what the hell is kombucha?

Since going vegan, I've heard the word Kombucha thrown around a bit. I had never heard it before, so while at my weekly whole foods visit, I decided to grab one. I picked out the GT's Enlighted Organic Raw Kombucha in Hibiscus.

Now, this drink is full of enzymes, probiotics, and detoxifiers. Also, has a high amount of B12, which you can't really find outside of eating animal protein other than nutritional yeast, so great for vegans! It's also great for diabetics, because it helps break down sugar in your system, and it only consists of 2 sugars. :)

So, what's the big deal with Kombucha and why should you at least try it (it's an aquired taste, sort of like apple cider vinegar mixed with a Izze drink & tea)? Well, Kombucha has been consumed for thousands of years. It's made by yeast and bacteria fermenting in green or black tea for around 10 days. It creates a layer of bacteria on the top of the drink, and there are even pieces of it left in the drink, if it's Raw Kombucha. This might gross some people out, but it doesn't bother me, I look at it like yogurt. Yogurt never grossed me out, so this drink shouldn't either. It's used as a medicine in China to treat ailments, and is just a good drink to add to your daily diet. It's expensive for tea, so I wouldn't drink it everyday, but it's good to have it once or twice a week to make sure your digesting properly. You can make it at home, but I wouldn't suggest that because it has to be precise temperature and time, otherwise you can actually make a toxic drink instead of an healthy one. Health benefits that kombucha is claimed to ail are: preventing cancer, improving digestion and liver function, and stimulating the immune system. (Although, there is no medical research supporting these claims), but that won't stop me from drinking it, and when do I ever listen to the FDA? Most likely never. Pin It Now!