Ask Larry: Do you ever drink kombucha? If so do you know if it is safe to drink everyday? I love the stuff, but I’m reading mixed reviews, I would be interested in hearing your take on this “wonder elixir”!

Larry’s Response: Kombucha is a sweet tea preparation that has been fermented. Some people refer to it as water kefir or tibicos. While these aren’t exactly the same, they are similar in that yeasts are used to ferment sugar. We make water kefir and regular dairy kefir at our house – actually Pat makes it and I just drink it.

Personally, I don’t have a problem with any fermented preparation in moderation. Once I acquired a taste, drinking those items has become pleasurable. I commonly consume a small cup of kefir at bedtime and we have kefir water (kombucha) with breakfast. A few days each week Pat make a morning smoothie with dairy kefir.

There are health claims made – and warnings issued. But, that seems to be the case for practically everything. For us, we enjoy the various flavors of the preparations we make at home. We do not use any commercially prepared kefir, yogurt, kambucha, or kefir water.

Everything in moderation, except oxygen. And water. And a daily probiotic.