Everything you need to know about Kombucha, the gut-healthy, probiotic-rich beverage

Kombucha lends a feel-good factor and is quite refreshing as a beverage (Image: Pixabay)

Kombucha is a sweet, tangy... and here's the twist, fermented tea with numerous health benefits. The fermentation process involves green or black tea, sugar, water, and a culture of live bacteria and yeast. The microbial culture transforms the sweet tea into a naturally fizzy beverage, rich in probiotic properties that help aid digestion and immunity.

The popularity of kombucha comes from the millions of good bacteria present in each bottle that help support digestive health.

The beverage is a power punch packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties, and is also getting popular at parties as a mixer for cocktails and mocktails. It has a distinct flavour due to the tea base and fermentation process. And, to appeal to a larger audience, manufacturers add fresh fruit extracts like strawberries, apples, and lemon with herbs like ginger, mint, and coriander for better taste.

Also read: Will 2023 be the year of the microbes?

Gut feeling

Fermentation has been used for centuries to preserve and enhance the digestive benefits of natural foods. Our gut has a direct link to the brain, so improving our digestion improves the working of our brain and reduces mental stress too. Fermentation expert Gaurav Sanan, co-founder of Odd Fellows Delhi, mentions, "Kombucha offers a natural, low-sugar alternative to highly-processed soda and other caffeinated beverages. The taste profile lies somewhere between vinegar and champagne – offering a healthy non-alcoholic beverage option. While probiotic pills carry specific strains of bacteria, drinks like kombucha carry a wide variety of good bacteria that helps the gut retain its balance. The acidic pH of kombucha allows safe passage for the probiotic to pass safely by the stomach acids and reach the digestive centers, the intestines, and the colon."

Here's the catch
Kombucha lends a feel-good factor and is quite refreshing as a beverage. It has certainly hit a cord with urban Indians who are always on the lookout for healthy foods and wellness products. However, added sweeteners, preservatives, and chemicals can do more harm than good – leading to blood sugar spikes and illnesses. Hence, it's always a good idea to inspect the ingredients before consuming them.

Kombucha can be made at home as most of the ingredients are easy to source and you can purchase the culture from a brewer (Image: Pixabay)

"Kombucha has lower calorific value than soft drinks but even so, it is not sugar-free," highlights health coach and senior nutritionist Manissha S Bhagat. She says, “You cannot get kombucha without sugar because sugar is the food that SCOBY (bacteria that ferments brewed tea) feeds on it and grows. However, commercially packaged and processed kombucha drinks are typically more acidic and do not offer a diversity of good bacteria and yeast. Commercial kombucha found in stores is limited by the bottling process and is even pasteurised which defeats the whole purpose of drinking a probiotic. Manufacturers need to stop yeast fermentation and culturing to prevent continued carbonation or the bottles could even explode."

Also read: Big ferment: This ancient food preparation technique has won over food scientists, too

Can kombucha be made at home?

Kombucha can be made at home as most of the ingredients are easy to source and you can purchase the culture from a brewer. "We take workshops on how to make kombucha and gut health to help more people understand the benefits of fermentation. Hygienic conditions while preparing kombucha are very important to prevent any unwanted bacteria from entering the mix. A general batch of kombucha takes about 7-10 days to prepare. Such topics can be discussed with a fermentation expert when brewing at home," says Sanan.

Pros and cons
A well-brewed non-commercial homemade kombucha is an extremely rich source of vitamin B12. It also offers a decent amount of Vitamin C as well as some other antioxidants. However, one has to be careful while brewing kombucha. "Fermenting sugar-rich tea concoction can sometimes invite harmful pathogens such as e-coli to grow. While there are some health benefits, kombucha is an acidic beverage and can affect tooth enamel or may lead to discoloration. Many kombucha drinks have a lot of added sugar, which can be problematic for people with diabetes and can even lead to weight gain if consumed on regular basis just like any other sweet beverage," adds Bhagat.