Kombucha: everything you need to know about the drink –

Kombucha is a fermented tea with an acidic taste, naturally carbonated and refreshing. It has probiotic characteristics that can be very good for health. It can be sweet, dry, bitter, more alcoholic or softer, depending on the ingredients used in the preparation.

What is Kombucha?

Despite the popularity of the drink in recent years, not everyone knows what they are drinking. In short, it is a fermented tea drink that is usually sweetened with fruit juice, made with just a handful of ingredients: water, tea leaves, fruit juice or other sweetener, and a SCOBY (symbiotic colony). of bacteria and yeast).

Also known as “mother,” SCOBY is a mixture of yeast and bacteria (which look like jellyfish) that is added to sweetened tea, where it ferments the drink for up to a month.

Not only does this process introduce gut-friendly probiotics, it also eats away a good portion of the sugar, leaving a naturally carbonated, moderately sweet drink.

Kombucha Nutritional Information

Made only with natural ingredients, Kombucha can have completely different flavor and aroma characteristics, as they are a consequence of the combination of its ingredients. So the Nutritional value may vary. Unflavored, unsweetened versions, for example, usually have less sugar than those with additions, such as berries or citrus juice. While some sugar is required for the brewing process, certain brands add sugar to the beverage afterward, affecting the beverage’s calories.

What about those that contain alcohol? This will affect the nutritional information. While the fermentation process naturally creates some alcohol, the ABV can be increased by implementing a double fermentation process, extending the fermentation process, using wine yeast for fermentation, or adding more alcohol (in the case of strong kombucha. In general, however , most drinking varieties contain less than 0.5% ABV (and are therefore sold as non-alcoholic beverages).

Health benefits of kombucha

1

Improves digestive problems

The microorganisms present in kombucha fermentation improve intestinal transit, avoiding discomforts such as constipation and diarrhea. Drink also helps to produce enzymes that fight burning in the stomach.

two

It is a powerful antioxidant

Rich in vitamins C, K and complex B, kombucha has a strong antioxidant action and its frequent intake combats the famous free radicals, which cause skin aging and are associated with other diseases.

3

Help in instestional health

Many people don’t even imagine that the intestine, according to some studies, is considered our ‘second brain’ and keeping it regulated and healthy reflects on quality of life, immunity, mood and well-being. With this, the regular consumption of kombucha, with its high properties that reflect on the health of the organ, really becomes a great ally.

Potential Risks of Kombucha

While possible, adverse effects from drinking kombucha are “rare”.

But that’s no excuse to start drinking bottle after bottle of ‘booch, especially since drinking too much of the booch at once can lead to a condition called lactic acidosis, which is a buildup of too much lactic acid (which is in kombucha). into the bloodstream. It can lead to muscle cramps, nausea and fatigue, among other symptoms, according to the US Centers for Disease Control. While lactic acidosis probably isn’t an issue for healthy people, it’s recommended to keep kombucha consumption to about half a cup a day.

Another thing to note is that oftentimes, kombucha is not pasteurized. That is, it is not heat-treated to kill potentially harmful bacteria and is therefore at risk of containing pathogens. For this reason, pregnant women, young children, and people with compromised immune systems should avoid kombucha, especially if it’s not pasteurized, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Homemade kombuchas, on the other hand, may have food safety issues typical of home recipes, although they are not common, but they are a concern. It is crucial to have clean hands, clean surfaces and sterilized equipment to reduce the risk of introducing harmful pathogens into the process. The SCOBY should be checked regularly for mold or fungus. If found, the SCOBY must be thrown away.