I’ve been hearing about kombucha for a while and it didn't sound very enticing to me. But I have several friends who swear by it and I'm always keen to learn something new, so it was time to investigate.
Here we go - Kombucha 101.
Kombucha has been enjoyed in Russia and China since at least the 1800’s. It’s fermented and contains a living culture of microorganisms. Yum, right? Not so much, but when you get to the benefit claims, it starts to sound more palpable.
Kombucha contains probiotics, active enzymes and antioxidants - all things that are great for the body. The health claims range from improving the immune system to preventing cancer. In fact, the label on the bottle that I tried states that the founder of GT's Kombucha started the company after watching his mother use it successfully in her battle against breast cancer.
It's a bit tart (think vinegar, but less strong) but GT's Kombucha does a Mystic Mango and Cosmic Cranberry flavored kombucha that are actually pretty tasty. In Charlottesville, G.T's is available at Integral Yoga, Rebecca's and Whole Foods. For the rest of the world, you can find a store here. It does have some caffeine in it, so it’s great in the morning for a little kick-start. It’s also lightly carbonated, so it feels like a nice afternoon treat.
If you’re the home-brew type (and are not excited about shelling out 3-ish dollars per bottle in the store) you can make it yourself. It’s apparently the latest thing for hipster foodies-- and you get to keep your mother in a jar. No really, the fermented tea starter looks kind of like a mushroom and is referred to as a “mother.” The mother will eventually expand and split into “babies” which can be passed on to others so they can home-brew - you can find them sold on Craigslist.
Doesn’t that all sounds appetizing? O.K. Maybe I’m not selling this well.
Let’s talk numbers. While the sales on bottled water and soda have been decreasing (good news, in my opinion) US sales of kombucha were $295 million last year, up 25% over a two-year period. So clearly not everyone is grossed out. Still, it's probably better not to think too much about the fermenting mother or her gelatinous babies.
Of course there are the people who are skeptical about the claims and debate whether kombucha is good for you at all. There are warnings about contamination from home brewing in non-sterile conditions and a general uneasiness about the lack of long-term US studies on the effects of the drink. So use your own judgement.
But even the critical articles have to admit that kombucha has its groupies. Local C'ville singer/songwriter Devon Sproule was quoted recently in a Newsweek article saying that she and her husband, musician Paul Curreri enjoyed the "Immortal Health Elixir" for maintenance and prevention purposes.
Just in case one of the side benefits of kombucha is that it makes you as adorable as Sproule, I'll give it a try.
For more from Lisa, check out www.justherejustnow.com
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