As part of my gut healing strategy to recover from Hashimoto’s I added Kombucha Tea to my daily routine and saw a huge improvement in my digestion. I started making a continuous brew about 4 years ago and it has been going strong ever since. Let’s explore what it is and the amazing health benefits of Kombucha.
What Exactly is Kombucha?
Kombucha was known as the “Immortal Health Elixir” by the Chinese and originated in the Far East. It is a fermented health beverage made from a solution of tea and sugar to which a starter culture known as a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria + Yeast) is added. The SCOBY consumes over 90% of the sugar during fermentation, resulting in a low-sugar finished product. There is also some caffeine depending on the type of tea used but far less after the fermentation. This process is similar to what would happen when making sourdough bread or milk/water kefir. All fermented foods, of which Kombucha is one, have enzymes and beneficial bacteria and yeast that can improve gastrointestinal function, boost immunity and allow the body to more easily absorb nutrients and eliminate waste. I encourage everyone to find at least one fermented food that you like and eat it every day.
Health benefits
1. Detoxification - Kombucha has the ability to counteract liver cell toxicity. We are bombarded with toxins in our environment and they greatly reduce the body’s innate ability to heal itself. Kombucha has as much vitamin C as orange juice but only 1/10 the sugar. Vitamin C is a fantastic detoxifier and immunity booster. Kombucha is also high in glucaric acid, which aids the liver in its natural detoxification.
2. Digestion –The biggest reason Kombucha supports digestion is because of its high levels of beneficial acids, probiotics and enzymes. Kombucha has antioxidants that counteract free radicals that create mayhem in the digestive system. Research has shown Kombucha’s ability to prevent and heal leaky gut and stomach ulcers. Kombucha does have bacteria, but these are not harmful pathogenic bacteria, instead they are the beneficial type that compete with “bad” bacteria in the gut and digestive tract to create balance. The lactic acid in Kombucha helps prevent constipation, protects the walls of the bowels against decay, and regulates blood pH levels.
3. Energy - Kombucha’s ability to invigorate is credited to the formation of iron that is released from the black tea during the fermentation process. It also contains some caffeine (although in very small amounts) and B-vitamins, which can energize the body.
4. Immune Health – 80% of our amazingly powerful immune system that helps our body repair and rebuild is in the gut. Scientists suspect that a powerful antioxidant calledDSL (formed when black tea ferments but not in black tea alone) and the vitamin C in Kombucha are its main secrets in protecting against cell damage, oxidative stress, inflammatory diseases, and overall depression of the immune system. The probiotics in Kombucha also support the immune system. There can be up to 25 different strains of bacteria and yeast in Kombucha as well as powerful enzymes, which speed up your body’s metabolism, which means burning more fat and boosting your energy levels.
5. Joint Care - Kombucha can help heal, repair and prevent joint damage because it is loaded with glucosamines. Glucosamines naturally increase hyaluronic acid in the body that helps protect and lubricate the joints.
6. Weight Loss – Kombucha improves metabolism and limits fat accumulation. It is high in acetic acid (just like apple cider vinegar) and polyphenols, which are proven to help increase weight loss. Acetic acid also kills harmful bacteria and gives Kombucha its signature tart taste.
Alcohol Content
Kombucha does contain a very small amount of alcohol, which has been a source of much controversy in recent years. Store bought brews contain 0.5% to 1.0% alcohol. To put this in perspective, a person would have to drink a six pack of kombucha to equal the alcohol in a single 12oz beer.
How to make Kombucha Tea
For detailed instructions on how to make Kombucha read this post or you can watch my Facebook live video where I demonstrate how easy it is to make this delicious fermented beverage.
I really enjoy drinking this each evening as I am preparing dinner and I hope you will try it too. CHEERS!