What is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a carbonated drink made from yeast, sugar, and tea. The combination of these ingredients is left to ferment, allowing bacteria and acids to form in the drink. These bacteria are thought to have many health benefits.
Is Kombucha Alcohol?
Because of the fermentation process, kombucha contains a small amount of alcohol. However, it is not meant to be an alcoholic beverage, such as beer. In fact, it would be highly unlikely to get drunk from kombucha as most commercial brands average around 0.5% ABV. Theoretically, it would take somewhere over 8 bottles of kombucha (in a short period of time) to begin feeling any of the alcoholic affects.
What are the Benefits of Drinking Kombucha?
Because of the fermentation process, kombucha contains probiotics that, like yogurt, can aid in digestion and help balance out the good bacteria in your gut. When your gastrointestinal tract is well-balanced and healthy, you may notice clearer skin, less stomachaches, and a better night’s sleep.
The fermentation process also provides kombucha with acetic acid. Acetic acid is known to kill infection-causing bacteria and suppress the growth of the “bad bacteria” we all have in our gut.
Some kombucha is made from green tea, which has a plethora of its own health benefits (read about those benefits here).
Studies performed on rats indicate that kombucha may reduce the risk of heart disease by improving
“bad” (LDL) cholesterol and “good” (HDL) cholesterol levels.
Many studies suggest tea-drinkers are less at-risk of developing some types of cancer. Studies
performed on cancer cells in test tubes have shown kombucha can slow down the growth of cancer cells
and simultaneously promote the death of cancer cells.
Want to learn more about kombucha and its potential health benefits?
Check out these resources:
Medical News
Today: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319630#_noHeaderPrefixedContent
Cleveland Clinic: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-are-kombuchas-health-benefits-and-how-
much-can-you-safely-drink/
