Synergy Kombucha Fruit Drink
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, "Synergy" is a mixture of 95% kombucha and 5% fruit juice. I get mine at Whole Foods, where they now devote 4 shelves to the stuff. Kombucha is a fermented tea said to have all kinds of healthy properties because of the fermentation...loads of good bacteria, enzymes, amino acids, antioxidants, it's a natural antibacterial and antifungal, said to help detox your liver and even rumored to cure cancer. But I drink it because it's just so darn tasty!
Now maybe I'm rationalizing because it's marketed as a "health drink", but it's fairly guiltfree...low cal (70), low sugar (8g) and it has a nice fizz to it like soda (which I gave up ages ago). For a sweet indulgence, that's not bad!
Am I alone here?
Hmm...
I developed a lung condition similar to asthma last year from forest fire smoke that rolled through here last summer, and have been paying very close attention to my diet, eliminating everything that could be taxing my system so it could focus its energy on healing.
Have you looked into bromelain?
It never occurred to me that my beloved kombucha could be one of the things I should eliminate (one of the results I found said kombucha has been linked to pulmonary edema, or fluid buildup in the lungs, definitely not a good thing for someone like me with a lung condition and a long history of allergies, and taxing your liver isn't good for anybody who's healing).
Kombucha really shouldn't be taxing your liver. If your liver is strong (not diseased), the liver should be performing its function to help the damaged parts of your body heal. Kombucha provides extra liver products and pre-products that a normal healthy liver can use to amplify detoxification pathways.
While I've never noticed any negative effects, I'm definitely hooked on the stuff. Ironic as it seems, that's often a sign that you have a sensitivity, or even an allergy, to a particular food.
True, and having a lot of allergies in general is indicative of having a weakened liver. I'd continue the kombucha if you're feeling good with it, but backing off it as a test is probably the best idea.
geez, first I had to give up coffee, now kombucha? {sigh}
While I would certainly argue much more for the healthfulness of the latter, coffee and kombucha are tools, not unconditional health tonics. A touch of caffeine can be a good thing; a ton of caffeine, as we all know, suppresses good health.
There are very few people out there who recommend drinking more than 4 ounces of kombucha per day. Drinking the full 8oz commercial bottle (labeled as 2 servings, by the way) every day may be the trouble some people are running into.
If I wasn't having other health problems I wouldn't hesitate to keep drinking it. But unfortunately that's not the case for me right now.
My intuition has been telling me that I've been drinking too much Synergy. I like it a little too much, I really do crave it (had two bottles yesterday). So I think you're right, I'm going to wean myself down to 1/2 bottle/day for a couple of weeks and then get off it completely for a 6 weeks or so then re-introduce it and see how I feel.
Also, vick, just because something has been used for thousands of years does not mean that it is wonderful. There are millions of ancient Chinese folk remedies out there that are no longer used, because people realized that they really just weren't all that Confuscius said they were. Or whomever. Things are passed down sometimes just out of habit, or tradition, or because some Wise One said that they were the Nectar of the Gods. If all of them really helped, why hasn't some big company jumped on them and patented a formula and struck it rich? Why haven't they been shown to work in countless medical tests and risen from obscurity onto the shelves of Rite Aid? Because... they don't work. And they fail the tests. And they are, in a word, overhyped. Never underestimate the power of HYPE. (Just look at Britney Spears...I did say Paris Hilton, but I like her.)
And I am sorry to have to rat you out like this, venix, but lets tell everyone what you told me: you have a manuscript that you've written about Kombucha and are currently shopping around. Thus your very ardent interest in keeping up the public opinion on it. That said, I believe that you mean well. I just don't think you are coming to this from an unbiased position.
I will agree that if one is in perfect health, and has no health concerns whatsoever, then one can probably take a few liberties; i.e., the occasional cup of coffee or half-bottle of Kombucha.
What I am saying is this: people must look for the TRUTH, and not be swayed by their financial interests or their own delusions. I don't want these things about Kombucha to be true any more than anyone else; I love it, too, and it was pretty much the sole "indulgence" that I have allowed in my very strict diet for a very long time, so giving it up has been difficult. That is such a good point that you make, tracyvision, about the degree of one's preoccupation with a food being a possible sign that one has a sensitivity to it. I think that tracyvision has the perfect mindset on all of this: UNBIASED, and intelligent. Looking at all of the facts and then making her decisions. This is what I am doing as well, and what I seek to do in all matters.
And in all things we have to consider the risks and potential rewards. what's my downside to giving up kombucha for 6 weeks? well, if it's good for me then I'm without that added benefit for 6 weeks (I do lots and lots of things to improve my health and try to aid my body's own natural healing process with my lung condition). If I notice I feel better without it, well super. I think it's more likely I won't notice any difference at all and instead of HAVING to have one every day I'll limit myself the occasional indulgence (man I love a grape or strawberry synergy with popcorn..yumm...and yes I've snuck it into a movie theatre). Like you, violetrinity, Synergy is one of the very few indulgences I allow mysef on a regular basis. I'm no Puritan (far from it), but I think it's good to go "on the wagon" once in a while with anything that you feel you simply must have. If nothing else it makes you appreciate it!
Toxic Side Effects Associated with Use of Kombucha Tea
Various "health beverages," some of which are additives to tea, are reported to cure cancer, decrease blood pressure, relieve arthritis pain and alleviate constipation. Kombucha tea, also known as Manchurian or Kargasok tea, is made by steeping the Kombucha "mushroom" in tea and sugar. Srinivasan and colleagues review the histories of four patients who consumed this tea.
The four patients illustrated in the report received the original culture "mushrooms" from friends. Kombucha samples that have been tested were found to contain large numbers of bacteria, although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found no hygiene violations among commercial producers of the tea.
Two of the four patients consumed the tea for symptom relief of specific problems; the other two cited no particular reason. The first patient, who reported drinking two cups of tea daily for two months, had jaundice of six weeks' duration on presentation. After the jaundice developed, she stopped drinking the tea and decreased her alcohol intake. Within seven weeks, all laboratory values returned to normal limits. The second patient reported nausea, vomiting, headache and xerostomia after drinking one-half glass of tea per day for several months. These symptoms disappeared after she stopped drinking the tea but recurred when she began drinking the tea again. The other two patients experienced a variety of signs and symptoms, including shortness of breath, tachycardia, tachypnea, hypotension and throat tightness. These patients were treated for a presumed allergic reaction.
The authors conclude that drinking 4 oz of Kombucha tea may not cause problems in many persons. However, when consumed in larger amounts or by persons with preexisting health problems, the tea could cause a number of health problems. Therefore, physicians should ask patients about the use of alternative therapies, especially when they present with nonspecific complaints.
GRACE BROOKE HUFFMAN, M.D.
*Note that they are NOT saying that these problems are a result of bacterial contamination, but rather a direct effect of the kombucha tea itself.
I love the taste, especially cranberry. This drink has done wonders for me. I have no proof but I was diagnosed with end stage liver disease and after 8 months of following all Dr's recommendations and drinking at least one bottle of synergy per day my labs are almost normal. I was hoping to just retard the progression of my disease not actually repair. My health was given a prognosis of a worsening of my condition and the hope was that we could slow it down. I instead though am progressing to the better and actually improving instead of just slowing the function of my liver.
mdsellers, that's AWESOME! My favorite physician, an osteopath (a DO as opposed to an MD), taught me that the body has the innate ability to heal itself, if you give it the chance. Congratulations!
i agree! it makes me feel drunk so how can that be healthy? them saying thats a detox reaction thus you really ned this drink is a bunch of markting hype to make you buy more.
they know that a product touted as healthy that makes you feel drunk is sure to be a best seller.
and addicting products are also obviously going to make seller rich.
the person in here who said they trust whatever products whole foods sells is mislead as well. whole foods is so inot the money not the health. look at all the junk food they push at their registers. its not healthy! sugar, white flour.
HELP!!
I started drinking Kombucha Synergy from Whole Foods about 2 weeks ago. I went on a raw diet and thought it would really compliment the food I chose. I really like this drink and was initially quite excited about integrating it in my diet, especially because I planned to cut out coca-cola, one of my biggest vices.
So, I'm in alcohol and drug addiction recovery. I've been totally clean and sober for over 2 years, and I'm in a weekly continuing care group at a rehab clinic. I'm also facing drug related felony charges going back to when I was in active addiction. I have to be drug tested weekly at my rehab clinic and the results are ultimately given to a federal judge. When I went to my rehab group tonight my counselor pulled me aside and asked me if I had anything I wanted to share, i.e. if I had slipped off the wagon....
The first week or so I was drinking Kombucha I did not closely read the lable... I kind of just saw what I wanted to see like "Supports digestion, appetite control and weight loss" and I grabbed about a dozen of them. A few days ago I was board and reading the "fine print" on the bottle when I came across the "MAY CONTAIN A TRACE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL (LESS THAN 0.5%)."
To be honest I didn't really think twice about it because this beverege does NOT give me a "buzz" and I assumed that there wouldn't be enough alcohol to effect a urine drug test, a brethalyzer, or anything. Afterall, this is a beverage that is located with the juice, tea and water, NOT the wine and beer. You do not have to be 21 to buy it. There is no indication whatsoever that this beverage contains alcohol aside from the 2 point font warning under the ingredients. That bottle also has enough text on it to compose a short novel, so pardon me if I didn't exactly read every single word before taking the first sip.
Kombucha made my urine test positive for alcohol content and right now I am having a major anxiety attack because--worst case scenario--the court could interpret this as a relapse and could contribute to me being sentenced to jail despite the fact that I have been totally sober for 2 years and 2 months. My rehab clinic is going to consult with a chemist from the drug testing lab to determine the exact amount of alcohol found in my urine, and if it is under or around 0.5% I suppose I will get a pass on this. My major concern is that maybe I got a bottle that had a little too much fermentation and it comes out as 1% or 2%...I'm sure it won't help matters any that I literally chugged the bottle of Kombucha about an hour before I had to piss in a cup.
Courts typically do not trust people in my situation and they have heard every excuse in the book when it comes to dirty drug tests. Does anyone have any advice? Anyone been in a similar situation? Any idea where, if need be, I can get something official and documented regarding the alcohol content of Kombucha? Thank god I have a good attorney but this is just not what I need at all right now.
CASSANDRA
The answer to ALL of the above questions and concerns is simply this:
There is no "one size fits all" approach to Kombucha or any other food. (Or anything else, for that matter, unless you are buying garden gloves or ponchos.) It's one of the most overlooked and hidden fallacies that plagues our minds - this notion that everyone is going to respond to or receive the same benefit from kombucha as the person who raves about it or complains it doesn't work. Everyone will respond differently to it, if at all. There are no guarantees.
Take a good look at this tendency in yourself, not just in consuming kombucha but in many areas of life. It comes in the shape of "if it works for her, it must work for me!" Or "I didn't notice anything different, so it must not be working."
Well, these notions may be true... for you. For others, it may or may not give you that "buzz" or improve your health. It all depends on many hidden factors. There is no one-size-fits-all here. It's dangerous thinking, if you think about it. :-)
This is who marketers sell - on the promises of others. Testimonials and the like.
So keep a level head. Go in without expectation. Just be curious, but let go of the OSFA mentality.
I'm on ritalin and lamictal and just tried the drink 3 days ago. I didn't know anything about it and just grabbed it off the shelf. When I smelled it I figured I better research its contents. I assumed you should drink in small amount thus have only been drinking a little bit a day. Now I'm concerned about it going bad after reading the blogs. I have to say I loved the stuff and thought that I was just imagining the'buzz' think. I'm glad to see others have experienced this. I eat kim chee and it sounds like the fermentation process is like this. The kim chee stays in my refrigerator for months at a time with no problems. Obviously Im the kind of person who doesn't worry about these kind of things and I'm happy to say that it is very rare for me to become sick... Regarding any reactions to drugs, I haven't noticed this. I'm going to buy more today. Feels like its the most positive thing out there when I drink it. I'll probably stay with low doses due to the acetity... Do you all drink the whole bottle at one time??
By the way, we put honey in it. Vinegar and honey was a drink I used to drink every morning. If you can't stand the taste, you may want to put a little honey in it.
you're on some serious meds, charcarlat, and it sounds like you're doing the right thing, taking it a little at a time to see how it reacts with your body and the medication you have to take.
As for it going "bad" I wouldn't worry about that. If it was taking you 6 months to get through a bottle, maybe, but unless you notice the "mother" growing or a funky smell (funkier than usual, that is!) I wouldn't be concerned. But that's me.
I drink the whole bottle at one time. I've had 2 or 3 in the same day. But I do think testing the water before jumping in the pool is smart for you. Drugs are nothing to mess with, and reactions to - and side effects of - medications are a very common cause of health problems, so tread lightly. That said, kombucha could be very healthy for you, only you can decide if it makes you feel better.
I also don't feel the need to sweeten it, that's one of the things I like so much about it, I find it sweet on its own and I'm always trying to cut down on my sugar consumption. Honey is moderately alkaline forming so it shouldn't change the alkalizing nature of kombucha, (just one of the healthful reasons I drink it). You mentioned the acidity of kombucha, and that's true, but it doesn't make your body acidic (which is bad) it does the opposite (which is good). Lemon juice is very acidic itself, but it's alkaline forming in the body. Same with Kombucha. Many people also have low stomach acid (unfortunately many of those people are on otc things like prilosec for acid reflux, which is only making their underlying problem worse...but I digress), kombucha aids stomach digestion because of its acidity. And proper digestion of our food is the first step in gathering all the nutrients from our food. So again, the acidity is a good thing.
Good luck with your kombucha experimentation!
Thank you and I too like the taste. My roomate is the one that had to add the honey. Question- sounds like you have a medical background. A slight red flag raised in my mind when you said 'serious meds'... Could you expound your opinion on this a little? If you're not comfortable with this I could somehow send you my personal email. I don't mean to get off the subject of the forum but I'm interested.
Hi char. I'm not a doctor, I just self-medicate a lot! 
No need to disclose your email, I'll send you a message to your account here.
Seems clear to me that violetrinity has some other relationship to this. What could possibly prompt such an emotionally charged post? What industry do you work in or benefit from promoting?
My guess, something related to pharmaceuticals.
Kombucha does contain a glucaric acid property which should normally help the liver in it's function.
If someone's liver is having a problem that is not assisted by increased detoxification it may not benefit their particular liver related condition. That's going to be a very low percentage of the population; but there will be a few people in that percentage.
Anyone who takes a prescription medication should thoroughly investigate what exact effects it has on their body. If the liver is or could be effected or adversly effected, they should be careful with Kombucha. Talking with their health care support and practicioners would be wise.
For most people the health benefits of regular drinking of Kombucha are very obvious and rewarding. It has been a popular health beverage for thousands of years, used by millions of people. Many of the cultures that widely use this tea have long life expectancies and low rates of liver related ailments. (Mainly Asian and E. Indian)
If there was a great threat to many peoples' liver, it would be known by now.
Many stages of detoxification include symptoms that if isolated, would mimic symptoms related to illness.
Just as many people with high levels of unhealthy yeasts in their intestines experience severe gastric intestinal upset if they eat yogurt. It is the die off of the unhealthy yeast colonies and their wastes that cause the upset, not the healthy bacterias in the yogurt.
The FDA does not regulate "folk remedies" This tea is not considered a food nor a drug.
Kombucha is not regulated by the FDA. Our only confidence in it can be millions of peoples' experience over thousands of years. Not our current trustworthy and accurate FDA evaluation standards.
Will I lose weight if I eat the same food over and over?
You can lose weight despite eating the same food day-after-day as long as you eat fewer calories than you burn. In fact, eating the... Read more