One Living (kombucha drinks, from a rugby legend!)
If you suffer from bloating, cramps or irregular bowel movements, fermented foods could help. The most common one of course is live yoghurt (Sojade is a good organic plant-based brand sold in health stores). Other common fermented foods are tempeh, sauerkraut, sourdough bread, miso and kimchi.
One Living is a quality brand of kombucha, a kind of ‘fermented fizzy tea’ with a tangy taste and gentle spark. It’s become popular due to its gut-friendly properties that deliver live cultures and enzymes for good digestion. Kind of like an alternative to eating yoghurt.
Pop ring-pulls back over cans before recycling, to help avoid wildlife getting trapped.
A few people should avoid fermented foods:
- Very young or old people or pregnant/nursing women (never eat unpasteurised cheeses)
- People with poor immunity (or transplant recipients).
- People with histamine intolerance (fermented foods are high in histamine)
- People on low-salt diets (most fermented foods use salt)
- A few digestion issues (although fermented foods usually help digestion), a few people may get temporary gas and bloating from probiotics).
- People with FODMAP sensitivity (IBS, leaky gut etc). This word stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols (short-chain carbs that are poorly absorbed by the small intestine, then fermented by bacteria in the large intestine).
Read more on food safety for people and pets (check medication before eating/drinking grapefruit or rhubarb).
Avoid kombucha and water kefir (or any unpasteurised food and drink) for pregnancy/nursing and weak immunity (including children and older people). Kombucha also contains a little fermented alcohol and caffeine.
Buy commercial versions of both, as home brewing could risk bacteria and mould. Leave it to the experts!
These drinks are in various flavours including raspberry, passion fruit and ginger turmeric. This brand was founded by former rugby player Jonny Wilkinson (alongside his nutritionist wife), after discovering how good digestion plays a role in good mental health.
After the dizzying heights of victory at the World Cup, Jonny began to experience anxiety, which snowballed into severe depression. When they discovered how digestion is linked to chemicals in the brain that can affect depression, they came up with this idea. Today, he also lectures on the importance of men talking about mental health:
Undoubtedly my journey was about a disconnection with myself. I had this amazing house, I had everything I could possibly need. I was sat in that jacuzzi and could not have been less happy. I’ll take feeling calm and clear over everything. Find your stability in every moment. Jonny Wilkinson
More Gut-Loving Fizzy Sodas!
Dalston’s soda has recently released a Happy Gut range, created by chefs. These contain dietary fibre along with zinc, magnesium and calcium, for digestion, immunity and metabolism. Choose from Raspberry or Tropical.
Equinox Kombucha is an organic brand that sells rotating flavours on subscription like fiery ginger, white peach strawberry and raspberry elderflower. The founder gives 50% of all profits to local and global humanitarian and conservation projects.
Living Things is another prebiotic soda, blending real fruit juice and botanical extracts, with flavours to suit every mood.
- Rhubarb & Apple (check medication)
- Lemon & Ginger
- Peach & Blood Orange
- Raspberry & Pomegranate
- Watermelon & Lime
Genie Drinks makes kombucha sodas with real fruit, proper tea and live cultures. Brewed for around 21 days, flavours include apple (similar taste to dry cider), fiery ginger (a good mid-afternoon lift) and naturally sweet blueberry raspberry.
