Your yoga teacher drinks it and youve seen every color and flavor of it under the sun at Whole Foods yep, were talking about kombucha. If youve ever picked up a bottle of the stuff, you might be mystified by its appearance. What is this cloudy, mystical beverage all the health nuts cant stop raving about? Is it glorified sparkling water with a $5 price tag? Luckily, were here to guide you through fact and fiction so you can decide whether to add some booch to your diet.
Kombucha is a type of fermented tea not exactly what youll be drinking from a bottle of Lipton. WebMD explains its made by adding bacteria to green or black tea. From here, the concoction ferments into a tart and vinegary mixture, and juice is then added in for flavor. This process makes the beverage highly acidic, but the additional flavorings and sugar can actually make it quite delicious. Many are divided on the taste, though it has a very love-it-or-hate-it quality thats has been as highly debated as the flavor of IPAs and cilantro.
So, now that you know what everyones putting into their bodies, its time to figure out if its actually worth the hype. Heres what we know so far.
We all could use more probiotics in our diet. These good bacteria, Mayo Clinic explains, are similar to whats already in your body, and youre probably not getting enough of them naturally. By taking a supplement or eating probiotic-rich foods like kefir, kimchi, or yogurt, you can repopulate your gut with the good bacteria necessary for proper digestion and a healthy immune system.
Many types of commercially-available kombucha claim theyre chock-full of probiotics. But heres the thing not all probiotics are the same, and only some really provide any benefits. Everyday Health explains, for this beverage to have probiotics that actually help you, they need to be of a particular strain and able to survive past a certain shelf life. Otherwise, despite what the kombucha company may say, the drink doesnt offer any benefits from the bacteria.
Heres the thing about brewing your own kombucha many people do it safely and successfully, but there is a chance your homemade concoction can make you seriously ill. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reminds us of two women in who were drinking kombucha they made from the same base for two months straight in 1995. One of these women fell seriously ill, and the other died. Though its not totally clear if the tea was completely to blame here, let this serve as a cautionary tale.
Lifehacker explainsthe fermentation process used in making kombucha that allows the good bacteria to grow can also be a haven for nasty microbes. The good news is your highly acidic end product makes it hard for the bad bacteria to live. Still, there have been multiple reports of illnesses, so you might want to stick to the store-bought stuff.
If youre a soda drinker looking for a healthy alternative to your everyday indulgence, kombucha may have caught your attention. Theres even a company that offers root beer- and cola-flavored products to make you feel like youre not missing out on your favorite fizzy drink. But you might not realize some brands contain quite a few grams of sugar. Most flavors ofKombucha Wonder Drink, for example, contain up to 24 grams of sugar per bottle thanks to the addition of cane and fruit juices. Thats a little less than the amount of sugar found in six Oreos.
There are a lot of brands that do contain 5 grams of sugar or less per bottle, like GTs Organic Kombucha drinks. Just make sure you read the labels before buying.
You probably have that one friend who guzzles kombucha like water but you dont want to follow in their footsteps. While drinking the fermented tea from time to time isnt likely to give you any issues, WebMD warns you can experience an upset stomach if you drink too much of it thanks to its high acidity.
Its also worth noting there are traces of alcohol in kombucha. While it wont give you any type of buzz, you should certainly avoid the drink if youre sensitive or allergic to alcohol.
Its true a lot of people report feeling amazing after their glass of kombucha. Reporter Allison Young from Rodales Organic Life drank it every day for a week and said her cravings for Diet Coke were gone and her digestion improved. And the drink was particularly popular in the 90s among HIV-positive folks looking for an immune system boost. Most of its just hype, though. Andrea Giancoli, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told NPR, Theres really very little evidence to support any kind of claims about kombucha tea.
Heres the upshot: Even if its not a magical elixir, it is a pretty tasty and refreshing low-calorie beverage that could possibly have benefits we just dont know about yet. And thats worth something.
Many people can drink kombucha without an issue, but there are certain circumstances that warrant opting for another beverage. WebMD suggests those who are breastfeeding or pregnant should stay away from it due to the bacterial content. And diabetics might also want to be careful, as kombucha can affect blood sugar levels.
While a lot of people drink kombucha in hopes for better digestion, you should also be careful with this idea. Those with IBS may experience discomfort due to the teas caffeine content, and drinking it when you have any kind of upset stomach certainly wont make you feel any better.
Read more here:
Is Kombucha Really Good for You? Here's What You Need to Know - The Cheat Sheet
