Kombucha

Kombucha is the soda alternative that leaves your mind, body, and soul refreshed and revitalized. It’s flying off the shelves like wildfire, but is kombucha actually good for you, or is it just another food fad frenzy?

Kombucha is jam-packed with antioxidants. The fermented tea is rich in the antioxidant polyphenol which helps the body fight against free radicals. And it’s high in vitamins and minerals too! Vitamins C and Vitamins B6, B1, and B12 are formed as the sugars break down during the fermentation process. 

Kombucha can be made from either green or black tea, with the former being renowned for its bioactive compounds, cholesterol-busting properties, and blood sugar level control. The acids produced can kill harmful bacteria and even reduce the risk of heart disease! There’s a lot to love in this little drink.

In that case, Kombucha, in its purest form, is certainly good for you. Always read the side of the bottle - the mass production of the beverage has meant that some companies have added artificial sweeteners and sugars post-production. So if you want kombucha with all the bells and whistles, make sure you’re drinking it the old-fashioned way! Organic, fermented tea with yeast cultures, natural flavorings, and nothing more.

A History of Kombucha

Kombucha. You’ve seen it on the shelves of your local organic food store for a couple of years now, but what actually is it? Kombucha has been around for thousands and thousands of years and has stood the test of time. It originated in northeast China about 220 B.C. and was used primarily as a herbal medicine. 

Legend has it that a Korean doctor named Dr. Kombu brought the fermented tea to cure Emperor Inkyo’s chronic illness at the time. In the 1900s, as the trade route evolved, Kombucha made its way ashore Russia and Germany first, before exploding across Europe after a seminal doctoral article was published in Switzerland hailing the miracle drink for its momentous healing properties akin to yogurt and other products rich in probiotics.

By the 1990s, DIY fermentation was all the rage, from kimchi to sauerkraut to sourdough to Kombucha! A seminal book on the craze named ‘The Art of Fermentation’ by Sandor Katz hit the shelves and demystified the processes and concepts that made up basic at-home pickling! 

Suddenly, all the foodies and alternative healers were at it! People shared SCOBYs ( symbiotic cultures of bacteria and yeast) like there was no tomorrow. It’s the yeast and bacteria that convert refined sugar into lactic acid which is what gives kombucha that natural carbonation and distinctive sourish taste profile. 

These days, kombucha can be found anywhere from the local gas station to the museum gift shop! With a plethora of brands and flavors to choose from, the world is your oyster. Why not even try your hand at homemade kombucha cocktails! 

Is Kombucha Good for You?

The fermented tea and praised bacteria-busting drink, kombucha, has been claimed to take action against a whole host of illnesses and diseases. But how many are true and how many are simply folklore? Let’s find out...It’s time for Kombucha: FACT or FICTION!

‘Kombucha contains probiotics.’ FACT!

Kombucha, like other fermented foods such as kefir and sauerkraut, contains live microorganisms which lead to probiotic bacteria being produced during fermentation. When ingested in dense concentrations, probiotic bacteria can aid digestion and improve gut health. However, It is still in question whether kombucha contains enough probiotic bacteria to enact these properties effectively and conclusively.

‘Kombucha helps with weight loss.’ FICTION!

As a general rule of thumb, if something promises to help you lose weight, it’s either lying, or it’s not something you want to be ingesting. There is absolutely no conclusive medical evidence to support the claim that drinking kombucha would induce weight loss. This unfounded claim may have found roots in the fact that optimal gut health usually coincides with efficient metabolism and effective fat burning as well as proper digestion. While those correlations may be true, they simply can’t be attributed to drinking kombucha alone. Kombucha simply doesn’t contain probiotics in concentrated enough quantities to significantly shift the balance of gut health this drastically.

‘If you drink too much kombucha you’ll get drunk.’ FICTION!

Kombucha has a maximum of 0.5% alcohol content and often much less. To feel a buzz from kombucha, you’d have to ingest about eight bottles of the stuff, which would equate to an average glass of larger. Twenty-four bottles would theoretically leave you drunk, but we aren’t sure how you’d fit that much liquid inside you without popping first! That being said, home-brewed kombucha can have a much higher alcohol content, so don’t let those FDA rules and regulations get you down!