Let me be honest. I started drinking kombucha simply because I saw it on other people’s blogs. It looked interesting, so I thought I would give it a try. Not to mention, bloggers are always mentioning how “healthy” it is.
For my first experience with kombucha, I tried Synergy Superfruits. I was left feeling a bit indifferent about the taste. Kombucha is basically fermented tea, so it tastes quite similar to vinegar. It’s not really a bad taste though. It’s just…interesting.
I shelled out $3.50 for this drink that tasted so-so, and I decided I probably wouldn’t buy kombucha again.
But a strange thing happened. While enduring my kidney infection, I completely lost my appetite. No food or drink sounded appealing to me. Except kombucha. I was actually craving this crazy drink!
Last Sunday I stopped by Whole Foods, and I couldn’t help but purchase this.
Synergy Mango Madness. It totally hit the spot! And I haven’t stopped thinking about kombucha since.
In fact, the restaurant I ate at last night was dangerously close to Whole Foods. I knew I had to stop in and stock up on some kombucha! I bought 3 bottles for a total cost that rivaled that of my dinner. (This is so uncharacteristic of my thrifty self.)
Since then, I’ve tried this one: GT’s Multi-Green. This is by far the best flavor I’ve sampled.
I am officially obsessed with this stuff. It just feels so good going down. Honestly, when I drink it, I get a tingling sensation from my fingers to my toes.
Maybe this is a placebo effect? Because I’m still not so sure what it is that is so “healthy” about kombucha.
The Synergy bottle boasts that “kombucha supports,
Digestion
Metabolism
Immune System
Appetite Control
Weight Control
Liver Function
Body Alkalinity
Anti-Aging
Cell Integrity
Healthy Skin & Hair”
(it also notes that these claims haven’t been evaluated by the FDA)
The bottle also states that kombucha contains active enzymes, viable probiotics, amino acids, antioxidants, and polyphenols.
This all sounds great, but have any of the benefits been researched? I’m sincerely asking. I love this stuff, but I can’t help but feel as if there is a large possibility that I’m being duped into paying $3.50 for something that has little nutritional benefit.
Not to mention, I found a page on the American Cancer Society website that warns against drinking kombucha!
So, let’s discuss! What are your thoughts on kombucha? Is it a wonder drink? Is it unsafe? Are people paying way too much for this stuff?
I’m dying to know what you think!
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I’ve only tried Kombucha once and I was gagging lol. But then again…the smell of vinegar is aweful to me so I probably wasn’t giving it a fair tasting. Does the mango smell like that?
They all smell like that!
My super cool hippie neighbor makes her own!! You start a brew with a mushroom fungus thing and feed it sugar and water. It ferments and then once potent enough you strain whatever you need and she mixes it with cherry juice and honey. It’s so good!!
I’ve never tried the pre-bottled kind, but my neighbor’s brew is addicting. When I was researching it, I read that homemade kombochas can be dangerous though.
I want to try one of the Synergy flavors!!
hmmm…wonder where you get the mushroom thing? i’ve thought about making my own, but like you, i read that it may be dangerous.
hahah that is great.. i love it! idk, when i tried i was like “what thee eff” because it was so different than i expected, but i love it! something about it is so refreshing and fililng…
xoxo
shelley
Ahh, I hated the green one!!
I like the way some of them taste, the raspberry and passionberry in particular. I think I drink them on occasion because of that, not for the health benefits. I’m not sure if I believe them or not.
I was offered kombucha once but just couldn’t get past the smell. The fact that the American Cancer Society warns against it only further deters me.
hmm I have never tried one of those drinks but i have always wanted to try them!! I can’t find them anywhere near me…except for the overpriced health food store in my town. I think they cost like 3.25 there…
my friend swears by it..she even bought me a bottle. I was ungrateful and kept it in my fridge…then eventually threw it out.
maybe I should try it again…but that vinger-y smell is such a turn off!
I saw kombucha at the food co-op yesterday and was this close to buying it! In the end I didn’t. Oddly enough, the doctor called me yesterday to come in for more testing bc I may have a kidney infection or something. Maybe I should go get some!
Oh goodness. I really hope you don’t have a kidney infection. Those are rough!
I personally LOVE kombuha. I drink just the original flavor…and I drink 1 every single day. I have been on a kombucha kick for about 6 months and I can honestly say that I truly believe it has helped me with my digestion. I tend to have digestive problems…but this REALLY has helped! I am a believer but then again there is always 2 sides to every story!
Go for the guava flavor!!! I’ve been drinking Kombucha for a few years now, and I love it. I really do feel a boost in my energy when I drink it…but I also feel slightly tipsy!! haha
I think I might too! The tingly feeling might just be a small alcohol buzz…
The mango one is my favorite! I find the portion to be HUGE and it doesn’t keep it’s fizz well, so I generally end up wasting a lot of it. I buy it rarely because it is so spendy, but I like it!
As an RD, do you think kombucha is a wonder drink?
Interesting! I haven’t heard much about Kombucha. I’m always a skeptic when it comes to “wonder drinks” or “wonder foods,” though. I recently heard about mangosteen juice, which is supposedly supposed to work wonders as well. I’m sure that there are a ton of awesome health benefits from juice like that (pom included!) and there’s probably no *harm* in drinking them, but I would hope that people don’t drink them and suddenly think all of their problems are going to go away!
With all that being said, I’d love to try some =) Sounds tasty!
I have never tried it… I have to look at my grocery store and see if they even have it.. it sounds intresting though
I am SO curious now, I must try this stuff!
kombucha totally makes me feel drunk. (i like it) anybody else?
My lab results were all normal from last year and my only change was kombucha, which I make myself. Hate the taste but think it’s beneficial for geriatrics
Boy, am I glad I read this. Because upon opening my second bottle of GT’s Organic Raw Kombucha today, I discovered something that looked like a small jellyfish settled at the bottom. It must be the “mushroom thing” that I read about. (?) My experience with Kombucha is similar to others. But I have a slightly different spin on my story. I have a history of alcohol abuse. So, when I first tried kombucha my response to it scared me. When it hit my tongue I thought “EW!” but when it hit my stomach INSTANTLY I was like “yum”!- or something LIKE yum, because I could not stop thinking about it and wanted to go buy a bunch of it. I refrained and instead got hooked on Kevita. (Still my favorite). Someone explained my response to kombucha to me, so I tried it again. I swear, I could drink Kevita and kombucha drinks all day long! I love them! I need a second job to pay for my new health obsession. (health?) I’m not sure about all the claims, but I am sure that it feels good, indeed, to drink this stuff!
Be skeptical of that article from American Cancer Society. I’m a biologist and I am fairly shocked by the quality of their report on kombucha. They claim that there are no studies about the health benefits of Kombucha when in fact there are several studies in respectable peer reviewed journals. Most of the studies have found evidence that the acidic compounds produced by the culture actually improve liver and kidney cell function.
Also, they erroneously refer to the culture as a mushroom (it is not a fungus, it is a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), which further shows their ignorance of the drink and the compounds it contains.
Kombucha is delicious, makes me feel great, and is INCREDIBLY EASY TO BREW FOR YOURSELF! There is absolutely no reason to go broke buying this stuff. In one 5-gallon bucket, you can make over $120 worth of kombucha every two weeks. Seriously, just do it.