Have you ever tried Kombucha? Have you heard of it?
It was just after I’d taken a course of antibiotics that I first heard about the microbiome in our digestive systems. Loads of people were recommending that I take some course of probiotics, as antibiotics have a terrible habit of sweeping through and bumping off all the gut bacteria and whatnot that keep us healthy.
Every person has a unique microbiome, and some scientists believe that the future of nutritional medicine lies in finding out the unique demands of your own tum. How we react to different foods could determine which ones we should and shouldn’t consume to keep us happy.
Kombucha for good gut health
Anyway, it’s these thoughts that have been behind the rise in popularity of fermented foods. Sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha, in particular, are getting a lot of press as sources of good bacteria.
We were sent some Equinox Kombucha to try. It’s a fermented drink, often with added flavours. The fermentation gives it a light sparkle that’s quite refreshing, but also a bit of a sharp tang.
Shirley tried it for us:
I’d never heard of this so didn’t know what to expect. I guess I expected something like an iced tea. But the “original” variety I tried was more like cider vinegar, though sweeter and milder, and more drinkable. It’s a refreshing drink and I’d be curious to try the other flavours – the ginger one sounds tasty.
Where to find Kombucha
There aren’t a lot of brands selling Kombucha in this country, but I remember being amazed by how popular it was in the States. The supermarkets there had more flavours than they did of standard soft drinks.
Admittedly, folks aren’t 100% sure whether there are enough probiotic bacteria in Kombucha yet for it to make an appreciable difference to your gut health, but it’s certainly going to do a lot more for you than any soft drink. Plus it comes in glass bottles, which we appreciate in this day and age!