Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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It starts when I wake up. I start thinking about the moment when I will be gulping down a bottle of kombucha. Or maybe I happen to be passing by Whole Foods, and I'll think, "I deserve it for doing X. I'll stop tomorrow" Not just any Kombucha will do. I need the Ginger GT's Kombucha. I manage (usually) to confine my addiction to week-days. During the week, I will have one, sometimes two a day. I don't think I have an addictive personality (but don't all addicts say that?). None of my other little vices seems to have this effect on me. What do you think?

flag	asked Apr 8 2011 at 19:22 Thomas Seay

I'd consider it was an additive, not the actual kombucha itself. Ever tried making your own? – Oranges13 Apr 8 2011 at 19:28

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Since when did everyone start drinking this stuff? – Matt Apr 8 2011 at 20:53

What is this stuff? – Allie Apr 9 2011 at 2:50

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The ginger GT is like crack, man. I had to start making my own to get off the stuff. – Jennie Apr 9 2011 at 15:30

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Jennie, you are right. It is like Crack. Luckily they no longer have the Grape GT Kombucha. That stuff was the bomb and would seriously make me deviate from Paleo! – Thomas Seay Apr 9 2011 at 17:02

show 2 more comments

Gazelle · Answer 1 · 2011-04-08 19:49:51Z UTC

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I used to be addicted to GT's. I suspect it was the sugar and the little alcohol buzz it gives. Now I brew my own. Much cheaper, and I make it more sour so I only really want one glass a day at the most. I have a zillion SCOBYs to give away if anyone in NYC is interested.

answered Apr 8 2011 at 19:49

Gazelle
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Gazelle-pretty name by the way-what is the best way to start making your own kombucha? – Thomas Seay Apr 8 2011 at 20:06

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Have her send you one with a little tea. Boil water and tea and sugar. See a recipe for the right amount. To start you could go with 3 cups of water, 3 tea bags (no oils in them), 1/4 cup of sugar. Let it come to room temp. Add it to your scoby and liquid. Cover the glass container with a paper towel or cheesecloth and rubber band. Put it somewhere dark. On about the 7th day you can start tasting it. I am going to order some PH strips, because I am not sure if I am getting it too sour or too sweet, but it is not just perfect like the G.T.'s. – Deidre Apr 8 2011 at 23:22

Hannah · Answer 2 · 2011-04-08 20:10:16Z UTC

Love the Kombucha conversation and all the homebrewers! Yay! :) I like what Barb said about your body craving something and that not necessarily being a bad thing, especially with the toxic diets many of us are often on.

I've been teaching people how to make it taste delicious for years at my website Kombucha Kamp and provide instruction videos, recipes and support for anyone who needs it. Everything is FREE and there are no ads. If you need supplies you can get those too, including 100% organic mother cultures, but if not still come by and use the resources or drop me a line with a question. ~ Hannah Crum, The Kombucha Mamma

hemanvt · Answer 3 · 2011-04-08 19:35:30Z UTC

I drink one a day, but I don't see how it is an issues unless you are drinking the one's that add juice to it and are only %95 Kombucha. There are a variety of benefits of Kambucha and only 4 grams of sugar (from the fermentation process) in one bottle. I love the Gingerade and it's a great substitute when I am craving something other than water and/or tea.

Don't be so hard on yourself and enjoy it!!!!

Mikey · Answer 4 · 2011-04-08 20:18:25Z UTC

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My wife started brewing it and my kids are freaks for the stuff. If you were to give them the choice between [sugary-drink] and kombucha they would wipe out the kumbucha first and then ask if the other stuff can be made into it.

answered Apr 8 2011 at 20:18

Mikey
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Barb · Answer 5 · 2011-04-08 19:25:24Z UTC

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I think it could be much worse. Sometimes we crave things no necissarily because we're addicted but because our bodies need something it provides. How long have you been drinking kombucha?

answered Apr 8 2011 at 19:25

Barb
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I have been drinking it for a couple of years. You could be right. – Thomas Seay Apr 8 2011 at 20:08

Deidre · Answer 6 · 2011-04-08 19:45:45Z UTC

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I am addicted. Just started brewing my own. I am on my third batch and I have nice healthy scobies! I was tired of paying for a bottle every day! It is so yummy. I haven't prefected my recipe on replicating any of the G.T.'s, but I am working on it!

answered Apr 8 2011 at 19:45

Deidre
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How did you learn to start making your own? – Thomas Seay Apr 8 2011 at 20:07

I just researched it on the web. See the above. I ordered a scoby on Etsy. It was made with organic tea and organic sugar. The stuff is addicting! – Deidre Apr 8 2011 at 23:20

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I add ginger juice to my kombucha after it's all done brewing and make sure it has no contact with the SCOBY. I'm getting pretty close to the GT taste. – Jennie Apr 9 2011 at 15:32

Kimmie · Answer 7 · 2011-04-08 20:35:58Z UTC

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+1 to all the suggestions to brew your own at home - that way, you can control the quality of ingredients and the level of sweetness (and save a TON of money!) I'm not sure if we qualify as "addicted," but my husband and I go through about 3 quarts of home-brewed ginger-pear kombucha every couple of weeks. :)

If you're interested in diy, there are lots of tutorials online. I tried to outline my own method here (see third response).

answered Apr 8 2011 at 20:35

Kimmie
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	Kim, excellent instructions - I think I will try doing the less teabag per cup next time - what kind of jars do you use for 2nd ferment - does it matter? – Deidre Apr 9 2011 at 1:23
	For the second fermentation, I transfer everything to 3-4 repurposed glass quart jars with screw-top lids. I've read that it's important to use translucent glass for kombucha fermenting, but I've never tested that theory. – Kimmie Apr 10 2011 at 0:43

Lucy · Answer 8 · 2011-04-08 20:42:48Z UTC

I've been brewing Kombucha few several years....I found this site very helpful: Gunther W. Frank's Kombucha Journal kombu.de website gives lots of info, instructions, and people all over the world who are willing to give away scoby's for free or postage only.

I usually only drink about 4 oz per day....and not every day.

Aughra · Answer 9 · 2011-04-11 05:17:45Z UTC

I am Sooooooo addicted. I got sick of buying it for 3 bucks a bottle, though, so I homebrew now. I found that brewing it with green tea instead of black and putting some fresh ginger through a garlic press and adding a little ginger juice makes it taste uncannily like the GT brand gingerade.

Oranges13 · Answer 10 · 2011-04-08 19:28:17Z UTC

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Ick. My mom used to make this stuff when I was a kid and it tasted AWFUL. Like drinking vinegar every morning with breakfast. Yuck. And we had bunches of the kombucha in the bottom of our fridge (since it always makes a daughter when it creates a batch). ICK ICK ICK.

answered Apr 8 2011 at 19:28

Oranges13
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I wish my mom made me stuff like that growing up. She won't even TRY kombucha. My 5yo loves it. – Barb Apr 8 2011 at 19:30

What is it??... – Carly Apr 8 2011 at 19:34

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I used to cut it with koolaid, but then it just made the koolaid unpalatable too. ICK. – Oranges13 Apr 8 2011 at 19:35

@Carly - It's tea + sugar left to ferment with a "kombucha" fungus in it. As the kombucha "grows" it makes a daughter, which is just another pancake underneath the one you started with. Very similar to a vinegar mother, actually. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombucha – Oranges13 Apr 8 2011 at 19:36

Kaz · Answer 11 · 2011-04-08 20:19:35Z UTC

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I'm not addicted, per se, but z0migosh I love kombucha! My poison is the Trilogy flavor. I swear, though, that stuff does something funky with my brain because I get very light-headed and silly when I do drink it.

I go through periods of buying 1-2 bottles-ish to sip over a week to long stretches without it...but the sweet/sour vinegar tang always draws me back in.

I definitely want to start brewing my own, though, because at 3.50$ a bottle, my little habit is starting to get a bit expensive. >.<

answered Apr 8 2011 at 20:19

Kaz
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It does have some alcohol, maybe that's it? – mari Apr 8 2011 at 21:47

I think you're probably right -- but what about the "recall" wherein the kombucha was pulled off the shelves and reformulated to remove the alcohol? Methinks it was just a big show, and the alcoholic buzz lingers on. – Kaz Apr 8 2011 at 22:51

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they didnt remove the alcohol, but just lowered it to something under the legal limit. i think that because it was sitting around for so long it was continuing to ferment and getting kinda potent. methinks you got a few of the good ones! – being Apr 9 2011 at 1:17

Heh. That's too funny! I was wondering why this so-called non-alcoholic beverage was making me go off on tirades then giggling uncontrollably afterward...xD – Kaz Apr 9 2011 at 2:17

paleoprimal · Answer 12 · 2011-04-09 14:13:45Z UTC

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I am interested in trying this but the side effects worry me.....do you think starting with the bottled version will take care of some of the side effects people have from home brew?

answered Apr 9 2011 at 14:13

paleoprimal
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	What side effects? – Thomas Seay Apr 9 2011 at 16:57
	cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/… scroll down on this link til you see "Any problems or possible...." – paleoprimal Apr 9 2011 at 19:22
	That is spooky! I was just on the point of trying to find a scoby ... but I don't think I'll bother? – andrew Apr 11 2011 at 8:11
	That's not spooky That's the ACS and their ridiculous scare tactics against anything they don't approve of. I used to work for them and I'll just leave it at that. Home fermented foods are powerful and wonderful things. Follow proper technique and you'll be just fine. – Shari Bambino Apr 15 2011 at 1:21

andrew · Answer 13 · 2011-04-12 10:01:01Z UTC

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Is it really good? Is it safe? Does it have lots of nice probiotics? And what about yeast? I thought yeast was a bad guy?

answered Apr 12 2011 at 10:01

andrew
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DC Healthy Bites · Answer 14 · 2012-12-28 22:33:38Z UTC

I am so glad I found this question! I too am addicted. Seriously .. every two days or so I start craving one. I usually don't have strong cravings for many things so I have been trying to figure out what it is about Kombucha that is making me respond this way. Is it something about the natural carbonation or probiotics itself? Not sure I will get into home brewing, but I will definitely stock up when it is on sale. Glad to see I am not alone in this.

joanna · Answer 15 · 2012-12-28 22:53:32Z UTC

i love kombucha. i usually drink reed's and gt's kombucha. i just got two scobys for xmas so i'll be starting my own soon.

i am not addicted though since i can totally live without the stuff- i just don't want to! i probably drink it twice a week since it's expensive.

Does anybody else here have a Kombucha addiction

15 Answers