By: Eileen Guo
Do a quick search of kombucha online and you’ll find that the fizzy drink (produced by fermented tea, sugar, fungi, and bacteria) supposedly supplies sky-high energy, quells pain, fends off certain cancers, detoxes your body, helps you shed weight, and turns your immune system into a fortress. Guzzlers of the health beverage preach these promises, too. Here are a few potential health benefits!
Kombucha Contains Probiotics and Can Kill Bacteria
- We see more of that probiotic push in kombucha, probiotics being good gut bacteria. Fermented foods like kombucha may also improve the health of your intestinal cells, boost your immune function, and cut your risk of allergies and chronic diseases. There’s a catch, though: These benefits aren’t unique to kombucha itself, but rather probiotic-rich or fermented foods.
- Kombucha’s probiotics can also come with a downside. That’s because some brands of the drink are unpasteurized — and thus, you run the risk of a seriously upset stomach. Pasteurization kills off both harmful and helpful bacteria, so any potential beneficial probiotics would be gone as well. The bottom line: Probiotics are a key part of a healthy diet.
Kombucha keeps you away from sugary drinks and keeps you hydrated
- Since it’s lower in sugar compared to other options, it’s often a better choice and a step to cutting back on sugar from drinks overall. Drinking unsweetened beverages can definitely keep you hydrated, though potential health risks exist in those who drink an excessive amount of tea.
Kombucha holds many possible health benefits for people, but can also be potentially harmful. If you’re not into the taste of kombucha, many other foods are filled with probiotics and antioxidants. One drink doesn’t become a cure-all but can definitely act as a quick boost to your health.
