Water Kefir vs. Kombucha

[Daisy]

I apologize if there's already a discussion on this around here somewhere. I searched, but didn't find what I was looking for - but if it's out there, feel free to point in me the right direction.

I'm wanting to get some water kefir grains and start making water kefir for my family, but I'd read on here that kombucha can be a bad idea if you have mercury fillings. My husband has multiple mercury fillings, and I'm wondering if I'd actually be doing more harm than good by giving him water kefir. Does it have detox effects like kombucha?

Can anybody tell me whether or not water kefir is safe in this situation, and if so, why it is - while kombucha isn't?

Thanks!

 

 

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[katrina nixon]

I just learned about Kombucha while my children and I are fighting the flu or a bad cold, we haven't been tested for flu but have all the classic symptoms. I usually don't get sick for long but have had this pretty bad for 4 days now. My husband got me a jar of Kombucha today and I drank at least 8 ounces before a nap. When I woke up i felt horrible. I felt really weak like I didn't want to open my eyes for hours. I didn't realize I needed to start slowly. That's pretty dingy, but I really want to get well. My 10 year old drank about 2-4 ounces of it and started feeling better really soon after. My 7 year old started sneezing excessively after drinking hers and hasn't been able to get past the sneezing in about 5 hours! What should I do to help get us back on track? Sleep it off and then take it more slowly? I have had a ton of mercury over my 39 years due to allergy shots and fillings as a child. I received 10 fillings at age 5 and had over 300 allergy shots by age 7. My oldest daughter had all her shots, but not the younger two.  Any advice on that?

Johanna said:

Would store bought kombucha have the same detoxifying effect as homemade kombucha.  I just bought a jar to try, and I am now thinking that I shouldn't drink it since it is detoxifying and I am breastfeeding a toddler.

[Aischa Ibnouzahir]

I am happy to hear Kombucha kills candida!

I just started to make water kefir for the first time, and the woman who gave them to me said it may take a few cycles for it to get going. Now having never tasted water kefir, what should it taste like at 24 hrs, and 48 hrs? Roughly of course. This cycle was watery, slightly sweet. Will it get tart like kombucha?

I am in love with the little bubbles it makes and the rolling raisins, what a blast!

[Pat Robinson]

Here is more about the mercury release issues with cilantro/chlorella. Basically, chlorella has only one thiol, it does not bind as tightly to mercury as substances in the two thiol group, and thus it moves mercury around, but does not necessarily shuttle it safely out of the body.

 

http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1216872/natural-tre...

 

http://heal-thyself.ning.com/forum/topics/candidafood-sensitivities

http://heal-thyself.ning.com/profiles/blogs/kombucha-candida-mercury

 

The nutrients magnesium, zinc, vit C, selenium, B12 are critical to effective and safe heavy metal detoxification processes. These are most bio-available in whole foods. http://tuberose.com/Metal_Detoxification.html

 

The issue is not to mobilize mercury into circulation without the necessary nutrients to detoxify and eliminate it from the body. Otherwise it just redeposits into the brain, organs, breastmilk and fetus. If one has mercury fillings in their mouth or candida, I don't recommend adding kombucha to the diet, especially if pregnant, trying to conceive or nursing. Increasing the nutrients required to support the detoxification pathways provides a path for the toxins to be excreted, instead of just moved around. If you have "die-off" effects from kombucha (insomnia, flu-like symptoms, headache, nausea, dizziness, lightheadness, brain fog, etc.) you probably have nutrient deficiencies.

 

Here is more about opening the detoxification pathways. Whole food nutrients to optimize the detoxification and immune systems, naturally.

 

 

 

 

Pat

[Pat Robinson]

Yes.

 

Pat

 

Johanna said:

Would store bought kombucha have the same detoxifying effect as homemade kombucha.  I just bought a jar to try, and I am now thinking that I shouldn't drink it since it is detoxifying and I am breastfeeding a toddler.

[Pat Robinson]

Water kefir is mild, tart and a bit sour. About like kombucha in flavor.

 

Pat

This cycle was watery, slightly sweet. Will it get tart like kombucha?

[Aischa Ibnouzahir]

"Alcohol content depends upon length of brewing and averages (8 days) less than 1/2 of 1% (about the same as fresh squeezed orange juice). A longer brew time (14 days) reduces the sugar content and alcohol content considerably although the taste moves from sweet to semi-sweet to sour to vinegar. "

http://www.happyherbalist.com/analysis_of_kombucha.htm

Just clarifying that the longer the brew w/kombucha, the LESS alcohol.... Freaked me out for a minute since I am not supposed to drink alcohol for religious reasons (other than the lowest of low, naturally occurring amount). I believe milk kefir and kombucha are OK for me, but I am still wondering about water Kefir-which everything I have read is opposite of Kombuch and milk kefir-the longer it brews, the MORE alcoholic it is. I need to find the right balance and timing.

[Pat Robinson]

My statement was not clear.  The longer the kombucha brew, the more alcohol develops.   As the sugar is consumed by the bacteria, it produces more alcohol.

 

Max alcohol content is 5%, iirc. (at about a week of fermentation). Generally kombucha is sold in non-ABC stores, until earlier this year, when the FDA decided it wanted to tax and control kombucha like alcohol.  They changed the formula to decrease the bacteria to maintain the non-alcohol status.

 

Pat

[ian]

Pat, i just drinking my first batch of water kefir, and bam, i think i have the flu after two days, was i drinking too much, just a coincidence? i only had about 1/3 of a cup a day for a few days, i know you have to ease into new things, 

 

Also, i am brewing my second batch, using a whole lemon, a few dates and a few dried pineaple and after 24 hours it looks quite fomey on top, i dont think this happened with the first batch (lemon-prunes-raisens) its fine yes?

[katrina nixon]

Where can i get enough B12 if I don't eat meat? i drink 32 oz. of green smoothie a day and eat mostly raw foods, salads, etc. i use a lot of coconut oil and avocados. I do use bone broth regularly.

Pat Robinson said:

Here is more about the mercury release issues with cilantro/chlorella. Basically, chlorella has only one thiol, it does not bind as tightly to mercury as substances in the two thiol group, and thus it moves mercury around, but does not necessarily shuttle it safely out of the body.

 

http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1216872/natural-tre...

 

http://heal-thyself.ning.com/forum/topics/candidafood-sensitivities

http://heal-thyself.ning.com/profiles/blogs/kombucha-candida-mercury

 

The nutrients magnesium, zinc, vit C, selenium, B12 are critical to effective and safe heavy metal detoxification processes. These are most bio-available in whole foods. http://tuberose.com/Metal_Detoxification.html

 

The issue is not to mobilize mercury into circulation without the necessary nutrients to detoxify and eliminate it from the body. Otherwise it just redeposits into the brain, organs, breastmilk and fetus. If one has mercury fillings in their mouth or candida, I don't recommend adding kombucha to the diet, especially if pregnant, trying to conceive or nursing. Increasing the nutrients required to support the detoxification pathways provides a path for the toxins to be excreted, instead of just moved around. If you have "die-off" effects from kombucha (insomnia, flu-like symptoms, headache, nausea, dizziness, lightheadness, brain fog, etc.) you probably have nutrient deficiencies.

 

Here is more about opening the detoxification pathways. Whole food nutrients to optimize the detoxification and immune systems, naturally.

 

 

 

 

Pat

[Catherine Mikkola]

Regarding detoxifying mercury in your system, I read that cilantro only gets rid of mercury that's in your gut - not the mercury that's stored in your tissues.  I recently heard an interview between Dr. Mercola ( www.mercola.com ) and Dr. Gonzolaz - an MD and cancer specialist who treats cancer w/nutrition and supplements - and Dr. Gonzolaz said he uses Sodium Alginate (capsules) to detox heavy metal out of people's systems.  I've ordered some (hasn't arrived yet) and am going to try it.  Also read that zeolites help to detox heavy metals out of the body's tissues.

[Libby Stancell]

I am looking for Water & Milk Kefir grains.  Where is the best place to find them?

 

[Jacqueline Harakis]

Okay, just joined the site... I've been taking kombucha as well as milk kefir for a while whilst breastfeeding. Should I be worried? I've also recently acquired water kefir grains which are on their first cycle. Should I stop kombucha altogether and just do water kefir instead?