So its been about a month or so since Whole Foods took Kombucha off their shelves...Booo to that! People are so stupid sometimes...Seriously, the stuff goes through a fermentation process so of course there is some alcohol in it!
Anyway, so what is this Kombucha stuff and why are people drinking this stinky drink that tastes like vinegar? Kombucha is a fermented tea that originated from China and was thought to have medicinal healing purposes. Kombucha contains antioxidants, amino acids, probiotics, and other active enzymes that helps restore and revitalize the body's balance.
You can actually make the stuff at home by fermenting tea using yeast and bacteria, but the fermentation process can take a couple weeks and that stuff would totally stink up your apartment. Needless to say, I think my flatmates would probably kill me if I tried growing a Kombucha culture in our tiny little kitchen!
I drink the stuff every now and then, but since the summer humidity took on full force, I've kind of been on a raw food kick so started my hunt to find some Kombucha. I thought it would be difficult to find since the recall, but alas there are a couple Brooklyn neighborhood bodegas that are still carrying this Raw Fermented Tea! Saranac and Associated both still carry the drink, but the price you pay for is a bit steep.
If you haven't tried it before, I say give it a try--it's very different from any drink you've had before and doesn't smell all that appetizing, but it definitely gives you a little pick-me-up after consumption. My favorites are Guava and Strawberry.
It's hot out there so stay hydrated! Till next time--Drink up and Buckle up!
I was drinking it a couple weeks ago, and the person I was with thought there was something wrong with it. We dubbed it "trash juice" because they thought it smelled so bad. I don't really mind it, but it does contain a lot of bacteria if you read the side of the bottle...sort of like the bacteria in yogurt but times 100...I don't know, I think it's a controversial product and that's why WF took it off the shelves. Isn't there some evidence that it may cause kidney failure in some people? If you enjoy it though and it makes you feel good, I don't see a problem with it.
ReplyDeleteTrash juice? Haha, that's funny. My sister calls it the "ass drink." I guess it can be an acquired taste to some. It does have a rancid smell though.
ReplyDeleteI did hear about the kidney failure thing, but there isn't enough background research backing that up either. It's not like I drink it everyday. I was on a raw food cleanse and kind of decided to incorporate that into my diet.