Kombucha Benefits – Health

We have all heard that kombucha offers many health benefits.  But, what are the kombucha benefits specifically, and what can they do for you?  Today we are going to talk about the many benefits kombucha offers as well as the science behind them.  Get ready to be blown away!

As a disclaimer, we are not medical professionals.  The information contained in this article has been sourced from various research studies, which have been linked.

Kombucha Benefits: Probiotics, Antioxidants, Nutrients, & More!

Kombucha is essentially sweet tea that has been fermented with live yeasts and bacteria.  While this may not sound very appetizing, the fermentation process is responsible for the plentiful probiotic benefits kombucha offers.  After all, probiotics are a collection of live bacteria and yeasts that are beneficial to our health.  We will admit, “probiotics” sounds friendlier and perhaps more edible than “living microorganisms”!  The probiotics in kombucha offer health benefits that can improve quality of life in many ways. 

Kombucha is also loaded with antioxidants.  In fact, it is generally made with black or green tea—which have antioxidant qualities to begin with.  Polyphenols in tea are responsible for the antioxidant properties, and they actually increase in number during the fermentation process.  When kombucha ferments, it also forms several organic acids and nutrients with countless health benefits to offer.  Amongst these benefits are: 

Digestion & Nutrient Absorption

Our guts are filled with good and bad bacteria.  Probiotics offer more of the good bacteria and can create a barrier against the bad bacteria.  In doing so, evidence suggests probiotics normalize our digestive system.  Probiotics have been shown to slow the movement of foods through the gut by 12.4 hours, allowing for better absorption of nutrients and digestion of food.  

In spite of slowing the gut transit time, probiotics have also shown to increase the number of weekly bowel movements and soften stools.  In other words, they help our digestive systems become more “regular”.  Antioxidants in kombucha also fight free radicals in the gut that could otherwise lead to cell damage and disease.

All of these benefits can help to treat and prevent various digestive issues, such as diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, nutrient malabsorption, and constipation.  It’s hard to believe this is just the start of kombucha health benefits!

Allergy Treatment

Probiotics have also been shown to treat allergies.  Studies have shown that children and adults alike showed reduced symptoms of allergic rhinitis in response to allergens after ingesting probiotics.  While there are many variables involved–such as type of allergen, probiotic strain, and dosing—early research shows it might be worth reaching for a kombucha next time your seasonal allergies hit!

Oral Health

While probiotics are most commonly linked to gut health, recent studies have shown benefits to oral health as well.  Among these benefits are preventing plaque, fighting bad breath, preventing oral cancer, managing gingivitis, and decreasing inflammation from gum disease.  A vote for kombucha is a vote for your pearly whites! 

Immune Health

As mentioned in relation to gut health, probiotics can create a barrier against bad bacteria.  They do so by reinforcing the “barrier” function of the intestinal lining.  This, in turn, reduces the likelihood of harmful bacteria reaching the bloodstream.  The end result is protection against infections and immune related reactions. 

In fact, recent studies have shown that regular use of probiotics (such as those found in kombucha) can reduce the likelihood of catching a cold or getting an infection, increase the effectiveness of the flu shot, reduce the symptoms and the length of a cold, and even more!  Sounds like a great reason to kombucha guzzle your way to great health this flu season!

Kombucha also contains organic acids, many of which have been shown to inhibit growth of harmful microorganisms, which may otherwise lead to illness and/or infection.

Liver Health & Detoxification

 The glucuronic acid in kombucha also makes it an excellent health-aid for your liver.  Glucuronic acid is naturally produced by the liver, but our bodies often cannot produce enough to rid of all toxins.  Glucuronic acid, such as that found in kombucha, binds with toxins in our livers and allows for them to be released from the body, thus preventing them from overloading the liver and our bodies with toxins. 

Increased Energy

Kombucha offers a small amount of caffeine to give you a basic energy boost, but the long-term benefits offer much more.  By improving your gut health, kombucha makes it easier for your body to digest foods.  This means you are better able to digest and absorb energy-essential vitamins and nutrients from all of your food!  Your body will be more efficient in converting your food to energy in general. Kombucha also offers a small amount of energy-boosting B-vitamins in the drink itself.

Treatment and Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes type 2 is characterized by high blood sugar levels and a wide array of resulting symptoms.  A study on diabetic rats showed that kombucha slowed the digestion of carbs, reducing blood sugar levels.  In turn, the rats showed better liver and kidney function with the kombucha tea.  Kombucha is also very low in sugar, making it an excellent alternative to soda for those suffering from diabetes or at risk for diabetes.

Defense Against Cancer-Causing Agents, Reduced Inflammation, Heart-Disease Prevention

As mentioned, kombucha tea is loaded with polyphenols, which are packed with antioxidants.  Polyphenols offer incredible health benefits, including prevention and management of various chronic diseases, defense against cancer-causing agents, and reduced inflammation.   Polyphenols may even be a significant aid in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Much research on polyphenols is still needed, but we are continually learning more about the incredible health benefits they can offer.  In fact, they are even a key focus of “Brainhacker” Dave Asprey’s research and diet plans.

Weight Loss

Many studies have shown that our gut health and bacteria may be related to metabolism and weight. In order to improve gut health, one should supplement with probiotics such as the ones found in kombucha.  Studies have demonstrated that certain strains of beneficial gut bacteria have a positive impact on body weight and metabolism. More research is still needed to identify strains, dosage, and duration of probiotic use as a treatment for obesity; however, the early research is promising. 

Neurological Health

Studies have shown that polyphenols help us to defend against and perhaps even treat many neurodegenerative diseases and disorders such as MS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, stroke, and Huntington’s Disease.  Kombucha is a great source of polyphenols and the antioxidants they harbor. 

Probiotics, also found in kombucha, have also been up for review for treatment and/or prevention of neurologic diseases.  Probiotics may generally boost mood and cognitive function.  Additional research is needed to better understand their use in the prevention and treatment of neurologic disease.   

Limited Research

These kombucha benefits are pretty amazing, and this is just the beginning!  Research on health benefits of kombucha as a whole is still limited, and future findings are promising when there are so many benefits to be gained from its individual parts.  We cannot wait to learn more about how each of these compounds works together and separately to improve bodily functions and overall health.

We expect and hope to update this with new information and health benefits of kombucha in the future! Ready to start home-brewing your own kombucha today? Get started with our kombucha starter kit!