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Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of emails and questions about Kombucha. I promised Laura that I would do a post based on my personal experiences.
What is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a fermented tea that is often drunk for medicinal purposes. It contains multiple species of yeast and bacteria, as well as the organic acids, active enzymes, amino acids, and polyphenols produced by those microbes.
“You only get out of your body what you put into it.”
I live by that quote.
Most Kombucha brewers commonly claim that Kombucha aids in cancer recovery, increases energy, sharpens eyesight, aids in joint recovery, improves skin elasticity, and aids digestion, but there is little published research on the health benefits.
Because of the little scientific research done on Kombucha, these are just “claims.”
I started drinking Kombucha about a year ago.
I was first introduced to Kombucha by Ashlei, but I didn’t really start getting hooked on it until last Fall. The first few times that I drank it, I didn’t mind the taste, but the thought of putting live yeast and bacteria into my body was sort of weird to me.
But we eat yogurt and tempeh right?
It’s basically the same thing (sort of). Living foods are good for the living body.
After awhile, I started drinking Kombucha more often and the taste really grew on me. I also noticed that I was feeling differently. I felt like I had more energy, my digestion improved, and I could think more clearly.
The first thing that I noticed was that my digestion improved significantly. About a year ago, I started to become lactose intolerant again. I was actually lactose intolerant very severely as a baby, but it went away during my childhood. It started to rear its ugly head during my sophomore and junior years of college and I actually gave up all dairy products for awhile.
I kid you know what I say that Kombucha has has cured my lactose intolerance. As soon as I started drinking it, dairy no longer sent me running to the bathroom.
Now, cheese is one of my favorite foods (it always has been)!
My digestion is now like clockwork. I won’t go into details, but things move right on schedule at exactly the same time every single day. I can’t remember the last time things got off track.
- I also feel like I have more energy throughout the day. I don’t get that mid-morning or mid-afternoon crash, except when my body is just physically tired from lack of sleep or a hard workout. No ones perfect.
- My fitness level has improved (but that could be because I work my ass off).
- My grades have improved because I feel likes its easier to focus. I’ve actually always had a really hard time focusing on things, but its gotten a lot better.
- It’s hard to explain, but I can just feel the difference. Words can’t really explain it.
I know this sounds completely crazy, but I really am a believer. I know it sounds really weird, but I believe everything I just wrote.
Let me know if you have questions.
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{ 63 comments… read them below or add one }
Awesome post, Matt! About to drink my 3rd kombucha!
kristy @ kristyruns recently posted..Running in Europe
YAY! How are you liking it so far?
Doesn’t sound crazy at all because I have the EXACT same feelings towards Kombucha and the benefits I’ve noticed are identical to yours. Digestion, energy, strength, focus, and overall well-being. I also notice it a lot in my skin – I literally never have breakouts and often get compliments from dermatologists and make-up professionals about my “perfect complexion.” I credit that to a combination of overall diet, exercise, elimination of cow’s milk, and Kombucha. Awesome post!!!
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope recently posted..Super Cereal
Now that I think about it, it has really helped my skin too!
Do you think cutting out cows milk has helped a lot too?
HUGE difference! I’d actually say it’s what impacts my skin the most. It was a little over a year ago that I completely eliminated it from my diet (haven’t had it since!) and about a week later noticed an enormous positive impact on my skin that has continued ever since.
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope recently posted..Super Cereal
I actually really hate dairy milk, but cheese is my lover. Cheese has very little lactose, so I think thats why my stomach handles it pretty well.
I found that cheese and ice cream aren’t the best for my skin either, and therefore I RARELY eat either. Yogurt doesn’t seem to bother my skin at all – I’m assuming the probiotics break down the lactose and help my body digest it better. I also had IBS since age 5 that I’ve almost entirely grown out of now, and cutting back on dairy signficantly helped that.
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope recently posted..Super Cereal
I totally respect that. I avoid certain foods as well that don’t agree with me.
I basically just try to eat as much “real” food as possible. My stomach never has a problem with something that has one ingredient.
“Real food” = my philosophy exactly!
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope recently posted..Super Cereal
It’s the only way to eat!
Do you cut out all dairy then Heather in addition to milk? i.e cheese and yogurt? I’ve been doing more Goat products lately myself just to see. But love mozzarella cheese on my pizza
Baking N Books recently posted..Banana Coconut Raisin Bread
I cut out ALL cow’s milk and that’s when I really noticed the difference in my skin/complexion. I RARELY eat other dairy like cheese (like once every 3 months). However, the ONLY dairy I do eat is yogurt, and I eat multiple yogurts a day. I believe the probiotics in yogurt help it get absorbed in the body and digested better.
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope recently posted..Super Cereal
Thanks for this post! How often do you drink Kombucha drinks? I like to drink one or two after travelling to keep my system from going haywire. They are so expensive ($4 a bottle) where I live, so I’m not sure I can drink one or two daily.
I drink one everyday. I worked it into my budget
I love Kombucha, but it’s SO expensive. You can find them in practically every deli here, but most of the time they’re like $6 a pop
They really are good though!!
Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine recently posted..Pickles and Beer- Hummus and Wine
They are like $3 here, so not as bad as NYC.
I love the ginger-berry flavor. I can totally tell the difference in the way I feel on days that I drink a kombucha.
Alayna @ Thyme Bombe recently posted..Salad season
I will try it one day and get back to you
Lynn (The Cream Filling) recently posted..Acceptance
I have never heard of this, but I am going to try it!!
Tara @ The Game of Life recently posted..Inspiration
Thank you, Matt! This is fantastic. I didn’t know about the focus benefits – something I definitely could benefit from.
How much are you drinking? 1 bottle a day? How long of regular drinking before you noticed a difference?
I love the digestive benefits and am just beginning to drink a serving per day. I’ll be interested to see what benefits I find.
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table recently posted..Shallot Kale Socca
I drink one bottle per day. I think I started noticing effects pretty quickly.
I wished I liked it but I just don’t.
Jennifer@ knackfornutrition recently posted..Group Hug
Interesting, I’d never heard of Kombucha before I came to your blog… what’s the best flavor?
Christine @ Burning It Off recently posted..Sometimes you’ve just gotta have beer
My favorite is the gingerade.
Don’t worry you sound crazy but none more than me. Before I went to study abroad I had my own brews of Kombucha growing and fermenting under my bed! Hhaha people thought I was crazy but I really believed the benefits. Germany isn’t too big on it so I’ve been going crazy for the year.
I used to make my own too! I was afraid to have people over
Great timing with this post. I have heard about the bene’s of Kombucha for a while but just never tried it. Last week when I was at WF, the lady in front of me had 10 or so bottles. It was a very long line so I chatted her up about it. After speaking with her, I went a grabbed a bottle but I have not had it yet. She swears by the green one and the Botanic No9 (the one I got).
I tried the Botanic No9 because she said the flavor was floral and I think I would prefer that over “green” (that is how she described the taste of the green one! lol)
It’s still sitting in my fridge and I think I will go drink it now….
MilesMusclesMom recently posted..Vela- Velo- Voila! Its a Giveaway!
Where do you find it? I hate living in such a small town that I can never find exciting and more healthy things. We have so few health stores (actually the closest is about 45 minutes away).
Back home in Southern VA-we have plenty so I’m sure I could find it there easily.
Hollie @lolzthatswim(andrun) recently posted..Savory Waffles and Rest Days
There is a health food store by my apartment. They order me a case every two weeks!
So does Whole Foods or whatever health food store you buy them from give you a discount for buying them by case? I know our WF gives a 10-15% discount for bulk buys. I wish I could drink a kombucha every day! I love the feeling after having one — especially post-workout
Perhaps I should start making my own. Hmm… Great post Matt!
Katie @ Nourishing Flourishing recently posted..Simple Savory Date Tapenade
For me, I get a 25% off discount at the local health food store, so they are around $2.40 or something per bottle.
They LOVE me there. LOL.
Thanks for this info Matt! Im starting to gain interest in kombucha and probiotics in general. I really like that quote as well!
Maryann (The Balanced Bean) recently posted..A Tribute To Salads
This is so interesting. I’ve never even seen Kombucha sold near me. It’s expensive? Can you make it?
I’m confused with the whole Kombucha thing and fermented foods actually. I hear that we should stay away from fermented foods if you have an overgrowth of yeast in the gut or sugar “addiction”, etc. – bloating, poor energy levels, poor digestion.
So wouldn’t fermented foods such as Kombucha increase that? (I don’t stay away from fermented foods – I love tempeh and vinegars…but I’ve been trying to figure it out!).
Baking N Books recently posted..Banana Coconut Raisin Bread
I’ve actually made it before! Let me know if you want more details on that and I can hook you up.
Here’s a great article on fermented foods. It explains it a lot better than I can.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/fermented-foods-health/
This post has convinced me that I need to just go out and try kombucha. Do you have any specific flavor/brand recommendations? I’ve always hesitated buying it because there are so many options at my whole foods.
Tara recently posted..Social Life
I like GT’s Kombucha. The only brand I don’t like is High Country. Don’t buy it!
My favorite flavors are the synergy flavors, original, and gingerade. Don’t start with the multi-green. It takes some getting used to
I just started drinking Kombucha and I love it despite the price. It’s worth it for all the benefits.
My body has a hard time with cheese so maybe the more Kombucha I drink it will help me.
Great post. Very insightful.
Christy recently posted..Enlightened by Kombucha
No problem. If you try it, make sure you let me know how it is!
Yesssss… love Kombucha! I just finished the citrus flavor. Delicious!
Lauren @ Healthy Food For Living recently posted..Kitchen Sink Peanut Butter
I think you have sold me on this stuff. I have been curious about it for a while. I think I am finally going to give it a try.
Jo recently posted..alandanimal- thx for the RT! <3 @CelebrateGreen @bitchnnutrition
i LOVE kombucha! i don’t drink it very regularly (ahh, so $$!), so i haven’t really been able to observe any health effects of it. i just like the idea behind it, plus i think it’s delicious!
I really love kombucha, I think the cosmic cranberry is my favorite. This post was really interesting to me because I have off and on problems with dairy, maybe I should give daily kombucha a try!
Amanda @ The Artsy Kithcen recently posted..Friday
Do you drink a whole bottle at once or only half a bottle or so at a time? Also, after you’ve opened a bottle, do you know how long it will say good? I finally bought some, lol.
Chuck recently posted..Do You
I drink one bottle per day. Sometimes two if I am feeling crazy
I would drink it within a day (two at most) after opening.
Have you ever tried Buddha’s Brew? It’s local from Austin, TX and is the greatest I’ve ever had! I wish I could find it outside of Austin
I’ve actually had it once. I am from Dallas and they sell it at a place called Sprout’s. I am also like the brand Vibranz. I think that is the right spelling.
I’m a little nervous about trying Kombucha…..I think it’s the live yeast thing that creeps me out hehe. Do you have any recommendations on which flavors to try first?
Try the original. Very mild.
I love kombucha :] It totally weirded me out at first; but now I enjoy them as a “treat.” Too expensive (and I don’t work full time!) to have one every day. Random question; but do you drink a whole bottle at once? I know some say a serving is half a bottle and I’ve even seen ones that say a serving is only a quarter of a bottle. I sort of rationalize the cost better if I have a bottle over the course of two days, but also I’m a little worried that if I drank a whole bottle in one sitting it’d cause stomach pain or something? So I guess I’m wondering if your body had to get used to kombucha or if it’s not usually an issue for people. Am I making sense? lol.
Jess@HealthyExposures recently posted..Who Wants to Win Some Coconut Oil
I drink a whole bottle. My stomach handles it fine! In fact, I think it likes it
i dont know if it is a placebo effect or what, but i do feel better drinking it. i also definitely feel like my digestion is smoother, if that makes any sense…
I also love Kombucha, and first started driking Kombucha through store-bought GT Kombucha.
I was drinking one bottle per day, and then I discovered that I can make my own Kombucha.
The kombucha that you brew on your own is super-delicious, with even more healthy ingredients and probiotics than GT’s (which, from what I understand, goes through a slight pasteurization process).
And, making your own Kombucha is about as inexpensive as buying and heating your own tea, plus you can control how your Kombucha tastes when you brew your own.
So, now, I drink about 3 bottles per day, which costs much less than drinking a can of soda (I don’t drink soda.
. ).
I recommend that you brew your own.
i just got my first kombucha today… cosmic cranberry. do you just drink the phelgm-looking stuff floating in it? what about the cloudy stuff at the bottom? i’m a little creeped out by that stuff, but it doesn’t taste bad at all!
That is the best part
I love when you write post like these! I’ve tried the original and honestly wasn’t a fan..I’m def not going to give up and try the other flavors you like. Silly question, but is this pronounced as it’s smelled? I only try to eat “real food” and it’s amazing how much more energy you have and how much better you feel as a whole.
so i meant spelled opposed to smelled…
also have you tried making your own yet? post?
LOVE Kombucha! I drank Synergy for a long time before recently trying Buddha’s Brew. I think that brand is my new favorite! Honeydew and Blueberry, yum! I have also seen marked improvements in energy levels as well as appetite control. And for that, I am very thankful!
Cheers!
Melissa Villamizar recently posted..Almond Coconut Raisin Energy Bars (GF, DF, SF, V, V+)
where i live it costs 5.00 for a bottle…gosh, how can someone afford that? how often do you actually drink it? the whole bottle per day?
I knew it wasn’t just me, but it’s nice to see other testimonies
I know this mag seem really odd, but one thing that I’ve found as an effective partner in a diet with kombucha is an occasional bottle of Pedialyte (that electrolyte replacement / hydration stuff you give to babies when they have diarrhea). Decided to give that a try after realizing half the reason I’d become addicted to Smart Warer was because of Beowulf it’s electrolyte content seemed to give a good charge- pedialyte knocks smart water out of the park on that end… Babies usually always get all the good stuff ;p
I started brewing my own Kombucha a couple of months ago, from a mail-order “scoby”. I too, am no longer lactose-intolerant. I also had various other digestive problems on and off for about 10 years. Also, my feet have cleared up…used to get very dry and cracked on my heels. I later learned that it is actually a yeast or fungus that causes this. It is now cleared up and gone.
I drink about 8-10 oz. per day. I’m looking forward to seeing if my hair starts getting less gray! I’ve heard this can happen.
i always have a few jars on the go , its not expensive making it yourself so cheap, as the scoby has multiple babies all the time ,i have 6 on the go at the moment i love it
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