Here's some of my thoughts on other beverages and beverage categories.
Reminder... Disclaimer... I'm not a doctor or medical professional. This is not to be construed as medical advice. I am just sharing about my personal experiences. For any health related concerns or questions, please speak with your doctor or other health professionals for advice.
Seattle Kombucha is the easiest and most enjoyable way to add fermented foods to your diet. Most beverages being sold as healthy, alternative beverages or beverages for digestion these days are not fermented. More on that below...
Flavored Waters
Personally I drink hardly any 'flavored' sparkling waters. Why? Because I find the extracts and other "flavorings" they use taste awful, or the taste is boring and dull that I might as well drink great tasting unflavored seltzer water or maybe add my own flavorings so that I know exactly what is in my drink.
I used to drink a lot of sparking Pellegrino. And I would drink Liquid Death in the big cans. But before I would finish the bottle or can it would get flat.
I recently discovered the Signature Select Original Seltzer Water in the blue and white 12oz cans at Safeway in 12 or 24 packs. The 12oz cans are usually just the right amount and they taste great with no added sodium, calories, sweeteners or quanine.
Another thing about flavored waters is that all of the artificial sweeteners like saccharin, aspertame, sucrolose; and alternative natural sweeteners used including allulose, monkfruit, stevia, sugar alcohols and erythritol usually taste awful. And with the unknown or negative long term health effects of the artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols, I am staying away from them as much as possible.
I suppose you could find a healthier sweetener alternative like some stevia and get used to the taste, but I just don't enjoy it.
AND, recent scientific research suggests that if your brain thinks you are consuming sugar, then your body is going to respond as if it is ingesting sugar. So what's the point?
Your pancreas will release insulin anyway. Real sugar tastes better and if you can manage and moderate your intake to safe levels for you, most people will do just fine with a little real sugar.
There is also research that shows consuming large amounts of these alternative sweeteners may be harmful to your health. The one that comes to mind that I've seen the research first is erythritol.
Until more research is complete, I will continue to personally avoid all artificial sweeteners like Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal), Saccharin (Sweet'N Low) and Sucralose (Splenda).
I will limit my intake of alternative sweeteners like stevia, allulose, and monkfruit.
I would rather drink still or plain sparkling water throughout the day and save my real sugar and calories for a Seattle Kombucha once a day, or a piece of chocolate/candy.
If you are going to consume flavored sparkling waters, please be careful to read the labels and make sure that you are not consuming too much of the artificial or alternative sweeteners.
If you find an excellent flavored sparkling water that you think would have me change my mind about flavored waters, please let me know.
My favorites right now are Liquid Death sparkling mango, and some of the Aha flavored waters. I try some now and then if they are on sale, but I am disappointed by almost all of them.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Drop me an email at wayne@seattlekombucha.com
"Prebiotic" Soda
There is a relatively new category of "functional" beverages called prebiotic soda.
These are often sold in the grocery stores on the same shelves as kombucha, or near kombucha.
But they are not kombucha. Not even close.
They have become popular because they promise health and digestive benefits due to their prebiotic ingredients and they cost less than kombucha.
Don't be fooled. These sodas are not made by fermenting tea. So they won't have the same benefits as kombucha. Check the label.
These prebiotic sodas are usually just sparkling water with some flavoring added, plus some real or fake sugars added to make them taste sweet like soda.
They usually either contain prebiotics in the form of insoluble (undigestible) plant fibers (inulin, jerusalem artichoke, etc) or they contain some Apple Cider Vinegar.
Although apple cider is fermented it does not have the same qualities as fermented tea. And I haven't seen a company yet that discloses the amount of Apple Cider Vinegar in the beverage. Is it one teaspoon? Three? Who knows.
You can get your daily intake of insoluble plant fibers by eating plants, ie vegetables and grains. And there are many ways to add fiber to your diet.
So basically they are flavored sparkling waters posing as kombucha or near-kombucha with some plant fiber and/or apple cider vinegar of unknown amount.
Please check those labels.
For roughly $1 more per can you can full bodied, full flavored, fermented tea kombucha from Seattle Kombucha with all the benefits of fermented tea, aka kombucha.
Personally I choose to drink inexpensive still water, sparkling water, and home made tea most of the time. I have a small cup of coffee before breakfast, and I try to eat as many vegetables as I can to get my fiber including broccoli and brussel sprouts. I drink 1-2 cans of Seattle Kombucha daily to get my healthy, organic acids for digestive support. And I eat 5-6 prunes in the evening.
To me, these prebiotic sodas are a waste of money. If I want the experience of soda, I'll have a small sip of real soda, or flavor my non-flavored sparkling water with fruit juice.
Energy Drinks
I can't find a good reason to drink any of the popular energy drinks. I find most of them taste awful, and I don't like the quality of ingredients used, or the side effects of most of their ingredients.
If I need caffeine, I usually go straight for coffee or tea.
I've thought about manufacturing a "healthier" version of an energy drink, but the market is so saturated, I don't know if that makes sense.
If you are interested in purchasing a healthier version of an energy drink, please email me to share your thoughts. wayne@seattlekombucha.com
How much caffeine?
What flavors?
Zero sugar important?
What other functional ingredients are you most interested in?
Currently if I want caffeine, I'll have a hot or iced green tea, a shot of espresso, or a hot or cold brewed coffee.
I'll usually have a little coffee, and follow it up with some green tea. Mostly because they affect me differently.
Coffee "shocks" me and leaves me jittery. Green tea is a smoother buzz.
Everyone seems to react different to different sources of caffeine and amounts.
Green tea is also my go to becuase it is full of polyphenols and antioxidants and is easy to sip on throughout the day in my insulated thermos.
I will often add some honey to my green tea to change things up from time to time.
I do have interest in making new, more healthy-for-you energy drinks, canned coffee and tea beverages if there is sufficient demand.
What do you look for in an energy drink? What are you drinking to get an energy boost these days? Do you supplement with ginseng or any natural or chemical stimulants? Functional mushrooms? Maca?
Drop me an email: wayne@seattlekombucha.com
Coffee
For years I didn't drink much coffee.
Lately I'm back to drinking it, almost daily, but I try to stick to only one cup per day.
Coffee helps me "go" in the morning. And it helps me get going.
But I don't want to overdo it on the caffeine. Having too much coffee makes me jittery and unable to focus.
Coffee also has laxative (makes you go #2) and diuretic effects (makes you go #1) and I don't want to be in the bathroom all day.
It's important to realize that coffee (caffeine) is a serious, non-regulated drug.
It is very toxic to your body if you consume too much caffeine for your age and body type.
Some coffee beverages now contain 300mg of caffeine. According to most research and recommendations I have seen, caffeine is toxic to the adult human body over 1000mg per day. And harmful well below that number.
Just because approximately 75% of Americans drink coffee, and approximately 67% of Americans drink at least one cup a day, that doesn't mean that everyone is being smart about their coffee consumption.
Recent research about the antioxidant levels in coffee is helping people feel good about their coffee habit. It smells great. It tastes delicious. And it is highly addictive.
I recommend that you read those nutrition labels and become aware of your daily sugar and caffeine intake, as well as the amount of real sugar, artificial and alternative sweeteners you are consuming daily in your coffee.
What coffee are you drinking these days? Store bought? Cold brew? French press?
Send me an email to wayne@seattlekombucha.com
Juicing
Although juicing seems like a thing from the past, there are some benefits to juicing fruits and vegetables.
I go through cycles when I feel like I need more vitamins and I'll start juicing fruits and vegetables again. It usually happens in the winter.
I usually juice a mix of organic leafy Power Greens (baby spinach, kale, chard), organic celery, organic ginger root, organic apples, organic carrots and organic cilantro.
Sometimes I'll throw in some grapes for extra sweetness.
There are MANY great recipes you can try.
I chose to invest in a macerating juicer to extract more liquid, vitamins and flavor from each pound of organic produce. You can spend thousands on these, but they usually sell for a few hundred dollars. You can even find a macerating juicer second hand like I did for about $100.
Just remember, if you are going to make juice, or buy juice, go easy on the sugars.
It's easy to forget that the things that balance out the stronger, vegetable flavors are usually the sweetest ingredients - apples, carrots, ginger, grapes, etc.
There has to be a balance for me. Too green and I probably won't drink it. Too sweet and I'll be overdoing it on the sugars and calories and feel guilty.
Kombucha
Kombucha is fermented tea. I love tea. I love fermentation. Therefore I love kombucha?
Well, I love the idea of kombucha, and I love to drink great tasting kombucha. I also love to drink tea. I love the process of brewing tea and I love fermenting kombucha.
However, I HATE! buying and drinking bad tasting, funky, or boring kombucha. Especially when it costs $4-6 per bottle/can.
Nothing more disappointing to me than wasting my money on something expensive that doesn't taste good, no matter what it is, or what the health benefits might be.
The only exception is when I am traveling and I NEED to have something fermented to help my belly. Then I will suffer through the most boring or awful tasting beverage to make my belly feel better.
But at Seattle Kombucha you don't have to suffer anymore! Since I love making great tasting fermented kombucha, and you love drinking great tasting kombucha, and you can have it shipped anywhere (even to where you are travelling), and it doesn't need to be refrigerated, it seems we are a good match. :-)
