I’ve heard about kombucha everywhere lately. Trendy health devotees are always drinking it and pictures of it are flooding Vsco or being posted on Instagram by health bloggers. Many people see the glass bottle with bright colors and a strange fizz but they don’t know what it is. My first time seeing it was at my local Whole Foods, and I thought I’d try it not even knowing what it is. I didn’t know what it was until I gave it a try, and many people still don’t know what it is. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions about the drink.
1) What is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a probiotic tea that has been around since its origination in Ancient China 2,000 years ago. The drink, served cold, is a fermented mixture of tea–either black tea, green tea, or both. Mixed with the tea is sugar and a live bacteria, or probiotic, all amongst other unique flavorings. It has a smell that reminds most of vinegar, but you’ll look past that once you get used to it. It is a a low calorie drink, so it serves as a great alternative to soda and juice. However, it should be consumed moderately as it is a probiotic and too much is not good for you.
2) What Does Kombucha Do?
Kombucha has multiple health benefits that make it worth trying. The most obvious benefit is it gut health. Your gut, which is a large player in the digestive and immune system, naturally has bacteria to help with the digestive process. What most people don’t know is that the amount of bacteria in your stomach is not high enough and decreases over the years. When we provide our bodies with kombucha, we’re feeding it probiotics that serve as healthy bacteria, which tackle the bad things we consume and fight off everything that attacks our immune system. This is especially what college students need as we are hit with the common cold each year. The bacteria also absorb the nutrients we feed our body with. However, is it notable that the fermentation process does produce an alcohol content that makes it unsuitable for women expecting, or people who refrain from alcohol. If you can acquire the taste of kombucha, it’s definitely worth making a grocery store trip staple to maximize health.
3) What Brand of Kombucha Should I Try?
All kombucha only varies based on flavor and ingredients, so brands don’t matter. The most common bottles you’ve probably seen at Whole Foods and most grocery stores are GT’s Kombucha or Health Ade. I drink both of these, and don’t prefer one over the other because they are both delicious. Both brands make a variety of flavors and have different variations of their own kombucha. GT’s has four variations, two of which are only sold to people 21 and over, making it a possible alternative to normal alcoholic beverages. Below are my two favorite kombuchas from both of these brands, both available on campus at UMass.
Photo courtesy of the author
Photo courtesy of the author
4) Where Can I Buy Kombucha?
Most grocery stores and health stores carry kombucha. UMass students can head to the local Whole Foods in Hadley where they carry a wide selection of flavors and brands perfect for first timers to choose from. In Northampton, Cornucopia Foods carries kombucha, along with other great products. On campus, the Harvest Market in the campus center sells a few flavors, all for $5.99. The Procrastination Station in the DuBois Library also sells kombucha (at a bit of a higher price).
Komucha is something that not everyone will enjoy; it’s an acquired taste like most health products, but it goes a long way. It takes one step at a time to become the healthiest version of ourselves. Make your next step a bottle of kombucha!
Header courtesy of the author