#GetBooched — kombucha

Kombucha has been called everything from a fad to a health elixir to a cancer cure. There have been many scientific studies conducted to delve deeper into these claims and to figure out how each ingredient in the drink helps the body. And making an informed decision when choosing the right brand with the right ingredients can help create a healthy body, mind, and soul.    What is Kombucha? Kombucha -- a probiotic drink that restores the body’s natural microbiome and improves overall health -- is reported to have originated in northeast China about 220 B.C., spreading to Japan in 414 A.D. as...

Image © Andrew Wyton   Scientific studies have proven that eating a diverse and probiotic-rich diet leads to healthier gut bacteria. But what effect does exposing oneself to different environments have on the gut microbiome? We live in a clean world but should we not? Should we get dirtier to get healthier?   We come into this world with a certain microbiome makeup influenced by our genes and delivery method. Once here, our environment – diet, culture, geography, hygiene, antibiotic usage – changes our microbiota over a lifetime. And any imbalance (dysbiosis) between the gut microbiota and the body affects our mental...

Research has proven that Probiotics+Prebiotics help in creating a healthy gut, which in turn helps in making us stronger, healthier, and happier. But how exactly does good bacteria way down in the gut make systems all over the body better? How does it help in preventing or controlling diseases in other parts of the body? This series of articles aims to shed light on these questions and more, and we kick off the series with the first topic: mental health.   Neuro-gastroenterology research in the past decade has revealed that there is a strong two-way communication network between the GI...

Some people call it kombucha 2.0, some call it champagne of kombucha; some people love it as a healthier alternative to kombucha, some think it is sweeter. But what is this jun that people are talking about?    Jun, or Xun, or Joon, however you pronounce it, this health drink known for its detoxifying and energizing properties is chock-full of bacteria, yeasts, and organic acids. Though similar to kombucha in the way it is made, jun differs in ingredients, fermentation time, and taste. Jun is a fermented drink made with green tea and honey, while kombucha is made with black...