Well, I lied. I do have more questions--3, in fact! But I do think this is then everything!

First, is Kombucha Tea okay to drink on the elemental diet? I'm looking at GTS Synergy brand, which is 95% kombucha tea and 5% whatever juice (cranberry, raspberry, depends on which you pick). It's raw, unpasteurized and organic. They look as clear as any clear broth or juice, but I thought I'd ask. It's a fermented tea, so it's got some probiotic action in it, but not very much. Here's their web site: http://www.gtskombucha.com/

Second, I got the Source Naturals Co Q10, but it's softgels. Is it okay just to squeeze the contents into the shake? The "other ingredients," including the capsule, are rice bran oil, gelatin, glycerin, lecithin, beeswax and soybean oil mixture, titanium dioxice and annatto. My personal guess is one of the oils is in the capsule, but the rest of the ingredients are the capsule. I've read widely that Co Q10 in softgel form is more readily absorbed, although I did get softgels by mistake.

Finally, Wrigley's Juicy Fruit Gum, which IBD Rem. Diet says is okay up to 5 sticks has the following ingredients:

Sugar, gum base, corn syrup, dextrose, natural and artificial flavors, glycerol, softeners, aspartame, sucralose, BHT (to maintain freshness). Contains phenylalanine.

I'd like to find a chewing gum that's a little less heinous. What do I look for in an alternate gum to know if it would be compatible with the elemental diet? Our local health food store has the following 3 gums, which look maybe a little better, but not terrific. Anyway, would any of these be compatible?

Glee Gum
CANE SUGAR, GLUCOSE, GUMBASE (CONTAINS NATURAL CHICLE), RICE SYRUP, GUM ARABIC, PEPPERMINT OIL, RESINOUS GLAZE, LECITHIN, BEESWAX, CARNAUBA WAX, AND CHLOROPHYLL.

Spry Gum
Xylitol, gum base, natural flavor (spearmint oil), vegetable glycerin, gum Arabic, soy lecithin, beeswax and titanium dioxide (natural white coloring)

Peelu Gum
Sorbitol, gum base, maltitol syrup, natural oil of peppermint, lecithin, peelu extract, titanium dioxide, resinous glaze, cannauba wax

We're just looking for something to keep the teeth and gums stimulated--my husband tends toward a bit of dental problems. I looked at the gummi bears at HHS, and their ingredients aren't great, either. What makes something like this elemental? I thought maybe the sugars in the gums would actually break down in your mouth, rendering them elelmental by the time you swallow the "juice."

I really think these are the last questions!

Thank you thank you thank you!

Yes, kombucha tea is fine on the Diet.

Please see an earlier posting called "Wrigley's Gum" for my response to the gum ingredients. Out of the ones you listed, Spry looks the best one. But due to the Xylitol I wouldn't chew more than 3 pieces per day (Xylitol is antibacterial, so a small amount is fine).

Yes, you can squeeze the CoQ10 softgels into the shakes. They say softgels are best because CoQ10 is best absorbed with oil. However, you are already getting lots of good Udo's (or flax) oil in the shakes to aid absorption, therefore powder form is fine when ingesting in a shake.

take care,
Jini

Thanks!

I too, discovered the GTS Synergy brand of Kombucha Tea over a year ago. I stopped drinking it because I was concerned it may not be good for IBD. I am unsure about this for people with IBD because unlike the kombucha tea that comes in tea bags (like Yogi brand) the GTS brand is cold, bottled, and because it is naturally fermented, it has natural carbonation in it. Sort of similar to the carbonation in Emergen-C. Is this natural carbonation okay for us??? I would love to know because I am on the Remission diet now and LOVE the GTS Kombucha tea. What do you think?

Hi, Tara.

Yes, I love kombucha, too. I usually pick myself up a bottle when I go to Whole Foods once a month or so - that's my treat instead of organic chocolate (which I'd also love but wouldn't be good for me too often).

I'm going to ask Jini her opinion, as well, but in my opinion, if the kombucha is:

1. Clear enough to see through/no cloudiness (VERY important)
2. The original, unflavored version

I'd think it would be okay. I'd be a little more doubtful about the flavored versions at this point, even if they're clear, just because it adds that many more ingredients, any one of which might be an irritant.

Hope that helps.

Nicole

Thanks, Nicole! Yes, I am interested in what Jini has to say- especially about the carbonation- that is my main concern. I really enjoy the flavored versions though, I hope they're okay, too! Please let me know- thanks!

hi there,

Aside from going to the manufacturer's website, I found this interesting and funny review of the product:

http://www.reallynatural.com/archives/p ... ha_tea.php

However, I still can't give you a yes or a no on it because it's simply an unknown.

It certainly doesn't fit into the parameters of any elemental diet used in a clinical trial...

Also, there is no detailed information on the manufacturer's site about exactly how the product is made - even when the label listing says "raspberry juice" - it doesn't say whether it's fresh pressed, or from concentrate, or an extract, etc.

So, if you're on a strictly elemental diet, I would say this product is a no-go - simply because we have no way of knowing whether it fits the parameters for an elemental diet.

And is it really worth sabotaging your success for?

take care,
Jini

Thanks, Jini for investigating this. Absolutely, I do not intend on sabotaging my success so far- I was just curious if this was elemental for some variety on the diet. I'm a few days from starting week 4 and I'm not screwing it up- it's too much work and discipline for that!
But more so, I was curious if it was safe to drink once in a while (or even beneficial) for IBDers. I've loved the stuff in the past but don't want to compromise my health for it. I guess it's just one of those trial and error things.

Thanks for everything, Jini,

Tara