Tag Archives: Kombucha

Health Ade Kombucha Review

July 16, 2014 runonorganic 9 Comments

This is a review of Health Ade Kombucha.

Health Ade

Overall Rating:

About Health Ade:

“Health-Ade was formed by 3 very close friends, all looking to bring a BETTER kombucha to the Southern California market. Founded in Los Angeles, Health-Ade is made the “old-fashioned” way–as nature intended–dedicated to offering the highest quality and best tasting kombucha one can buy. They do this by committing to things like: pulling out all the stops to ensure the culture is healthy and strong, using only local and seasonal farmers’ market fruit for flavor, and keeping harmful plastic and UVs away from the entire fermentation and bottling process.

Origins

Made 100% in Los Angeles, Health-Ade also works hard to support the local community, as demonstrated by their efforts in growing Farmers’ Markets, their collaboration with regional non-profits such as Home-Boy Industries, and their drive to increase understanding and importance of health and wellness.

Health-Ade kombucha comes in our original formula, as well as 4 other tasty seasonal flavors. Remember, for the highest quality, we only use local seasonal, and organic produce for flavoring. Take your pick and make it a habit!

Why Drink Health-Ade?

Though different brands of kombucha are somewhat prevalent in health food stores today, most of these interpretations have a compromised quality due to efforts in mass production and hastening fermentation. Unfortunately, this has resulted in many products falling short of the real deal, often higher in sugar than ever intended.

Health-Ade Is

made using only organic and whole ingredients
produced by using the original recipe
100% naturally fermented
flavored with local and seasonal farmers’ market fruit
made in small batches right here in LA
fermented and produced only in glass
manufactured and bottled in UV-sensitive environments
100% raw, vegan, natural, and gluten-free
made, down to the bottle, in the USA

Health-Ade Is Not

made with genetically engineered sugars or powdered teas
made using concentrates, dilutions, dyes, or powders
hastening fermentation with added chemicals and powders
mass-produced and / or outsourced
fermented in plastic, potentially causing leaching
exposed to harmful UV light, potentially depleting its probiotic count
pasteurized (kills 50%+ of the probiotic) or unnatural
made and bottled overseas, impacting our Earth and economy.”

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My Thoughts:

Ahhhh… Kombucha. Bubbly, delicious, a bit sweet, satisfying. I can’t get enough. I love the ritual of opening a new bottle and taking the first gulp of effervescent splendor. I’ve found this drink can also help you to curb cravings and feel fill, as this bubbly drink temporarily creates the illusion that your stomach is full.

At this point, I’ve tried several brands of Kombucha–some great and some not quite as great. I have a few specs that I look for when I try a new kind.

My Preferred Kombucha Specs

-Bubbly, packs a punch

-Delicious and unique flavors

-Organic ingredients

Health Ade Kombucha meets all three of those qualifications, AND to top it off–the icing on the cake; they use and support local ingredients. To me, that is huge and it sets them apart from the other brands. Not only do they value organic, pure ingredients but they also see the importance of supporting local farmers and harvests. I just love that.

These flavors are all very tasty, interesting and unique in their own right. The newest kombucha flavor (to my palate) was the Cayenne Cleanse. As you can imagine, this one is zippy and heats up your mouth right away. It has just the right amount of heat–any more and it might be a bit too much for me.

But, I love that they use cayenne, as this pepper offers metabolism boosting benefits! If I had to pick one flavor as my favorite, it would have to be Pomegranate. It’s tart and fruity with a kick of sweetness. It’s delicious. I’d pick the California Grape as my runner up.

New to Kombucha?

If you have yet to try Kombucha, dive in! Especially if you are still a soda drinker, Kombucha is a MUCH healthier alternative to other carbonated beverages. I’d recommend these to anyone who is looking to enhance their digestion and overall health.

Clearly Kombucha Review

June 20, 2014 runonorganic 1 Comment

Clearly Kombucha

This is a review of Clearly Kombucha fermented, bubbly drinks.

Overall Rating:

About Clearly Kombucha:

“Clearly Kombucha is a low-calorie, low sugar drink that is high in antioxidants and probiotics. It is brewed from Organic, Fair Trade, whole-leaf green tea and is then fermented with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) for 30 days to ensure a smooth taste.

FAQs:

All you’ve ever wanted to know about Kombucha… clearly.

WHAT’S KOMBUCHA?
A fermented tea-based beverage, with deep roots in the cultures of Central Asia and the Far East.

HOW DO YOU SAY IT?
\ˌkäm-ˈbü-shə, -chə\

DO YOU USE KOMBUCHA CONCENTRATE?
Every kombucha maker has to choose between good and evil: either ferment its own tea with sugar and culture, or purchase something called “kombucha concentrate.” You wouldn’t want the concentrate and neither did we. Clearly Kombucha is a force for good.

DOES IT CONTAIN ALCOHOL?
Fermentation of Clearly Kombucha creates a trace amount of alcohol. It’s less than one-half of one percent.

OK ON ALCOHOL; WHAT ABOUT CAFFEINE?
Some but not a lot. Our process starts with high quality brewed tea but fermentation knocks down a portion of the tea caffeine as it is transformed by brewing. Depending on the batch, bottled Clearly Kombucha contains caffeine levels a lot less than a similar amount of brewed tea, and a little more than decaf coffee. We do not add caffeine. If we could figure out where the energy from drinking Clearly Kombucha comes from, we’d bottle it. Oh wait, we already did.

WHY NO FLOATIES? AM I MISSING SOMETHING?
We’ll admit it: we think junk floating around in a beverage is not cool. We don’t think you’re missing a thing!

ARE THERE VITAMINS AND MINERALS IN CLEARLY KOMBUCHA?
There’s research showing trace amounts of vitamins and minerals created during kombucha fermentation. Because kombucha is fermented, each batch is a little different. Likewise, our calorie and nutritional content info may vary a tiny bit from batch to batch. Non-trace amounts of vitamin C listed on the nutrient content panel originate from our terrific flavorings. We didn’t think you would want us to separately add vitamins just for the sake of counting them, so we don’t.

WHY NOTHING HERE ABOUT CURING DISEASES AND ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION?
We decided to treat our customers like adults: no silly claims that we couldn’t support. We didn’t feel it was right to insult your intelligence. If you feel terrific drinking Clearly Kombucha, we’ve done the only job we’ve ever set out to do.

WHAT’S THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION PEOPLE HAVE AFTER TASTING CLEARLY KOMBUCHA?
“Where can I get it?”

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My Thoughts:

Ahhhh……Kombucha. I can’t get enough of this delicious, healthy beverage. This effervescent drink has been a staple in my diet for a few years now, though this is the first time for me to try Clearly. Besides it being enjoyable, this drink provides gut-healing benefits, as it helps replenish and balance the bacteria present in your stomach. This is important because balanced bacteria means more efficient digestion which means your body is absorbing more of the nutrients in what you’re eating.

I was never a big soda drinker, but have heard others who believe it to be a great alternative to soda. Like soda, it has some sweetness (via the organic fruit and the organic sugar that is used in the fermentation process) and packs a bubbly punch.

These three flavors were unique and exceptionally delicious. I enjoyed the Raspberry Ginger the most, with the Strawberry Hibiscus being close second. The Black Currant tastes great in its own right and has the most unique flavor.

Quality-wise, these drinks are certified organic, fair trade, non-gmo and gluten free–making them awesome in my book! I can’t wait to get my hands on more Clearly Kombucha–and am especially excited to try the Raspberry Lemonade this summer!

I also found their FAQ’s to actually be fun to follow!

Feel More Gooder, Nutrition Reviews

If You Do 5 Things for Your Health…

January 25, 2014 runonorganic Leave a comment

It seems to me that many individuals are seeking a healthier lifestyle, but struggle with where to start. Some questions I often hear are: Is it bad that I eat this? What should I start eating? What’s the best work out?

In my opinion and based upon my own experiences, I believe that there are 5 great places to start. There are no overnight fixes, but if you implement these small changes, then you will be on the road to forming habits that will serve your health, not hinder it.

1. Stop cold-turkey or ween yourself off of soda.

-I understand what it’s like to have a routine with what you drink (I’m a coffee drinker). That said, I also understand that some people fail at quitting soda cold-turkey. Whichever way you choose to stop drinking soda, do it. It’s worth it–and there are plenty of alternative drinks that are chock full of nutrient dense wonderment. Swap the soda for Kombucha, coconut water, or something as simple as adding lemons & limes to your water.

2. Fill your refrigerator with food you would be proud of eating.

-There’s nothing that will enable you to keep making poor food choices more than having that food around you all the time. Shop for good, whole, real food. Think: vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, plant based milk (coconut or almond milk), free range eggs & grass fed beef. Also, find a non-gmo protein powder that you like and keep that around for a quick protein smoothie. Buy organic when you can.

3. Practice the 90-10 rule.

-Nothing turns me off quicker than hearing about over-obsessed eaters who are on the verge of a full blown mental disorder because of their relationship with food. The point is not to fear food, it’s to focus on good food and eat that the majority of the time. Aim for this: 90% of the time, eat the good stuff–like I listed above. The other 10% of the time, let yourself eat dinner out at your favorite restaurant, or enjoy a glass of wine with your significant other. It’s about balance, not being neurotic about food.

4. Find a fitness routine that you have fun with.

-There’s a great quote for this one; I can’t say it better than Laird does:

“Fitness doesn’t have to be a duty. It doesn’t have to mean charts and graphs and heart rate printouts. It should be a pleasurable part of your life, and it should include things that you do purely because you enjoy them. Fun is an ingredient that people often forget in their fitness program.” -Laird Hamilton (professional surfer and world-class athlete)

I can tell you first hand that I have not been a runner since a young age because it’s a chore that I must do. I run PURELY because of how it makes me feel. I feel happy, relieved, de-stressed, empowered, strong and revitalized every time I run. Nobody else has to understand why you do what you do, or why you run 10 miles a day, or why you spend hours in the gym. The important thing is that YOU are being true to what makes you happy in fitness. So, find a routine that makes your inner light shine and do it daily. Turn on your favorite music, dance a little if you want to, and challenge your body. 🙂

5. Don’t forget to lift weights. (this elaborates on #4)

-I think this one is incredibly important because of my own experience with lifting. So, here’s a story:

I have been an athlete for as long as I can remember, training for various sports. The running aspect of my training was always easy for me–I went out and did it because, at the risk of sounding corny, it fueled my soul.

However, I knew that I “should” be lifting too.

But, I didn’t enjoy it as much. I was so stubborn. I thought, “I like to run, it’s good for me, so that’s what I’m going to do. Screw lifting.” Luckily, with age I’ve become increasingly less stubborn about fitness. I am more open to new things if I believe they will truly benefit me.

About a year ago, I started lifting. I mean, REALLY dedicating myself to lifting–making it a priority. I lift every day now, with a rest day every week or so. Despite being sore and feeling a little weak at first, I almost immediately felt stronger and more powerful. My body started to change, I was becoming a bit leaner.

But, how could I be enjoying this process? I didn’t like lifting. My point in all of this rambling is that sometimes if you step outside of your comfort zone or what you think you’ll have fun doing, you’ll be very pleasantly surprised. You’ll find out that you grow to love it because it is positively impacting your body.

Feel More Gooder, Nutrition Reviews

Reed’s Ginger Brew Kombucha Tea Review

June 27, 2013 runonorganic Leave a comment