Kombucha originated some 2,000 years ago in mainland China. It then slowly worked its way to Japan and Russia, and has since spread to nearly every corner of the world.
In the past decade or so kombucha has been hailed as a health elixir in the US. Kombucha has been said to, among many things, boost metabolism, aid digestion, and help fight diseases like cancer and Type 2 diabetes.
I wanted to unpack some of these claims, and analyze which ones have actually been backed by science.
According to Healthline, kombucha is made “by adding specific strains of bacteria, yeast and sugar to black or green tea.”A symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (or a SCOBY) is placed into the concoction, and allows the kombucha to ferment.The SCOBY is the source of the purported good, probiotic bacteria that emanates from kombucha.
Kombucha can be left to ferment for as little as a week to as long as a month before consumption. During this process of fermentation, sugar within the kombucha is converted into alcohol, and then turned into acetic acid—giving kombucha its trademark sour flavor.
The resulting substance is brimming with acid, probiotics, vitamin B and antioxidants. The antioxidants present in kombucha help target free radicals, which are substances that age one’s cells.
Further, studies with rats have shown that Kombucha can help improve liver function by easing the impact of toxic chemicals, like alcohol, on the liver. Although the impact of kombucha on the livers of humans has not been thoroughly studied, the results seen in rats are promising.
In addition, kombucha is said to help defend against harmful microorganisms that infiltrate the body. The acetic acid released as a main byproduct of kombucha can be weaponized against such pathogenic bacteria.
Furthermore, Kombucha has been shown to somewhat help prevent heart disease through decreasing levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in the body, and increasing HDL (“good) cholesterol levels.
While the results of these studies are promising, they do not represent definite conclusions of the benefits of kombucha. For one thing, few studies on the impact of kombucha on humans have been conducted. Most of these studies have been limited to animals, such as rats. As Kombucha continues to popularize in our society, I am hopeful that more trials and experiments will be conducted to gather more information about the actual benefits of kombucha.
There are also a few things to look out for when consuming kombucha or brewing it from home. First of all, try to brew kombucha in as sterile an environment as you can. This means fermenting kombucha in a clean space that allows for very little interaction with the Kombucha itself. While Kombucha will more than likely produce good bacteria, contamination of kombucha can pretty easily turn good bacteria into bad, or unhealthy, bacteria for the body, such as mold.
When choosing kombucha in a store, oft for ones made of green tea rather than black tea. Green tea is richer in antioxidants than black tea, so the anti-aging properties of kombucha made with green tea, rather than black tea, are compounded.
In addition, steer away from fermenting kombucha for too long. If fermented for an exorbitant amount of time, the “good” bacteria within kombucha can be converted into “bad” bacteria.
If you want to be really safe, consider purchasing kombucha from the store instead of making it at home. Most companies that produce kombucha are likely to produce it in a very sterile environment, and are unlikely to ferment the Kombucha for too long.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-benefits-of-kombucha-tea#section9
