Questions

Hlth-ee Soda is a small batch, handcrafted probiotic beverage seeded in my kitchen that thrives in your tummy.

It's also a living functional fermented health drink that boosts and supports your gut health. It is Water Kefir – a powerhouse probiotic and enzymes-rich drink, yet gentle on your digestion at the same time.

The probiotic in Hlthee Soda comes from the brewing process of Water Kefir grains, which are a symbiotic live culture made up of good yeast and healthy bacteria like scoby, similar to kombucha. The grains are clear jelly clusters, and when brewed over a period of time under ideal conditions, with organic sugar, produce billions of good gut bacteria – especially lactic acid bacteria (LAB).

After months of asking people about water kefir, I realized that only 1% had ever heard of it. The majority knew or had heard about probiotics, so it made sense to call it a probiotic soda.

It also has the characteristics of soda: bubbly, sweet, refreshing, and thirst-quenching. Please try some and let me know if you like them.

Contains far less sugar than commercial soft drinks. It is perfect for replacing sodas and other carbonated drinks in our diet, and also alcohol.

Water Kefir contains a host of beneficial probiotics:

✢ Yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, S. florentinus, S. pretoriensis, etc.
✢ Lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus casei/paracasei, L.b. harbinensis, L.b. hilgardii, etc.
✢ Acetobacteraceae (acetic acid bacteria) (A. orientalis, A. lovaniensis and A. fabarium, etc.)

Studies have shown that some of the yeast and bacteria found in water kefir colonize our gut and have a positive effect on our microbiota.

It has been demonstrated that these yeasts and bacteria can:

✢ Help balance the intestinal flora
✢ Help regulate the digestive cycle
✢ Aid digestion and absorption of nutrients
✢ The microorganisms in kefir transform sugar and minerals into all kinds of nutrients and components during the fermentation process:
✢ Organic acids
✢ Beneficial enzymes
✢ Electrolytes
✢ Vitamin B

Suitable for many types of diets:

✢ Dairy-free
✢ Caffeine free
✢ Gluten-free
✢ Vegan
✢ Vegetarian

When first starting out with probiotic foods and beverages, the amount you can take/consume will vary depending on your current gut health and the probiotic food itself.

We suggest that you start with 2 to 4 oz. of Hlthee Soda a day, for two to three days and see how your body responds. You may experience loose stools if you drink too much to begin with. This is normal, but also a sign you may wish to slightly decrease the amount you are drinking for the time being. Always listen to your body!

Once the gut fills up with the good bacteria, you will be able to drink more. Always use your body as your gauge. Hlthee Soda is a probiotic-rich drink so you only need a half bottle for therapeutic reasons, but it is gentle enough that you can drink the full bottle.

I like to start off with a ½ cup in the morning on an empty stomach, and continue to enjoy it throughout the day after workouts or a bike ride, for work breaks and as an alternative to an alcoholic beverage in the evening.

I typically give myself a break once a week or so, when I do not consume any for at least 24 hours. It's always a great idea to take a break and not eat the same thing continually.

Store the bottles upright in the fridge (between 2-4C.) Lying them flat or store them in a wine cooler will eventually cause leakage.

Our suggestion is to consume the product within 6-8 weeks of the purchasing date for the best tasting and higher culture counts -- as long as the beverage is refrigerated.

Once opened, consume within.

When in a sealed bottle with no chance of cross-contamination, water kefir NEVER goes bad.

The LIVE cultures will slowly continue to eat up the sugars in the drink and eventually, the drink will turn to vinegar, and more carbonation builds up. The build-up carbonation can have the effect of champagne when opened, and the vinegary taste is not palatable but you can use it for salad dressing or for meat marinade, as the acidity will help to break down the fiber in the meat and gives it a complex flavour.

Tear the tamper-proof band, twist the cap to open, and pour it out!

Place the cap back on and give it a twist to tighten, and store it in the fridge for later use.

There is a great instruction video on our Instagram account @HLTHEESODA.

The owner, 'Chef T', is a Vietnamese-born Canadian who has had a passion for food and health for decades. She resides in the Lower Mainland of beautiful British Columbia, Canada, and loves supporting people on their health and well-being journey.