Kombucha is a slightly fizzy, fermented, and sweetened black or green tea beverage that is popularly consumed for its health benefits.
It is known to have originated in Manchuria, China where it is a traditional drink, or, in Russia and Eastern Europe and it is believed to have been around for a long time. Some claim, since over two thousand years.
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What Is Kombucha? And How Is It Made?
Nowadays it is popular to brew this beverage domestically but it is also available abundantly for purchase as commercial products.
It is made by fermenting sugared tea with SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), which is a growth of acetic acid bacteria and yeast on a biofilm.
Various brewing methods and can produce a different mix of acids and micro-nutrients but they are normally found to contain some enzymes and amino acids, polyphenols, vitamin B and C, glycerol, lactic acid, etc.
A small amount of ethanol is also found to be in some brews that can range from 3-4% initially, to 0.5%, which is the ideal level.
Most importantly these drinks are found to be packed with probiotics that have reverberating benefits that even include weight loss!
How to drink Kombucha for weight loss?
Kombucha hosts a variety of properties that, when combined with other lifestyle changes, can lead to weight loss.
Here are some of such 3 known ways Kombucha can aid weight loss:
1. Rich in probiotics
We all know how important maintaining a healthy and structured diet is for helping weight loss. Besides regular physical activity, this is probably the most crucial factor.
And efficiently digesting your well-structured diet is imperative for reaping maximum benefits and ensuring the effectiveness of that diet.
Kombucha is packed with an abundant supply of healthful probiotics that restore healthy gut bacteria which are responsible for the efficient digestion of the food you eat.
These bacteria help break down the food which makes their absorption easier and helps filter out the waste products as well.
Ideally, consuming small amounts of Kombucha beverages before every meal is recommended for the best results.
2. Kombucha vs Sugar
Kombucha is great for those with diabetes in many ways.
Various studies conducted on fermented drinks including Kombucha have shown that they can help reduce the blood sugar level by slowing down the digestion of carbs and avoiding sugar spikes.
Furthermore, Kombucha made with ‘Green tea’ is especially good for this purpose because of its already known benefits of reducing blood sugar levels.
Sugar is the main culprit of weight gain today and it is known to be incredibly addictive as well.
Kombucha does have small amounts of sugar but it is dispersed in other healthy compounds that slow down sugar absorption.
These factors make Kombucha an excellent substitute for satisfying your sugar cravings, so Kombucha can be a good alternative.
Because of their natural fizziness, they can also be used as a substitute for sodas and other carbonated drinks which are also doused with harmful amounts of sugar.
These factors will altogether contribute to the promotion of weight loss.
3. Boosts energy levels
Physical activity is probably one of the most important factors for achieving weight loss. Intensive workouts help burn calories and boost your metabolism.
Kombucha drinks contain iron and B vitamins that are known to increase the hemoglobin in the blood which enhances the flow of oxygen.
More oxygen in supply in your bloodstream will help boost your energy levels and sustain longer durations of physical activity, thereby burning more calories that will lead to weight loss.
Other potential health benefits of Kombucha
It is known to be rich in polyphenols and antioxidants. Polyphenols are known to block gene mutation and growth of cancer cells while also promoting cancer cell death.
Antioxidants are known to combat free radicals which are also a potential cause of cancer development.
It may help manage Type 2 diabetes because it influences blood sugar levels as discussed previously.
Tea (especially green tea) is known to protect LDL cholesterol particles from oxidation, which is thought to contribute to heart disease.
So Kombucha made with green tea may help reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
It contains glucosamine that builds and maintains cartilage in the body and provides a progressive reduction in joint pain.
So, it may help in treating related diseases such as arthritis and other joint pains.
Healthy gut microbes in your body are known to play a role in your mental health by enhancing your mood and reducing the risk of depression and anxiety.
So, the probiotics abundant in this beverage may serve such additional benefits.
Where can you get it?
If you are planning to incorporate Kombucha into your daily lifestyle, you might want to consider brewing a batch yourself at home.
Regularly depending on Kombucha products in the market can put a bad dent in your wallet.
But if you are just looking to try out this beverage and see how you like it, then there are a lot of options you can find both online and in your local marts.
Brew Dr Kombucha
Comes in one 14 fl oz bottle that has a subtle but sweet rosemary mint flavor while just packing 5g sugar per serving!
Comes in one 14 fl oz bottle that has a subtle but sweet rosemary mint flavor while just packing 5g sugar per serving!
This particular item has a ‘Freshness guarantee’ on Amazon so you know it is from a quality producer.
If you are planning for a long-term use then it is recommended you brew your Kombucha at home. It is a very easy process with the right raw materials.
The Kombucha Shop – Kombucha Starter Kit:
It contains everything you need for brewing 1 gallon of refreshing Kombucha tea including step-to-step instructions.
If you plan on buying a store version of this beverage, pay attention to the sugar content.
And if you are considering brewing then make sure you follow all the steps carefully and refer some YouTube videos too, if you want to, because improper brews may produce high alcohol content or result in bad tasting batches.
Kombucha tea is undoubtedly useful for a wide range of health benefits as we have discussed above including the promotion of weight loss.
However, don’t be misled into thinking that consuming this beverage alone can serve this purpose.
A holistic approach that involves the substitution of addictive soda and sugary drinks with Kombucha, cutting off unnecessary carbs, and maintaining a good exercise routine will be the way that paves your weight loss objective.
Kombucha will surely encourage and influence all such activities while also providing a tasty and refreshing experience along the way.
Now, keeping in mind all the additional benefits that it can offer, it seems to be an urgent addition in our diets that we should certainly make soon!
