Is Kombucha Good For You – Kombucha Health Benefits Guide
By David Dewitt Originally Appearing on COZYCOFFEE
You have heard of kombucha, but perhaps you have not yet dared to try it. You have an idea, but you don’t know exactly what kombucha is, and you are intrigued by its name and its many benefits as a healthy drink. If so, keep reading. In this post, we will tell you ten benefits of kombucha tea that you can obtain from drinking it. But first, let’s start with some facts.
• Did you know that in Los Angeles and California, more kombucha is consumed than Coca-Cola?
• Did you know that it is the drink of choice for many Australians. Costa Ricans and New Zealanders?
• Did you know that kombucha has been made for more than 2.000 years and that it is of oriental origin?
Therefore, drinking kombucha tea is a change of life towards a healthier drink as an alternative to soda. Kombucha is an artisan drink with a lot of tradition, and that contains many benefits for your health. For this reason, more and more families with children choose it as an alternative to sugary soft drinks for children.
So, What Is Kombucha Tea?
Kombucha is a fermented drink based on black or green tea. It is made by fermenting sugary tea using yeasts and bacteria. The fermentation yields what looks like a broad mushroom with a mushy texture. This is called a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast).
Initially, kombucha was only produced in East Asia, particularly in China. Gradually, it spread to various parts of the world and was produced with various flavors that were given certain sweeteners so that many people could enjoy it.
Known as ‘the tea of immortality.” people have come to love kombucha tea because it promises longevity and well-being. In addition, this tea is gaining more and more followers because of its high content of vitamins, especially vitamins of the B group, probiotic properties, and much more.
You can consume kombucha tea alone as a refreshing drink with other beverages, combined with fruit juice, or as an ingredient in salad dressings. It has a slightly sweet and sour taste and creates a tingling sensation in the mouth. The longer the tea is fermented (up to 4 weeks), the taste will be reminiscent of vinegar. To achieve a sweeter taste, the fermentation period should be shorter (5-10 days).
10 Health Benefits Of Kombucha Tea
Kombucha tea contains antioxidants, a little alcohol, sodium sugar, B vitamins, and probiotics. Based on these properties, it is believed that it has a number of benefits for the health of the body. According to research results as well as several studies, the various benefits of kombucha tea for the body are as follows:
- Maintain A Healthy Digestive System
- Contains Antioxidants
- Helps Prevent Cancer Cell Growth
- Prevent Cardiovascular Disease
- Helps Overcome Depression
- Helps Maintain Weight
- Get The Benefits Of The Vitamin Content In It
- Balance Blood PH
- Boost Immunity
- Useful In The Management Of Diabetes
1. Maintain A Healthy Digestive System
Many teas tend to cause gastritis, among other ailments. Fortunately, kombucha tea does not fall into this category and is the exception to the rule. This is because kombucha tea contains gastro-protective property known as probiotics, which have the ability to balance out the good bacteria in the gut so that it can treat several digestive problems.
These bacteria are not harmful to health. In fact, their function is based on facilitating and increasing the digestion of food by the digestive system reducing the likelihood of ailments such as gas and abdominal distension. It also decreases painful gastritis and gastroesophageal reflux disease by reducing the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
In addition, a study published examined the microbial components of kombucha and identified a large population of lactobacilli in the desk. Lactobacillus is a common type of probiotic, so it makes sense that kombucha can stabilize the digestive tract and help prevent and treat various digestive problems such as:
• Constipation
• Bloated
• Inflammation of the intestine
• Irritable bowel syndrome
It should be noted, however, that it should not be ingested by people with irritable bowel syndrome specifically caused by bacterial overgrowth. In this case, Kombucha tea will only make the symptoms worse.
2. Contains Antioxidants
Another of the many components that Kombucha offers are antioxidants, substances that fight the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are chemicals that affect molecules in your body until they oxidize and kill them. This is why they are called antioxidants.
Oxidation of molecules can lead to various alterations in DNA or accelerate the aging of the individual. And if you think that’s not enough, antioxidants can also reduce liver poisoning by 70% from consuming mildly toxic chemicals from many drinks.
In short, antioxidants are beneficial for health. Kombucha tea has many antioxidant bodies, especially when combined with green tea. It is considered to be even more beneficial to your overall health than kale and other supposedly magical foods.
3. Helps Prevent Cancer Cell Growth
You might not believe it, but kombucha tea is also used to prevent cancer, or in the worst case, fight it. Its effect is that cancerous tumors are often associated with high concentrations of reactive oxygen. These species include oxygen ions, free radicals, and peroxides. Finally, molecules that promote the formation of an oxidative stress microenvironment noticeably damage the cells of your body.
All of this leads to metastasis of the tumor and the production of cancer cells. But luckily, the components and substances in kombucha tea help fight oxidative molecules. Antioxidants, vitamins, and probiotics fight inflammation of the tumor and stop its possible development.
In addition, kombucha tea contains glyceric or saccharic acid, Polyphenols, lactic acid, and vitamin C, which also serves to prevent cancer risk.
4. Prevent Cardiovascular Disease
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Impaired heart function increases the risk of stroke or heart attack. However, the adoption of a healthy lifestyle is an effective way to prevent these two cardiovascular diseases. These healthy lifestyle practices include a healthy diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, exercise, and not to forget, consuming kombucha tea.
Several studies have proven that kombucha tea improves low and high-density lipoproteins, which are always linked to the causes of heart disease. These lipoproteins are linked to cholesterol, their passage through the arteries, and their subsequent elimination. They are important for the regulation and control of lipid (fat) levels in the blood.
Increasing the production levels of these lipoproteins will not completely prevent heart disease, but it will better regulate cholesterol. This way, it reduces the chances of contracting these diseases. However, further medical research is still needed to strengthen the claims of the benefits of kombucha tea on this one.
5. Helps Overcome Depression
Depression symptoms vary from person to person but can include general feelings of sadness and hopelessness. Also, depression can cause problems such as poor concentration, insomnia, and low energy.
Drinking kombucha tea can be one way to deal with the depression that is being felt. This drink may provide some relief and help boost your mood by increasing the production of hormones such as serotonin.
In addition, it is high in vitamin B12, which is known to increase energy levels and contribute to general mental well-being.
6. Helps Maintain Weight
Kombucha tea helps to lose weight because it regulates appetite. Probiotics can encourage the production of leptin and insulin hormones related to satiety. So it is possible that you will not feel exaggerated hunger and reduce your diet naturally.
Also, kombucha can be a great alternative if you enjoy soda or juice but are looking for a drink with fewer calories and less sugar to lose or maintain weight. Sugar contains a lot of empty calories, and if consumed in excess, there is a risk that more calories are stored, which can lead to weight gain.
However, note that it is not sugar-free. This is because most of the sugar is fermented, but some are still there. Even so, this drink may only have 6 to 8 grams of sugar per cup.
Lastly, kombucha also helps to inhibit fat storage in your body; therefore, it helps to speed up metabolism and prevents fats from accumulating in different parts of the body. As everything is made with natural ingredients, the refreshment offers probiotic qualities, similar to those found in yogurts and kefir, which help the functioning of the intestine. It is also rich in vitamins, nutrients and also has enzymes that aid digestion.
7. Get The Benefits Of The Vitamin Content In It
Kombucha is known to contain vitamin B complex and vitamin C—that way. When you drink it, you will also get the benefits contained in vitamin B complex and vitamin C.
By getting vitamin B complex, the body will maintain cell health by helping in the production of red blood cells, maintaining healthy nerve function, maintaining heart health, maintaining brain function, and the benefits of other B complex vitamins.
Also, you can get the benefits of vitamin C. Vitamin C plays a role in maintaining a healthy body and maintaining immune function.
8. Balance Blood PH.
Drinking kombucha tea can also help balance the pH of your blood. The drink itself, after fermentation, has an acidic pH (around 3). This is also the level that research and studies consider ideal for the greatest number of beneficial substances to thrive in tea (acids, amino acids, vitamins, and etc.) that contribute to the health of our body.
But despite being acidic, kombucha balances acid-alkaline levels harmonizing the body’s pH and thus contributing significantly to the health of your blood.
The ideal is that the pH level in the blood is at least 7.4. Generally, children are more alkaline, and the elderly are more acidic. Studies show that if the pH falls below 7 4. a door is opened for the proliferation of bacteria and viruses. Cancer patients, for example, have their saliva pH measured between 4.5 and 5.7.
Now, if you’re trying to make Kombucha Tea, watch the video below.
9. Boost Immunity
Although a lot of research for kombucha focuses on its benefits for the digestive system (which in itself helps boost immunity), there is also some fairly well-confirmed evidence that it contains powerful antioxidants and can help detoxify the body and protect it from the disease. This is because, according to research, most of the immune system is found in the gut, which is about 70 percent.
Therefore, the key to a strong immune system is optimal gut health. The fermented bacteria in kombucha can boost immunity because of the good bacteria that will always keep the intestine healthy. This means that by improving the digestive process in your intestines, your immune system will be strengthened.
But besides the gut, there are many components of kombucha that boost your immune system. Probiotics give your body the energy it needs to fight off harmful molecules. In addition, kombucha tea contains vitamin C, which is useful in combating inflammatory diseases, tumors, and cell damage.
10. Useful In The Management Of Diabetes
The next benefit of kombucha tea is to control blood sugar levels, especially in diabetics. This tea can inhibit B-amylase, a protein in the pancreas that is responsible for higher postprandial glucose levels after meals.
Also, due to the functions of the antioxidants it contains, it appears to help relieve symptoms of diabetes in research studies using animal subjects and more effectively than the anti-diabetic black tea it is derived from. This seems to be especially true when it comes to liver and kidney function, which is generally poor for people with diabetes.
More research is needed, but findings suggest that kombucha tea could one day be used as a complementary treatment for diabetes, in addition to traditional approaches such as weight loss. diet, exercise, oral medications, and insulin therapy
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many benefits of kombucha tea. You can ferment it yourself, but the process must be carefully monitored to prevent the growth of the wrong bacteria. Kombucha is now also available in more and more shops. Pay close attention to any unwanted chemical additives. It is a drink with which you can vary a lot in terms of taste and even marinate dishes.
It is best to experience for yourself how you like it. It’s a healthier alternative to sugary and chemically processed soft drinks. So. as a final tip. Add some kombucha tea to your life. Believe me. You will notice its benefits.
