Kombucha: The tasty brew transforming gut health
Although not everyone reaches for it daily, this beverage is steadily gaining popularity. You can find it in various flavours in supermarkets and health food shops, or you can even make it yourself. It's a drink that will surprise not only with its taste but also with its health-promoting properties.
Under the name kombucha lies a fermented drink based on black or green tea, often enriched with additional flavours. The fermentation process gives it natural fizz, making kombucha a potential alternative to less healthy fizzy drinks.
How to make kombucha?
Although the drink's base is tea, its preparation wouldn't be possible without SCOBY, a special culture of bacteria and yeast. It's commonly called a tea fungus or Japanese mushroom. The fermentation process typically lasts from 7 to 30 days and happens at room temperature. It all depends on how sour you want the kombucha to be. It's a bit like pickles — the longer they ferment, the tangier they get.
During fermentation, yeast and bacteria metabolise the sugar, resulting in various compounds in kombucha. You can find acetic acid and lactic acid, which add a slightly sour taste, carbon dioxide, which naturally carbonates the drink, as well as probiotics, enzymes, and polyphenols.
Properties of kombucha
Kombucha is not only a curiosity on the market and an alternative to fizzy drinks. It's also a source of valuable nutrients and a natural support for the body. The fermentation process leads to the development of live bacterial cultures, which can support a healthy gut microbiome. This is a straightforward way to improve digestion or strengthen the immune system. Scientists have no doubts that the gut is our second brain and deserves proper support. Additionally, kombucha contains polyphenols (especially in the green tea variety), which help fight free radicals in the body, and vitamins from the B and C groups, which are vital for the proper functioning of the body, including supporting the nervous and immune systems.
A study was conducted on a group of 38 people. Each participant consumed 200 millilitres of kombucha daily for eight weeks. After this period, an increase in the population of Subdoligranulum bacteria, which produce the gut-beneficial butyric acid, was observed. Moreover, kombucha contributed to an increase in fungal diversity while limiting undesirable varieties. In individuals with obesity, there was a significant reduction in Ruminococcus and Dorea bacteria, which are associated with being overweight.
The study suggests that regular consumption of kombucha may be a straightforward way to improve gut health, potentially contributing to weight reduction. Thus, kombucha may prove to be a natural aid in the fight against excess weight.
The content on our services is for informational and educational purposes and does not replace medical consultation. Before making health-related decisions, consult a specialist.
