Is Kombucha worth the money?

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What is Kombucha?
It is a fermented beverage that contains tea, sugar, bacteria, and yeast. These beverages are considered a probiotic which are healthy bacteria for the gut to fight off any harmful bacteria that we ingest and to boost our immune system. 

What are the health benefits?
Some have claimed that kombucha can help reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure, improve the function of the liver, pancreas, the immune system, and gastrointestinal functions. People believe this can be the cure to their gastrointestinal health, but is it really? Studies are limited as to what the true health benefits of kombucha are and there is a need for more research to determine if kombucha will help support better digestion. Typically research on kombucha are done in labs rather than in people so true benefits for people have not been proven. 

Who can benefit from Kombucha? 
People who are on antibiotics can help from probiotics because antibiotics can destroy the bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. They can attack the good bacteria as well as fighting off the bad bacteria. As a result, probiotics can help increase the number of good bacteria in the gut again. People who have a poor diet that involve a high level of fat and fructose can benefit from probiotics. But how much is enough? Center for Disease Control and Prevention suggest only 3 ounces a day of kombucha due to past reports of older people becoming ill when drinking 12 ounces of very acidic kombucha. As a result, immune compromised population such as the elderly, children, pregnant women should avoid this type of drink because it contains high numbers of bacteria which can cause more harm than good. 

Other options?
Kombucha can be an expensive probiotic costing anywhere from $4 to $6 varying based on the store. There are many options to get healthy bacteria in your diet that could be less expensive. These include kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh, miso, and some fermented dairy and aged cheeses have probiotics. However, for dairy productions make sure to look for products that say “live or active cultures” since not all products contain healthy bacteria. To get the full aid of good bacteria, probiotics need to have prebiotics to optimize benefits. Prebiotics are the fuel that help the growth of probiotics and they work together to improve the gastrointestinal health. Prebiotics include bananas, onions, garlic, asparagus, leeks, artichokes, soybeans, and whole wheat foods. However, healthy gut can be obtained by leading a healthy diet of incorporating fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, and omega 3 enriched foods. 

LS

Orenstein, B. (2015). For your information: the wonders of kombucha tea – is it healthful or hazardous. Today’s Dietitian, 17(6), 20. Retrieved from https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/060415p20.shtml

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