Kombucha: Immortal Healthy Elixir Or Homemade Poison?

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Kombucha is a type of fermented tea that has become incredibly popular, primarily because of its supposed health benefits. The idea that kombucha is health is nothing new. The history of this drink dates back 2000 years.

Meanwhile, it has been dubbed the "Immortal Healthy Elixir" in China, spreading around the world, embracing Russia as a healthy drink made by millions, commercialized and sold on a large scale in the United States, and sold as anything from digestive aid to a cure for cancer..

The Mayo Clinic, the FDA and others warned some time ago the possible dangers of kombucha. What to believe in this collection of ideas about the health (or harmfulness) of kombucha?

How does kombucha harm people?

Kombucha, like many drugs, has the potential for harm. In most cases, the problems arise due to a lack of careful practices among home brewers. In several other cases, problems arise because kombucha, as a fermented food, naturally contains a small amount of alcohol. Let's talk about the last question first.

Kombucha contains alcohol. Usually not much - the maximum is often around that of weak beer, but more alcohol than fruit juice. Some people are not sensitive to this alcohol at all, while others are. For most, this depends on their individual level of sensitivity to alcohol. Women tend to be more sensitive to alcohol than men, and those with lower body weight are also more vulnerable. But unless you consume more than a large glass or drink a very old kombucha, the effect is usually a moderate "buzz" at most.

Now, for less careful cooking at home. While the harm from home-made kombucha is rare, it is still worth considering when drinking and (especially) making kombucha. The problem is related to the fact that most people around the world who drink kombucha drink a homemade product that is made from raw, fermented materials.

This means that (ideally) you use good bacteria and yeast to ferment something and then consume it without cooking to kill the bacteria. If you only have good bacteria in the mixture, it's incredibly healthy. But when your bacteria get dirty, then you head for problems.

You can often tell when a batch of kombucha is bad because of its "absent" smell and taste. However, some types of contamination are not observed in the aroma and taste of a batch, so even if your homemade kombucha looks good, it may not.

For most people, drinking a glass of the drink will not do much harm, but if you have health problems or get some particularly nasty bacteria in your kombucha and drink a lot of them, you could cause an allergic reaction, infection and / or upset stomach.

In addition to the issue of contamination, uninformed or uncharacteristic home cooking can also cause long-term lead poisoning. How does this work? If you ferment your kombucha in ceramic pots, lead can leak from the glaze and gradually poison you. Fortunately, this potential problem is fairly easy to avoid. Just boil the kombucha in a glass jar, fermenting it for wine or beer.

How does Kombucha affect health?

There has not been much official research on the health benefits of consuming kombuchaso most of the evidence for its benefits is anecdotal. However, there are many anecdotes and cultural beliefs about the health benefits of kombucha.

This, combined with personal experience of the health condition associated with consumption of kombucha, it is enough for many people to swear by their overall health benefits and efficacy in preventing, improving and treating certain health problems.

Here are some of the major health claims associated with kombucha:

Kombucha nourishes and detoxifies the body. Kombucha is rich in many amino acids, enzymes, bacterial acids, probiotics, antioxidants, glucuronic acid, trace elements in microorganisms, B vitamins and various other powerful nutrients.

Several of these substances can reduce the burden on the pancreas and liver, thus helping the body in its natural detoxification process. In addition, the antioxidants in kombucha can boost the immune system and increase energy levels.

It is widely believed to support digestion and the health of the stomach and intestines. Live kombucha contains a huge amount of beneficial bacteria, which means that it is probiotic in nature. There are many health benefits associated with probiotics. These include improved digestion, reduced symptoms of fibromyalgia, fighting the growth of candida (parasitic yeast) and increased mood stability and mental clarity.

Kombucha can prevent cancer (or according to some even cure it). It contains large amounts of glucaric acid, a substance that some studies have shown prevents cancer. Anecdotally, it is believed that various people were cured of cancer. In Russia, kombucha is known as tea kvass (as kvass is something like home-made Russian malt beer) and is said to be the reason why large areas of the country have unusually low cancer rates.

Kombucha can be good for your joints. It includes a group of chemical compounds called glucosamines. Glucosamines are considered a powerful prevention and treatment of arthritis. This is because they increase the body's production of hyaluronic acid, a compound that preserves, maintains and protects joints in a variety of ways.

You can know for yourself if kombucha is the thing you would like to do as a regular part of your diet. Listen to your instincts and best judgments and feel your body's unique response to the kombucha to determine if it's right for you.