![]() These organic acids can be antimicrobial, making them something of a superhero in the fight against bad bacterial growth, says Smith. The fermented tea also is high in acetic, glucuronic and D-Saccharic acids. The nutritional resume of kombucha also includes hefty amounts of B vitamins, which are key to keeping your immune system humming along. “Maintaining that balance can have positive benefits on your digestive system and overall health and longevity.” Strengthening your immune system “Kombucha can really help feed and increase that good, healthy gut bacteria, which can help decrease any bad bacteria,” says Zumpano. “Good” bacteria are essential for your gut microbiome to thrive - and fermented foods such as kombucha contain probiotics to help keep those levels high. Take a whole-picture approach.” Boosting your gut health “But if you combine kombucha with an anti-inflammatory diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, it can help. “Drinking kombucha alone is not going to suppress your entire body’s inflammation,” cautions Zumpano. “And the fermentation process actually increases the amount of polyphenols.”īut kombucha shouldn’t be viewed as a magic solution for inflammation. “Polyphenols are known to act as strong antioxidants in the body and decrease inflammation, which is the root cause of many diseases and conditions,” explains Smith. This can help limit chronic inflammation that can lead to health issues such as heart disease, cancer and arthritis. Kombucha is loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols that work overtime to protect your body from damage. Research has shown that caffeine can promote weight and body fat reduction. “Some types of kombucha are more sweetened than others, so try to choose one with lower amounts of sugar,” advises Zumpano.Īnother potential weight loss perk? The little bit of caffeine found in kombucha may help rev your metabolism to burn more calories. Just be cautious about what kombucha you buy if you’re counting calories. We might wish that is it, but it’s just not.”īut drinking kombucha can be a positive step within a weight-loss plan - especially if you use the tea as a replacement for nutritionally empty soda. “I wouldn’t expect to see weight loss If you’re just drinking kombucha and not making other diet and exercise changes,” says Zumpano. Weight lossĭon’t count on a few bottles of kombucha to get your body toned and trim for swimsuit season. Let’s review some of the touted claims and what’s worth believing. Many of kombucha’s touted benefits are similar to those of other fermented foods, like sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, kefir and yogurt.īut research on what kombucha truly does for your health is somewhat limited: “There aren’t a lot of good quality, robust studies to support a lot of kombucha’s hype,” says Smith.īut Smith notes that compounds contained in kombucha have been associated with body-boosted benefits. Probiotics are “healthy little microbes” in kombucha that can do a lot of good in your body. We’re not talking cocktail-level booze, though: Alcohol levels are typically below 0.5%, allowing traditional kombucha to be sold as a nonalcoholic beverage. The fermenting process adds a bit of alcohol to kombucha. (“It has a very specific tang in any flavor,” says Zumpano.) The end result is a lightly carbonated drink that typically carries a vinegary taste. ![]() The brew typically sits and ferments anywhere from a week to a month. ![]() Sugar (perhaps white, turbinado, agave or honey).Kombucha qualifies as an ancient concoction given a birthdate that includes B.C. So, what’s powering this kombucha boom? Chalk it up to the beverage’s ballyhooed reputation as a health elixir that can help you shed extra pounds, fight illness and keep your ticker in tip-top shape.īut are those claims reality or just marketing magic? Let’s take a look with registered dietitians Julia Zumpano, RD, and Maxine Smith, RD. Kombucha now holds prime real estate on many store shelves. The popularity of this fermented and slightly fizzy drink exploded in the past decade, with worldwide sales totals growing from the millions to billions. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. ![]() Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. ![]()
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