Consumers are drinking more "healthy" beverages. Why?
• Diabetes is still increasing at an alarming rate in the US. More than 37 million Americans are now estimated to have diabetes.
• Heart disease is on the rise in the US.
7% of men over 18 and 4.2% of women over 18 reported having heart disease in 2019. Approximately 695,000 Americans die of heart disease each year.
• Covid-19 and other contagious diseases continue to threaten our health for the foreseeable future, increasing mortality and health complications for several years after.
• More people are sharing that they are lonely, depressed, or anxious and consider their mental health to be a major health concern. An estimated 20% of Americans are considered to have a mental illness. And those are the reported results.
• According to the Alzheimers Association, more than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's. By 2050, this number is projected to rise to nearly 13 million.
For thousands of years, people have been consuming kombucha as a health tonic.
Kombucha has been nicknamed the "Elixir of Immortality" which would suggest an abundance of health benefits.
Let's take a look more closely...
Some people drink kombucha for its unique taste, some for the way it makes them feel, and some drink it for its purported health benefits.
What benefits you say? Let's take a look...
DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this article should be construed as medical advice. I am not a medical professional. Please speak with your doctor about your health goals, concerns, and anything else related to your health and well being. This information is provided for information purposes only so that you can have a conversation with your medical professional.
NOTE: Results vary, and not everyone experiences the same effects or benefits from eating the same foods. As more people consume kombucha, the number of scientific studies that investigate the various benefits and health claims of consuming kombucha will become more common.
I will keep this page updated with new information as it becomes available to me. If you have any personal health related questions, please consult your doctor. If you have any comments or suggestions, please email me at wayne@seattlekombucha.com.
1. FERMENTATION
Before refrigeration, fermentation was one of the main ways to preserve food. Other ways include smoking, drying, salting and pickling.
Fermented foods have been consumed to increase the amount of beneficial organic acids, vitamins and minerals in the food to support and improve proper digestion. The bacteria present in fermentation helps to pre-digest the food, making it easier for you to digest it when it enters your digestive system.
An abundance of new research links the consumption of fermented foods including kombucha and water kefir with overall improved body and brain health.
There are many new books and scientific research reports discussing this research. Please feel free to reach out to me for recommendations or follow our social media, or join our email list to receive recommendations.
2. DIGESTIVE HEALTH
Probably the #1 reason most people drink kombucha is to improve digestive health.
Many customers report being more 'regular' with their bowel movements when they consume our kombucha daily.
Customers also report that they experience less digestive upset.
From what I've read in the scientific research, most of the digestive benefits from kombucha come from the organic acids and vitamins that are produced from the fermentation process.
Since learning this, I reformulated our Seattle Kombucha in 2022/2023 so that it contains more organic acids and vitamins than other brands.
How? We brew our kombucha a lot longer, allowing more time for these acids to develop.
Other kombucha benefits reported in the research come from the antioxidants and compounds found in tea leaves - the main ingredient of kombucha.
Tea Benefits = Kombucha Benefits
3. KOMBUCHA MAY BE LOW IN SUGAR AND CALORIES
Kombucha can be low in sugar and calories, but you have to read the label.
Seattle Kombucha is low in sugar and calories.
Seattle Kombucha uses only organic sugar.
Seattle Kombucha does not use any artificial sweeteners.
Seattle Kombucha uses only real, organic sugar because it tastes better.
Recent scientific research I have read suggests that even if you use an artificial sweetener or alternative sweetener like allulose or erythritol, it affects your pancreas and insulin response the same because your brain thinks it is consuming sugar and the pancreas produces insulin.
4. ANTIOXIDANTS
Most kombucha is made from fermented green and/or black tea which is rich in polyphenols, which are a type of antioxidant.
Antioxidants help prevent or stop cell damage caused by oxidants.
“Oxidants are free radicals that you find in the environment, but they're also produced naturally in your body,” says Diane McKay, Ph.D., an assistant professor and researcher at Tufts University'sAntioxidants Research Laboratory.
5. ORGANIC ACIDS
Seattle Kombucha is rich in various organic acids that may help your body support healthy liver and kidney function.
Common beneficial acids that may be included include: acetic acid, gluconic acid, glucaronic acid, malic acid, lactic acid, oxalic acid, and nucleic acid.
More research is being conducted and published about organic acids regularly as more people become interested in kombucha.
Again, several beneficial acids may or may not be present in other kombucha brands. It all depends on what ingredients are being fermented and how long they are fermented, and what culture the kombucha is made from.
Seattle Kombucha brews longer to create more acids and a larger variety of beneficial acids.
6. GLUTEN FREE
Seattle Kombucha is gluten free. Most other kombucha tends to be gluten free, but you should always check the label to be sure. There are some new kombucha beers available that may contain gluten.
7. VEGAN
Seattle Kombucha is vegan.
Other kombucha may or may not be. Always check the label to be sure.
8. B VITAMINS
Seattle Kombucha contains B Vitamins.
Our B Vitamins come from the yeast cells present in the kombucha. How much B Vitamins are actually in the bottle depends on the ingredients used.
9. BENEFITS OF TEA AND OTHER INGREDIENTS
Since kombucha is made mostly from tea, kombucha has the beneficial properties of the various teas, fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices that make up the kombucha, including superfoods like elderberries, blueberries, ginger, turmeric, etc.
10. BIOAVAILABILITY
The process of fermentation may make naturally occurring nutrients more bioavailable, meaning that the nutrients are more able to be digested and used by the cells in your body instead of just 'passing through'.
Bioavailability is one of the main benefits of consuming fermented foods.
11. SUGAR and ALCOHOL CRAVINGS
Many customers claim that drinking kombucha regularly helps them reduce their cravings for sugar and/or alcohol.
CONGRATULATIONS!
If you have made it this far, I assume that you are very interested in your health, in the health benefits of kombucha and how to maximize your results.
If you have any questions or comments, or any new research you would like me to consider adding to this article, please reach out to me at wayne@seattlekombucha.com. Thanks!
Cheers to your health!
Wayne Greenfield, Founder and BrewMaster at Seattle Kombucha
SOURCES:
http://www.uaf.edu/chc/community-resources/educational-resources/DD_DigestiveDisease_Stats_FS.pdf
https://instituteofhealthsciences.com/probiotics-help-immune-system-in-your-gi-tract/
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/topics/heart-disease-prevalence.htm#:~:text=The%20age%2Dadjusted%20prevalence%20of,been%20diagnosed%20with%20heart%20disease.
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures
