I’ve just gotten back from class and the world is weighing heavy on my shoulders. Thoughts of classes, my dating life and the state of our nation following the presidential election are swirling in dark clouds around my head.

I’m also parched, so I throw open the refrigerator door and grab a bottle.

I put it to my lips and drink. I feel an explosion of effervescence fill my mouth, which gives way to sweet notes of blood orange, kiwi and cardamom. Today was exhausting, but I feel a sudden rush of vitality and do a full body shake in my kitchen. 

It’s joy, it’s flavor, it’s good health. It’s kombucha.

Thought to have originated in China along the Silk Road, kombucha is a fermented drink made of green or black tea that’s become popular among health nuts and hippies alike. It contains strains of bacteria and yeast, providing a variety of nutritional benefits, as well as live cultures that can support the gut microbiome.

Beverage giants like Coca-Cola and Pepsi load their drinks with added sugars and artificial sweeteners, making it difficult to find alternatives to plain-old H2O that are both tasty and healthy. Unlike a can of Coca-Cola Zero or a Monster energy drink, kombucha is a beverage that satisfies your sweet tooth, boosts your energy and respects your body.

Jewels Jorgensen, a first-year graduate student at the University of Minnesota, said she feels healthier when she drinks kombucha.

“I feel like it’s very rare to find a drink in a store that doesn’t make you feel kind of gross,” Jorgensen said.

I’ve suffered from IBS for the past four years, so I know a thing or two about drinking the wrong type of beverage. Some sneaky kombucha brands load sugar into their drinks, but generally speaking, the yeast and bacteria consume most of the sugar during fermentation. Considering added sugar can cause fatigue, anxiety and digestive issues, it pays to lower your intake.

“It doesn’t give me a crash like a lot of caffeinated drinks give me,” Jorgensen said.

At first, I was skeptical of kombucha. The intense carbonation and unfamiliar-sounding bacteria on the nutrition label unnerved me. With prices sometimes running at more than $5, I couldn’t justify the investment.

But after just a few bottles, I was hooked on the gutsy flavors of my now-favorite fermented beverage. 

Its flaws became its virtues: the punchy effervescence forced me to slow down and savor every drop of what the Synergy kombucha brand has dubbed “liquid life.” Considering the prices of lattes at Starbucks and Caribou, dropping $5 on a bottle of kombucha — or $3.49 if you shop smart and go to Trader Joe’s — felt more than reasonable.

Most importantly, I found something delicious to drink that didn’t make me bloated or put me in so much pain that I could barely walk. 

Even if you don’t have tummy troubles, kombucha can have positive effects on your gut health. 

Bryan Deane Bertsch, owner of local Deane’s Kombucha, said through studying Daoist practice he has learned how fermented beverages can help leverage the gut-brain connection.

“The gut is one of the major energy centers,” Bertsch said. “All the organs connect into the gut. Part of your soul lives in the gut.” 

According to Bertsch, when we feed the gut with healthy bacteria, we can better regulate our emotions and quell feelings of anxiety and physical discomfort brought on by processed foods and drinks. 

Given the current state of our world, it’s more valuable than ever to take care of ourselves. It may be tempting to gorge on Chili-Cheese Fritos or down Dr. Pepper like there’s no tomorrow, but the last thing we need is to let our physical health go by the wayside. 

“When I was working a day job I would hit a lull at two in the afternoon but still have three hours to go,” Bertsch said. “I found that if I have a bottle of kombucha, not only does it give me a spring in my step, but I’m not hungry anymore.”

While I don’t use kombucha as a replacement for food, I do feel more awake after drinking it. When the day drags on and I’m in need of a pick-me-up, treating myself to a bottle of Blood Orange Solstice never fails to lift my spirits.

So next time you’re craving something sweet, I urge you to peruse the kombucha selection when you go shopping. Most conventional grocery stores (and seemingly every non-conventional grocery store) offer at least a few varieties. 

Kombucha won’t solve all of our problems, but it can make these dark times feel a little brighter.

Bottoms up to that.