Why I Stopped Drinking Kombucha (And Felt Better)

A few years ago, I was doing all the things I thought I was supposed to do for my health.

Drinking kombucha.

Sipping bone broth.

Eating fermented foods.

Adding all the "gut healthy" foods that wellness experts regularly recommend.

And yet, something didn't feel right.

Instead of feeling calmer and more balanced, I often felt wired.

My mind would race.

I felt on edge.

My thoughts seemed to move at a hundred kilometres an hour.

And as someone who has lived with anxiety for much of my life, I knew the feeling well.

The surprising part?

Some of the foods I believed were helping me may have been contributing to the way I was feeling.

The Missing Piece Nobody Talks About

Many fermented foods and broths contain compounds that can increase glutamate activity in the body.

Glutamate is an important neurotransmitter involved in learning, memory and brain function.

But it is also considered an excitatory neurotransmitter, meaning it can stimulate the nervous system.

For some people, this may not be an issue at all.

In fact, many of these foods have well-established benefits for gut health and overall wellbeing.

But for others, particularly those who are already stressed, sensitive or have unique genetic and biochemical differences, the response may be different.

Listening to My Body

When I reduced foods like kombucha, bone broth and some fermented products, I noticed something unexpected.

I felt calmer.

My nervous system felt less activated.

The constant feeling of being "switched on" began to ease.

Now, this doesn't mean these foods are bad.

Far from it.

Many people consume them regularly and feel fantastic.

The lesson wasn't that the foods were unhealthy.

The lesson was that my body was responding differently.

There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Approach

One of the reasons I avoid labelling foods as simply "healthy" or "unhealthy" is because human beings are incredibly individual.

The same food can create very different experiences in different people.

That's why I encourage people to become curious.

To pay attention.

To notice how they feel.

To ask questions.

Because nutrition isn't just about following the latest trend.

It's about understanding your own body.

The Most Important Question

Instead of asking: "Is this food healthy?"

Perhaps a better question is: "How does this food make me feel?"

That doesn't mean we avoid foods every time we experience a symptom.

Nor does it mean we fear certain foods.

It simply means we become more aware.

More curious.

More connected to the feedback our body is constantly providing.

Because sometimes the thing we believe is helping us might not be helping us at all.

And sometimes the biggest breakthroughs happen when we learn to listen.

Sammy Barnett is a Brisbane-based clinical nutritionist, speaker, educator and author who delivers engaging workshops and presentations on nutrition, anxiety, gut health and wellbeing.

Sammy's approach focuses on helping people understand their own unique responses to food rather than relying on one-size-fits-all nutrition advice.