Healthy beverages are not a magic potion. 

Even the healthiest drink on the face of the planet won't be able to single-handedly undo the effects of a bad diet. 

A bad diet is, well, bad. 

There's a fine line between realistic and unrealistic expectations that needs to be understood by consumers.

The artisanal beverage aisle in the grocery store boasts various trendy drinks with labels such as 'gut-friendly', 'good for digestive health', and the like.

The thing is, consumers may develop unrealistic expectations if they're unaware of the generic character of such labels. The product may very well contain ingredients with known merits, but in reality, if you really want a healthy gut and good digestive health in the long-term, the rest of your food choices will have to be in accordance.

Can a healthy beverage temporarily alleviate digestive issues?

It may, but you might need to try some to assess it yourself.

As a side point, beverages perceived as healthy are lucrative. You may find yourself paying a premium price for not much result.

So how should you go about this?

For starters, be an informed consumer and a responsible eater. Know your body, listen to its needs, and eat healthy to start with.

When a new drink appears on the market, read the ingredients list to get a better idea of what the drink is made of, assess whether it could answer what you're looking for, then decide whether to give it a go. You know yourself best. 

Start small and take it from there. Incorporate healthy beverages into your routine as part of a long-term healthy diet. This is much more realistic than hoping for instant fixes.

DIYers may prefer to make their own artisanal beverages at home. Homemade alternatives are a fraction of the price and allow much more control of the ingredients and the process. 

If you're looking for a way to make your own homemade probiotic beverages, check out our Kefir Soda. You won't find it in the stores. It's truly artisanal and unique. You'll have to make it at home with a starter culture. 

Kefir Soda is:

• fermented
• probiotic
• naturally sparkling
• super easy to make

You can use some of the resulting Kefir Soda to make more Kefir Soda. This can be repeated many times over. You won't need to buy a new starter often.