Trust your gut (health). As of late, digestive health products are that girl, giving gut health the limelight it so clearly deserves. One of those products is the world’s first sparkling prebiotic + probiotic bev wildwonder. Founder and CEO Rosa Li (she/her) used to work as an investor in a fast-paced, high stress position which came with a ton of health problems. So, she turned back to the herbal wisdom of her grandmother’s recipes to begin healing her gut, which resolved many of her ailments.

“Growing up with my grandmother in China, grandma brewed tonics using a variety of wild herbs and botanicals,” she says. “It was her way of calming an upset stomach, lifting my spirits, and boosting my health overall. I deeply missed this tradition when I moved to the U.S. Eventually, I grew more and more interested in the power of the microbiome and took the leap to create my own teas, which evolved into what wildwonder is today.”

Now, she’s on a mission to make gut health as easy and delish as popping open a can. Care to take a sip?

How would you describe gut health?
Gut health literally affects all aspects of our wellness, from immune health, brain health, energy level, metabolic response, to mood. Seventy percent of our immunity is in our gut.

Prebiotic/probiotic drinks are literally everywhere atm. Why do you think there’s been a surge in this type of beverage?
Consumers are starting to understand and appreciate the importance of gut health. Seventy percent of Americans experience digestive issues and 90% of Americans lack fiber in their diet. Wildwonder is crafted with both prebiotics and probiotics to boost your gut health.

How exactly do probiotic drinks improve our gut health?
Probiotics are the good bacteria that keep the gut healthy. Our bodies naturally contain both good and bad bacteria. You want to keep them in balance. There are certain things that harm our healthy gut bacteria: smoking, excessive drinking, antibiotics, stress, bad sleep, etc. So getting an extra boost of probiotics and prebiotics helps to restore overall gut health.

Is it ok to have more than one probiotic and/or prebiotic bev a day?
It’s always wise to ask your doctor if taking probiotics is a good idea for you or how much probiotics/prebiotics to take. A lot of our customers drink multiple cans of wildwonder a day. If your body isn’t used to a certain amount of probiotics or fiber, a sudden influx can cause bloating or send you to the bathroom.

How do you know if you’re having problems with your gut?
I actually got my microbiome checked through one of the at-home test kits. It’s easy and affordable. These tests help you assess the general health of your gut: identify strains of healthy bacteria your gut lacks and strains of bad bacteria (if any) you have too much of. Digestive problems are easily noticeable (ex: digestive issues, IBS, diarrhea, etc.), but people’s bad immune health or low energy level can also be influenced by gut health. I like to understand my body and recommend everyone having a pulse on their microbiome.

Are there any other products or practices that can help our gut health?
The best thing to do is maintain a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle: eat more veggies (high in fiber) and fermented foods (probiotics). Examples of food that’s high in fiber: broccoli, avocado, lentils, legume, raspberry, bananas, and apples. Examples of foods that are a good source of probiotics: kimchi, kefir, yogurt, pickled cucumber, and miso soup. Growing up in an Asian household, I enjoyed a lot of fermented foods!