I’m going to be a little honest. When I first heard people say that they were going to sip on some kombucha in order to help them maintain their weight and stay healthy in general, I thought that fuzzy drink was a gross acidic mush that only the healthiest nut jobs could withstand.
Most of the time, I even heard reviews from friends who drank kombucha that the drink was incredibly hard to take in and they even had to plug their noses while shoving it down (the ones who said this, I later found out, made it from home, which is less appealing than buying it from the store unless done correctly).
It shouldn’t be surprising that all of these testimonials turned me off from trying this drink, so I was incredibly late to the kombucha bandwagon because I still harbored images of a drink with a bunch of yeast and fungus that would give me a stomachache.
Although I did read plenty about this famous drink on the internet, I thought to myself that such incredible elixirs can’t possibly taste good at all, and there’s a good chance I might vomit that stuff back up.
But last Christmas Eve, as I was shopping around Costco and preparing for the holidays, I passed by a box of kombucha that looked just like this:
The packaging looked pretty nice, and I immediately thought that it couldn’t be all that bad. When I went home and opened the bottle, my first impression was that it kind of fizzed up like soda, and I was honestly expecting a sort of sweet taste.
Although of course, it was no ginger ale, the taste was actually tolerable and the flavoring of the kombucha sure helped a lot (if you make kombucha from home, add something like honey or fruits to flavor it!).
I would recommend sipping the kombucha between small time intervals, as you can feel it swirl around in your stomach and cause it to grumble, a sign that it is cleaning out the digestive system as it supposed to.
Kombucha 101
For those who aren’t well versed with what kombucha is like I was, it is an ancient drink originating from East Asia that has been savored for centuries and is known for its numerous health benefits.
It is a bubbly drink that has become trendy in the organic food world due to all the probiotics it packs per bottle. The refreshing beverage is obtained by the fermentation of either green or black tea with a symbiotic culture of acetic bacteria and fungi.
The probiotic cultures in kombucha grow in the gut to replace harmful bacteria that could potentially cause illnesses. Due to this drink’s ability to kill microbes and fight a range of bacteria, it can prevent the risk of infections and, as I mentioned before, clean out the digestive system.
One of the key ingredients of this magical drink is SCOBY (short for Symbiotic Cultures of Bacteria and Yeast), and is essentially the home for the bacteria and yeast in order to transform your sweet tea into a tangy, fuzzy kombucha.
Kombucha can be bought from a variety of stores such as Whole Foods, Giant, and Wegmans for around $4.
Below are some of the health benefits of kombucha, and this will give a better sense as to why people are raving about it.
1. Kombucha Promotes Weight Loss
Due to its promotions of a properly functioning digestive tract and healthy gut, kombucha not only benefits an individual’s overall health, but it can also promote weight loss.
Studies have shown the correlation between the gut microbiome, obesity, and weight loss. The balance of healthy bacteria in the digestive system that aids in breaking down food and absorbing nutrients helps to reduce excess fat and boost the metabolism.
2. Kombucha Detoxifies The Body
When made properly, kombucha contains multiple B vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants, probiotics, acids, and glucosamine, which is a naturally occurring chemical found in the human body found in the fluids that surround joints.
All of these components combined aid in strengthening the body’s joint structure and natural detoxification process.
The present gluconic acid found in kombucha can also be found in fruits and veggies, binds to toxins to help expel them from the body.
With so much scientific evidence, it is clear that kombucha is a great option for cleansing the body.
3. It’s Packed with Probiotics
Probiotics are live microorganisms that are meant to provide numerous health benefits when consumed.
They are generally safe to consume, and in terms of kombucha, consist of yeast and bacteria (although it should be noted that too much can cause some unwanted side effects).
The beneficial bacteria that is consumed provides health benefits and restores the natural balance of the gut.
4. Kombucha Reduces Risk of Heart Disease
In studies done on rats, kombucha improved heart health in as few as 30 days.
A study published in Pharmaceutical Biology found that kombucha lowered unwanted LDL (Low-density lipoprotein, which transports fat molecules), and led to higher levels of HDL (High-density lipoprotein, which is good cholesterol since it carries cholesterol from other parts of the body to the liver, where it is removed).
5. You Get a Bonus of Protection From Cancer
Microbiomes are an especially powerful tool in order to provide anticancer power. The live microorganisms found in kombucha reinforces our natural defense against some forms of cancer and free radicals.
These microbes are scientifically proven to activate our cells that kill cancer-harboring cells.
This study published in the journal “Pathophysiology” is one example of kombucha containing the ability to protect cells, in this case liver cells. I guess by now, we can both conclude that kombucha is indeed a health elixir filled with magic.
6. Kombucha Provides an Energy Boost
Combined with the small amounts of caffeine and energizing B vitamins as well as iron, many people have claimed that they felt more energetic after consuming kombucha.
Iron increases hemoglobin in the blood, thus enhancing oxygen flow which is fed into working cells.
Having a healthy boost that comes without the adverse effects of highly concentrated caffeine is like heaven on earth, and not to mention, a much better alternative.
Have you tried kombucha before? What are some of your favorite flavors? I personally love the Strawberry Serenity one!
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