from cow, goat or sheep milk. Kombucha is a
fermented, brewed drink made with green,
black or white tea, sugar, bacteria and yeast.
The roots of kombucha extend back to
around 220 B.C. Invented in Northeast China,
it became popular originally for its healing
properties. Named after a Korean physician
Dr. Kombu, who brought the fermented tea
to Japan as a curative beverage for Emperor
Inkyo. Kombucha continues to maintain
its popularity today, not only for its health
benefi ts but also for its uniquely tangy taste
and bubbly feel. It can be made in dozens of
different ways, but all methods center around
four simple ingredients: Tea, water, sugar and
a kombucha culture sometimes referred to as
a SCOBY (which stands for symbiotic culture
of bacteria and yeast).
If you have tried kombucha once or twice
and didn’t fi nd it to your liking, fi nd a brand
that is highly recommended by family or
friends (even on the internet) and try it again.
All kombuchas are not the same by any
means, and if you don’t try the right one you
can be turned off by it forever. We are lucky
here on Gasparilla Island, as the owners of
Bella Vida on Railroad Avenue in downtown
Boca Grande are passionate about providing
and sourcing the freshest kombucha options
available.
Health-Ade Kombucha is hands down the
beverage of choice at Bella Vida. It provides
consumers with options to experience the
cold pressed fl avors, savoring the small batch
brew offerings and discovering the fresh taste
difference that fermentation in glass makes.
Health Ade’s version of orange punch blends
sweet and tart by combining blood orange,
carrot and ginger to produce a bubbly
probiotic tea. Certifi ed as a handcrafted
raw food and intentionally selected for
best quality and taste, Health-Ade says
their kombucha is a naturally rich source of
probiotics and healthy acids, which aids in
digestion and supports the body’s natural
detoxifying abilities.
40 GASPARILLA MAGAZINE • November/December • 2021