Health benefits from kombucha?

[jephtoothhurts]

I just saw this weird looking drink at whole foods, I was looking for something probiotic cause my stomach has been bothering me for almost a week. I'm really curious if anyone can really attribute any health benefits they've received from drinking this? I understand that it's been around for thousands of years at all, but I still wonder... Also, websites day it smells like ACV, do people really brew this at home with that smell?

[SweetSilver]

DH brews this at home and it smells fruity-fermenty like the tea he brews with it.  Nothing bad at all.

[newcastlemama]

It helps me tremendously with digestive, gallblader, and just that vague ick feeling. It is my favorite fermented food/drink.

[meemee]

try it. the store bought ones are mild. the best is making them at home. no there is a difference between smell and taste. k does not smell as it tastes. btw i use it to rinse my hair too.

why don't you try drinking k for say a week or two and then see how you feel? i mean you are drinking a living thing. 

try brewing it at home. that to me is the real thing and tastes even better than store bought flavored ones. but in the beginning just try the store ones so you can get used to the taste.

instead of sugar i use sucanat - pure dried sugarcane juice. i like mine to be more vinegary so let it ferment a little longer. 

and just for your pleasure.

http://blog.ted.com/2011/05/04/grow-your-own-clothes-suzanne-lee-on-ted-com/

many people swear by it. it has even helped some with cancer. however i think half of it really has nothing to do with k or anything else but in just believing - in the brain. so if you believe it it will work. 

for some of my friends i know it has had an impact on their pain levels from fibromyalgia.