You may have seen me sharing on stories [@everydayraleightay] recently about adding Kombucha into my routine, so today I’m spilling the tea!
When Health-Ade reached out to me about trying out their Organic Kombucha, I wanted to make sure (just like with anything that I share with and/or recommend to you) I had time to give it an honest try. I’d heard of the several health benefits that kombucha boasts so I took it upon myself to try it out for a month.
I jetted off to my local Whole Foods to stock up. Because I wasn’t 100% sure how my body would react going from no kombucha to a lot, I didn’t commit to drinking it every single day, but rather incorporating it in my diet and routine for a month or so and seeing how I felt after.
So What Is Kombucha Anyway?
To sum it up, kombucha is essentially fermented black or green tea. It contains probiotics/enzymes, organic acids, antioxidants and vitamins all bottled up into one good-for-you fizzy drink. It’s said to help digestion, bloating, and immune health, while also providing a little boost of energy.
The Taste
I’ve tried kombucha before but it wasn’t something I drank frequently. To be honest, the taste was something I had to get used to at first. As you know, I’m a huge fan of sparkling water so the fizzy/carbonated aspect of kombucha I enjoyed, but because the fermentation process is similar to that of beer, it can have a slight after-taste that leaves you feeling like you should be popping one open on an outside summer Sunday. It was tough to want to drink it in the morning. For someone who actually likes beer, it may not be an issue or even a notice but definitely something I had to adjust to. I found that both the Ginger-Lemon and Pink Lady Apple flavors masked it well though.
Frequency & Time of Day
While I actually preferred to drink kombucha in the afternoon, I noticed the biggest impact on my body when I drank it first thing in the morning before consuming anything else.
Health-Ade Kombucha is sold in 16oz bottles, and the recommended serving size is 8oz. I could never finish a full bottle in one sitting anyways because the carbonation filled me up. Most times I drank a third of a bottle and popped it right back in the fridge for later. Some days I drank it twice a day, others only once but I tried not to go a full day without drinking it.
Boost of Energy
While I’m sure you know I’m a big coffee lover, I do try to limit myself from time to time to not become too dependent on it. Kombucha helped me do that. Instead of reaching for an afternoon coffee pick me up, I oftentimes would have a cup of kombucha which gave me a little boost of energy. It does contain some caffeine so if you have any sensitivities I wouldn’t recommend drinking it later in the day to not disrupt your sleep schedule.
Did It Really Help Your Gut?
Once of the biggest health benefits kombucha boasts is aiding your gut health. I have a pretty well-balanced diet normally so I don’t experience many gut issues but I definitely noticed an improvement in my overall gut health when adding kombucha into my diet. I experienced little to no bloating and felt like it really helped to clean out my system.
So What’s the Verdict?
After trying out kombucha consistency for a month, I would definitely recommend it! Whether you’re looking for a little system detox, to get some additional probiotics in or even if you need a fizzy healthier alternative to kick your Diet Coke addition, kombucha can be your new BFF! Health-Ade has tons of tasty flavors to choose from.
Keep in mind, I’m no Dietitian so know that my experience was of course unique to my own body and preferences but if you have any questions about kombucha I’d love to chat with you! I got to know it pretty well over the course of my little test. Leave your comments/questions here or shoot me a DM over on Insta! @everydayraleightay
That’s all for now!
