Health Benefits of Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented health tonic known since the ancient times for its gut-loving, body-detoxing, immune-boosting, anti-fungal & energy-boosting properties.

It is made using just tea, sugar & a mother culture called a SCOBY (more about the famous Kombucha SCOBY here).

Let us start with a short story

I once knew a girl, who from the age of 11 suffered with daily bloating, random food intolerances, skin rashes & very low energy.

She was in and out of the doctors, keeping food diaries, drinking more water, taking supplements, taking laxatives, cutting out food groups, until she eventually accepted that “this was just the way she was”.

When she was living in a Japanese mountain village at the age of 28, she was suffering on the diet of mostly rice & cabbage, and a kind local offered her some homemade “Kombucha”.

After a few days of drinking just a small amount every morning, it was like a light had come on inside her. The bloating and heaviness eased, her skin started to clear up, and her energy levels were rising.

She went to learn about this mysterious “Kombucha”, which was simply fermented tea, and was supplied with a weekly bottle from her kind friend, for the rest of her stay in Japan.

When she came home she started to make her own, just as she had been shown how to in Japan. She (eventually) convinced friends and family to try her Kombucha, and was surprised that everyone seemed to feel different “health benefits”.

After a while of brewing a supply of Kombucha for everyone, she decided they’d have to start making their own. She drove around dropping off all the equipment, ingredients, and hand written instructions, then she went round dropping off tea bags hand packed with super high quality tea, for their top-ups.

Now, this girl lives (mostly) bloat free, she lives without any food intolerances, without skin rashes & with (mostly) high energy levels …

… she runs a business helping others to discover the magic of brewing Kombucha at home, she has found her passion, and …

That girl is ME, Hebe, and the very long version of this story can be found here.

So, when you ask about the specific health benefits of drinking real, fresh, live Kombucha everyday, I don’t have the answers, no one does.

After my own journey, and hearing the stories of so many customers, my advice is always to keep trying new things, being patient and listening to your own body.

You never know what unexpected benefits you might feel! Be health curious, take control and be your own ‘trial and error’ project.

Some of the widely discussed potential benefits of drinking real Kombucha are ...

Photo of a delicious, fresh, raw and totally natural glass of kombucha being poured into a fancy glass, against an aesthetic background with nice shadows being cast - boochacha

Can help to balance our minds

Gut cells & microbes produce many of the neurotransmitters which are sent to the brain to control our emotions, for example, apparently over 95% of serotonin (our happiness hormone) is produced in our gut.

When your gut microbiome is happy, it is thought that you’ll give your body the best chance at absorbing all the nutrients it needs from the food you eat, it’s possible that you’ll have less inflammation throughout the body and that you’ll maintain a healthy and happy balance all round!

Kombucha could be a good source of live probiotics

The fermentation process used to brew Kombucha possibly creates compounds such as acetic acid, traces of alcohol, and several species of lactic-acid bacteria, which may have a probiotic function.

The fermentation process also creates trace amounts of alcohol. This is because the yeast breaks down the sugars, transforming them into ethanol. The live bacteria then feed on this ethanol, turning it into acidity and giving Kombucha its distinctively sour taste, more info can be found on this here.

It is possible that probiotics bring good bacteria into your gut microbiome which can improve health in ways such as aiding digestion, reducing inflammation, controlling cravings and blood glucose levels.

Some recent findings have also lead scientists to believe that probiotics could be effective in helping with our mental health. Tim Spector has been providing information on this topic, and you can read more about that here!

The health benefits of tea are magnified with the fermentation

Green Tea, which is commonly (well … always in our case) used to brew Kombucha contains high amounts of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that might help to fight free radicals inside the body.

I find that using a high-quality, large-leaf-loose Green Tea produces a pure, citrusy type flavour profile within the Kombucha … you’ll have to try it (for free here) to see what I mean :)

Could help fight infection

One of the main compounds made in Kombucha is thought to be acetic acid, which is also found in vinegar.

Acetic acid is said to kill many microorganisms which could potentially be harmful to the body.

These antimicrobial effects can possibly help to suppress the growth of harmful infection causing bacterias and candida yeasts inside the body but are thought not to effect the beneficial, probiotic bacteria and yeasts involved in Kombucha fermentation.

Could help manage type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is characterised by high blood sugar levels which eventually cause insulin resistance, and it effects over 450 million people worldwide.

A study in diabetic rats showed that Kombucha slowed down the digestion of carbohydrates which reduced overall blood sugar levels. Kombucha made using Green Tea is likely to have an even bigger impact as Green Tea itself has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels.

I am currently OBSESSED with investigating the effects that Kombucha has on minimising glucose spikes which can be seen using a monitor, when a high carb / sugar load is being processed by the body. Research into the effects that these spikes have on the body is coming up with some super interesting results (causes fatigue, irritable moods, ageing to the face and body etc) and personally I think the Glucose Goddess is leading the way, see more about her here!

However, the quality of the Kombucha you drink directly impacts the possibility of feeling any health benefits, which is why we always recommend making your own!

Check out our famous Kombucha Starter Kits here

If you're already brewing your own Kombucha, check out Our current range of Kombucha brew-bags here!

There is plenty more research to be done on the complex topics of gut microbiomes, probiotics, prebiotics & all that jazz, and we have simply tried to outline the benefits commonly discussed when it comes to Kombucha.

Always consult a medical professional for advice specifically tailored to you, and if you have any concerns over whether Kombucha is a suitable drink for yourself.