of benefits such as improved digestion, fighting candida (harmful yeast) overgrowth, mental clarity, and mood stability. As such, it’s noted for reducing or eliminating the symptoms of fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, etc.

Kombucha Health Benefit #4 — Immune Boosting

Kombucha is extraordinarily anti-oxidant rich, and you all know the benefits of anti-oxidants for boosting your immune system and energy levels.

But for $3.70 a bottle?!?!?!

I know $3.70 a bottle is very expensive and yes, there are days that I will only have one serving (1/2 bottle) and there are days that I have had none.  So I have taken the next step and I am venturing out into the world of making my own Kombucha. 

Join me tomorrow, and over the next 2 weeks, in my experiment of making my own Kombucha with my very own Scoby (which is actually the gross stuff floating around in the bottle). 

Until next time......