In recent years, the probiotic drink, kombucha, has been gaining popularity, however whenever I carry it around, people are always skeptical or confused, and have a lot of questions, some of which I can hopefully answer. I, too, was very skeptical when one of my friends started brewing it, and I took about 6 months to hop on the kombucha train. Supposedly, the 'buch provides the body with bacteria that are beneficial in multiple ways. While you can buy it in the store, lots of people brew it themselves at home. This is the cheaper route in the long run, although it can take a few test runs.

Kombucha begins as regular tea and added natural flavors (lavender, fruit, spirulina, etc.), and is put through a fermentation process with a SCOBY. SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. One of my friends refers to it as a fungus pancake which is kind of what it looks like. This culture produces natural alcohol and the process causes kombucha to develop a naturally carbonated flavor.

Depending on your taste preferences, you can add different flavors to alter the taste, but either way, it can be a pretty acidic and bitter drink, so it's an acquired taste. Store bought kombucha is easier to navigate, and some have sugar or stevia added into them to contradict the bitterness. I usually go with store bought simply because making your own can cause some unfortunate incidents if you do it the wrong way, and knowing me, I would do it the wrong way. Practice makes perfect though!

I will say, some people say the drinking the 'buch lowers cancer risks and other things of that nature. While I don't really buy that, it does aid digestion for sure, so if you need to feel cleansed and you think you've tried everything, you could be blessed by the 'buch. It also provides antioxidants and if you crave soda, kombucha could help you kick the habit. If you don't like the taste, you can always add some la croix or seltzer water to your 'buch to add some flavor and lessen the acidity.

Fair warning, be careful if you are going to take it somewhere like school or a family gathering, because while the natural alcohols are not nearly enough to have an effect, kombucha does sometimes smell like a mixed drink. I made this mistake when I took homemade 'buch to school in a mason jar. My science teacher smelled it and looked at me with a very abhorred face. It took an explanation and a lot of convincing to explain that I was not trying to get turnt, and that I just wanted to improve my digestion. You live and you learn.