If you have ever spent time in the Caf to eat lunch, do homework, or socialize, you may have noticed one of your fellow peers enjoying a new liquid refreshment introduced in the recent array of drinks added to the Caf’s beverage choices.
Those new additions are Suja’s organic kombucha and Odwalla’s “Smoobucha,” a drink, according to Odwalla, that combines their fruit smoothies with different flavors of kombucha.
Kombucha is one item in an increasingly popularized category of foods branded as “functional foods.” Foods in this category are meant to have supplemental functions besides nutrition, such as health promotion and disease prevention. In the case of kombucha, the fermented drink contains live micro-organisms that are said to help strengthen one’s immune system and improve digestion.
A survey conducted in May 2019 by the public food company Kerry Group revealed that the functional food trend has been on the rise as consumers are starting to use food as a means to help manage weight, mood, energy, and sleep. Hollywood celebrities like Gwenyth Paltrow and Reese Witherspoon have only added to the hype around functional foods, specifically kombucha, by taking to social media and encouraging the general public to occasionally enjoy the carbonated beverage and reap the health benefits that come with it. This trend has reached the Caf, where students and faculty can be seen drinking a range of organic kombucha.
When asked about her thoughts on the beverage’s recent addition, Jeannie Moreno ’20 said, “I was happy actually. It helps with digestion so after a big lunch I can just drink it.” Her favorite kombucha flavors in the Caf, she said, are the green apple and berry flavors.
Mud Bentley ’20 is another student who appreciated the addition of kombucha to the Caf’s beverage collection. “I’ve had to take a lot of antibiotics in the past couple years,” he said, “so it’s kind of an order from my doctor that I need to be drinking and eating a lot of probiotic stuff. It’s nice to have an option in the Caf.”
When asked how a health-conscious diet plays into the food served at Lick, Kathleen Fazio, Director of Food Services, said the process for choosing food is thorough. All vendors are carefully selected. With kombucha, the brand Suja has been specifically chosen for the Caf because it does not have any residual alcohol. When picking vendors, Fazio said she tries to avoid major corporations, which at times has been a challenge. For example, Odwalla is under Coca Cola, and the next best brand, Naked, is owned by Nestle.
The same process that has brought kombucha to Lick applies to all food served in the Caf. Snacks are analyzed for their nutritional value and quality. “UNFI (United Natural Foods Inc) is one of numerous vendors we use,” Fazio said. UNFI has been repeatedly ranked as the #1 wholesale company in terms of natural and organic produce.
Fazio also said that, though health benefits were a factor in choosing food, it isn’t the only factor. High schoolers are naturally inclined to the occasional sweet treat. “I go by what sells,” Fazio said. “I don’t always choose health over enjoyment.” Lick has recently changed donut vendors because the new vendor, according to Fazio, tastes better. Cookies are also a daily hit. “We could not go a day without cookies. People love the cookies here,” Fazio said. And the good thing is, Fazio said, “It’s an open campus, so kids can go get something if it’s too far off the mark.” Candy bars are readily available at stores less than a few blocks away, so Fazio tries to keep the snacks and drinks in the Caf as health-conscious as possible while still allowing students to indulge in their cravings.
Carrie Maslow, one of Lick’s Honors Biology teachers, also agreed that, though there is an emphasis on healthy snacks, the Caf’s decision to keep some snacks with higher caloric values has additional benefit to enjoyment. “For the age group that we’re serving, it’s actually fine to have foods that are high calorie just because you have people in their growth peaks.” Maslow is another member of the community that enjoys the diversity of healthy food choices that are offered. Maslow has worked at different educational programs like Aim High for many years, and Lick is at the top of her list when it comes to what is served for lunch. “It makes me grateful,” Maslow said.
“All in all, [the kitchen staff] does an excellent job choosing healthy foods,” Maslow said. She also offered some recommendations of other functional foods served in the Caf that students may not know about. “It’s unique that we have quinoa and other ancient grains,” Maslow said when mentioning its high amino acid content. “The diversity of things you can have every day, from a salad or soup or an entree is pretty fantastic. We’re incredibly lucky.”
