Do you Kombucha? I do!

Kombucha is from the goddess for sure.  It is an elixir that has changed my mood as well as floral balance.

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage that is both delicious AND health-supportive. Today, it is known around the world for its detoxifying and energizing effects. Kombucha contains:

• Probiotics
• Polyphenols
• B-Vitamins
• Vitamin C
• Organic Enzymes
• Vital Amino Acids
• Organic Acids

  
  I believe my mood is lifted by the B vitamins and the feeling of balance comes from the Probiotics.  It is an amazing drink that has a different flavor depending on the batch. GT Daves Kombucha comes in several different flavors and the Trilogy, Strawberry, and Gingerade are my favorites so far.

  Kombucha is a living culture of beneficial  microorganisms.  The mass of microorganisms is sometimes called a Mother or Mushroom but I prefer to call it a SCOBY.  The acronym stands for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast.  

As many of you know I am gluten, casein, and soy free.  I used to have many options for probiotics such as Kefir and fermented soy products. I was at a loss for a while until I found Kombucha and has been what I believe is helping me recover from an imbalance in flora.  I was recently on antibiotics to help combat  nasty bacteria and as many of you know I am not one to take anything without research and much thought.  This particular incidence however was worth the risk of the antibiotics however it has its side effects and I feel that Kombucha has helped me to introduce beneficial flora as well as help my mood especially this time of year.


  I found G.T. Daves Kombucha at Campbells nutrition center here in Des Moines and my favorite place to purchase it has been the Windsor Heights Hy Vee! One of the fantastic things about Hy Vee stores is that they will order items for you if they don't already carry them.   Just ask your health market manager or dietitian to hook you up!  They run about $4.00 a bottle and I have been drinking 1-2 bottles a day.  It seems expensive however the results have been worth it.  I plan to make my own and supplement with G.T. Daves every other day. 


Check out the story behind how GT Daves Kombucha came to be!  I love finding companies that the owners feel so passionately about.  There is no skimping on quality and it shows in flavor an health benefits.  


I plan to try Kombucha with chia seeds for a Chia Fresca on longer runs.  I think that the B-vitamins and Chia combination will work very well and just enough of an alcohol content to aid in relaxation while running.


Do you Kombucha??


Edited to add this link about Kvass and Kombucha!  Thanks Frances!

 From the link  "Another delicious, refreshing and salutary beverage consumed in Russia is chainyi grib, known in the US as kombucha, made from tea, sugar and a culture or "mushroom." Actually, fermented tea is consumed throughout Japan, Poland, Bulgaria, Germany, Manchuria and Indonesia as well as Russia. Other names for the drink are teeschwamm, wunderpilz, hongo, cajnij, fungus japonicus and teewass.

The tea fungus or culture is a symbiotic combination of vinegar-producing bacteria (Acetobacter sp.) with at least two yeasts. The fungus can only form when the Acetobacter and yeasts are present together. When Acetobacter is used alone, gas is produced and the film or culture does not form. The culture transforms sweetened black tea into a slightly fizzy, sour drink, redolent of cider, via a combination of acetic, lactic-acid and glucoronic fermentation. In the process, virtually all the sugar and caffeine are transformed into other compounds."