Meet Morgan
- By Morgan McCormick
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- 02 Feb, 2017
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Morgan McCormick - Trubucha Blogger, Athlete Kombucha Enthusiast
Like many of you, I share the love for Colorado. I grew up in Golden and I went to a University in the Bay Area for one year when I realized how much I missed this beautiful state. I transferred back to the University of Denver, where I began to study Marketing with a minor in Business Analytics. I am also a part of the Women’s Swim Team. I have been swimming for 10 years and throughout my training I have met some incredible people. My coach in the Bay Area was the one who kick-started my healthy lifestyle. He thought of ways we could improve our bodies that other teams weren’t willing to experiment with. I learned all about nutrition, immune systems, and athlete recovery through him. When I came back to Denver I kept exploring how I could make sure my body was even healthier so I could preform better and better. That’s when I found out about Kombucha.
My mom and my aunt have always been role models for healthy lifestyles. I remember when I was younger spending an absurd amount of time in Whole Foods or Vitamin Cottage. Now I’m the one who can spend hours in those stores. One day when I was visiting home, my mom introduced me to Kombucha, and although I wasn’t a huge fan of the taste, I was a fond of the benefits it could give my body. She told me my grandma used to make it for her when she was growing up. I felt so left out, my mom has never brewed me Kombucha! I began drinking it daily, and I immediately felt an overall increase in the amount of energy I had. I would simply drink a glass with breakfast and a glass with lunch. I also realized I was not getting sick nearly as much. Growing up as a swimmer I was always sick; I had it all, from bronchitis to strep. I was always looking for alternative ways to build my immune system and avoid harsher treatments like antibiotics. When I found out kombucha was a probiotic it made sense to me. When I would start getting sick I avoided shocking my immune system with antibiotics by drinking kombucha (probiotics) to strengthen it. When I started drinking Kombucha regularly my immune system seemed like it actually existed, and I realized I was not getting sick nearly as much.
One weekend when I was at the South Pearl Farmer’s Market, I saw there was local Kombucha on tap. I fell in love with the taste, and the company. Trubucha has the same benefits as bottled Kombucha (if not better) and it tastes amazing. It wasn’t long before I began coming Sunday’s to refill 2 or 3 bottles. I brought friends, shared this great product with my family, and even called to tell my old coach about it. I was so intrigued by this company that I emailed Marc (our founder and owner), and when he didn’t respond within 30 minutes, I contacted him through their website, it was a little desperate I must say; however, I was determined to find my place with Trubucha. When Marc replied, he gave me the opportunity to work on Sunday mornings. As a college student, I was a little intimidated by Sunday Mornings, but I found myself on South Pearl week after week with a smile on my face and brewing passion for Kombucha. As the farmer’s market Sundays ended, we stayed in touch and met regularly to fuel my Kombucha passion. In early January Marc gave me call and offered me this position. Through my persistent journey I have learned a ton about Kombucha, and that’s why I’m here- to share it with you.
We plan to keep you updated on the Tap Room process, as well as share information about Trubucha and its benefits. Whenever I pick up a product, I want to know what it does (call me crazy), but that’s what we want to share. We want to bring you the best Fresh, Craft, Kombucha possible. If you’re looking for a nightly read, an ounce of good news, or maybe even a laugh, find it on our blog. My love for my sport, family and a healthy lifestyle has contributed to my passion for kombucha. Talking about Kombucha and spreading the word doesn't even feel like a job, I would've done it for free if Marc asked, but the fact that I get paid to write and share about a product I am so passionate about (not to mention free kombucha) isn't bad either! If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact us via social media or on our website. I look forward to sharing with you!
Kombucha is a fermented beverage of black tea and sugar (from various sources including cane sugar, fruit or honey) that’s used as a functional food. It contains a colony of bacteria and yeast that are responsible for initiating the fermentation process once combined with sugar. After being fermented, kombucha becomes carbonated and contains vinegar, b-vitamins, enzymes, probiotics and a high concentration of acid (acetic, gluconic and lactic), which are tied with the following effects:
- Improved Digestion
- Weight Loss
- Increased Energy
- Cleansing and Detoxification
- Immune Support
- Reduced Joint Pain
- Cancer Prevention
The sugar-tea solution is fermented by bacteria and yeast commonly known as a“SCOBY” (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast). Although it’s usually made with black tea, kombucha can also be made with green tea too.
7 Kombucha Health Benefits
In research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food 2014, researchers from the University of Latvia say the following about the health benefits of kombucha:
It is shown that [kombucha] can efficiently act in health preservation and recovery due to four main properties: detoxification, anti-oxidation, energizing potencies, and promotion of boosting immunity.
We agree! In fact, according to research there are Seven main health benefits of kombucha.
1. Detoxification
The detoxifying capacity of kombucha is immense. A perfect example is in its ability to counteract liver cell toxicity.
In one study, the liver cells were protected from oxidative injury and actually maintained their normal physiology, in spite of being exposed to a toxin! According to researchers, this was “probably due to its antioxidant activity and could be beneficial against liver diseases, where oxidative stress is known to play a crucial role.”
2. Digestion
Naturally, the antioxidant prowess of this ancient tea counteracts free radicals that create mayhem in the digestive system. However, the greatest reason kombucha supports digestion is because of its high levels of beneficial acid, probiotics and enzymes.
Some research has shown kombucha’s ability to prevent and heal leaky gut and stomach ulcers. No surprise to us, in some instances it’s even proven to be as effective as drugs like Prilosec, which are commonly prescribed for heartburn, GERD and ulcers.
Kombucha can also help heal candida yeast from overpopulating within the gut because it helps restore balance to the digestive system. Kombucha is a great way to fight candida because it contains live probiotic cultures that help the gut to repopulate with good bacteria while crowding out the candida yeast. Kombucha does have bacteria, but these are not harmful pathogen bacteria, instead they are the beneficial kind (called “apathogens”) that compete with “bad” pathogen bacteria in the gut and digestive tract.
One thing to mention here is that candida or other digestive problems can sometimes be complicated issues to fix and symptoms might actually get worse before getting better. This doesn’t mean that kombucha isn’t effective or is exacerbating the problem, just that gut problems aren’t always a straight path to healing and at times some patience or trial and error is needed.
3. Energy
Kombucha’s ability to invigorate people is credited to the formation of iron that is released from the black tea during the fermentation process. It also contains some caffeine (although in very small amounts) and b-vitamins, which can energize the body.
Through a special process known as chelation , the iron released helps boost blood hemoglobin, improving oxygen supply to tissues and stimulating the energy-producing process at the cellular level. In other words, by helping the body create more energy (ATP), the ancient tea can help those who regularly drink it stay energized.
4. Immune Health
The overall effect that kombucha has to modulate the immune system is best seen in its ability to control free radicals through antioxidant measures.
Clinically proven to decrease oxidative stress and related immuno-suppression, a powerful antioxidant known as D-saccharic acid-1, 4-lactone (DSL) was discovered during the kombucha fermentation process that’s not found in black tea alone.
Scientists suspect that DSL and the vitamin C present in kombucha are its main secrets in protecting against cell damage, inflammatory diseases, tumors and overall depression of the immune system. Also, we know the probiotics found in kombucha support the immune system.
5. Joint Care
Kombucha can help heal, repair and prevent joint damage in a number of ways. Kombucha is loaded with glucosamines, which increase synovial hyaluronic acid production. This supports the preservation of collagen and prevents arthritic pain. In the same way it supports joint collagen, it also supports collagen of the entire body and reduces the appearance of wrinkles on the skin.
6. Cancer Prevention
Kombucha is also beneficial for cancer prevention and recovery. A study published in Cancer Letters found that consuming glucaric acid found in kombucha reduced the risk of cancer in humans.
President Reagan even reportedly drank kombucha daily as part of his regimen to battle stomach cancer.
7. Weight Loss
Data from a study in 2005 showed evidence that kombucha improves metabolism and limits fat accumulation. Though we need to see more studies before we can confirm these results, it makes sense that kombucha supports weight loss since it’s high in acetic acid (just like apple cider vinegar is) and polyphenols, which are proven to help increase weight loss.
For more information, please visit us at www.Trubucha.com
