There is a reason why gut health is so important. It actually impacts your immune system, mood, and your complete overall wellness. Diet, however, is not the only way to maintain your gut health. There are many foods that cause extreme gut discomfort. With the introduction of preservatives and additives in food, and with conventional farming practices, the level of nutrition in our food have gradually gone down in the last few decades. Many of the fruits and vegetables are in fact devoid of any valuable vitamins and minerals. This affects our well being and our gut health in particular. The gut health is also impacted by stress, affecting our digestion. With high stress levels in order to cope with modern life accompanied by poor diet with low nutrition, issues related to the gut health is one of the top ailments affecting the human body. As a result, probiotics supplements and probiotic foods are trending with conscious-minded individuals who want to make sure that their gut health improves and are in great working order. Kombucha is one such good source of probiotics that helps your digestion. Alcohol in Kombucha is a popular drink and is trending as a health drink too. Even though, it is a probiotic, it is important to check the label to ensure the levels of sugar and alcohol in Kombucha.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria and yeasts, or microorganisms in your digestive system. If you were prescribed a round of antibiotics by your doctor from a bacterial infection, chances are that you will lose a good deal of the good bacteria in your body. Antibiotics do not know how to differentiate between good and bad bacteria, therefore attack both. Probiotics are used in this to restore the balance of the good bacteria in your gut when it is disrupted by illness.
Probiotics also help maintaining the balance between the good and bad bacteria to keep your body healthy. There are many types of bacteria considered as “good”. Although they all have different benefits to offer, the most common forms are lactobacillus, bifidobacterium and saccharomyces boulardii.
One of the popular probiotic-rich foods is kombucha. It has yeast, and sugars and are essentially fermented teas in various flavors. It is also sold as a fizzy drink that comes in a wide assortment of flavors. Alcohol in Kombucha is common due to the fermentation process. It should be pointed out that the two differ from each other and is important to be aware of the difference. Kombucha is found to have antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties and may even have anti-cancer benefits. Despite the health benefits on its own, alcohol in kombucha, would however be harmful.
Kombucha is made by fermenting a sweetened green or black tea with yeast and bacteria or more commonly known as SCOBY, or a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. While the tea is fermenting, the yeast from the SCOBY breaks down the sugars found in the tea and releases probiotic bacteria. After the fermentation process takes place, kombucha becomes a carbonated drink that is a great replacement for those who love the fizz of soda.
Kombucha can now be found in almost every grocery store in the refrigeration section. If you have not tried it yet, do have a look around to see if kombucha could be a good addition to your diet. It has a tremendous amount of health benefits including:
As you can see, the potential health benefits of kombucha are many. But one thing people often do not talk about is the alcohol in kombucha drinks. Alcohol is harmful for the body, especially affecting the liver and kidneys. This means that the body’s primary mechanism for detoxing is damaged. Yes, a little alcohol may have no serious side effects, but drinking too much, too often, can be bad for your health.
Many brands of kombucha may contain a decent amount, almost equivalent to the alcohol content of a light beer. The alcohol in kombucha occurs naturally due to the fermentation process. The concentration of alcohol in kombucha on average, ranges between 1 and 3%. Due to the reasonably high levels of alcohol in kombucha, it is very important to be aware and cautious before adding this drink to your diet. If you are pregnant or have a health ailments that make you sensitive to alcohol, you should avoid kombucha. Many people should not drink alcohol at all for health reasons and it is therefore important to ask a healthcare provider if you have any concerns. There are some brands that have made an extra effort to ensure that their drinks are alcohol-free. These are great choices for those who would like the health benefits but would like to avoid the alcohol in kombucha.
One of the ailments that may leave sufferers highly sensitive to the alcohol in kombucha is Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS). This is a condition where the body has suffered internal damage due to prolonged and extreme stressors, both physical and psychological. The body’s primary mechanism to respond to these stresses is known as the NeuroEndoMetabolic Stress Response (NEM) where the body becomes dysfunctional and this affects every system of the body. When people with AFS consume alcohol, this puts additional stress on their already weakened detoxification system and can worsen the condition. Toxins are not properly filtered out of the body, as the kidneys and liver are not functioning properly. Small quantities of alcohol such as those found in kombucha could cause more damage than good in those with adrenal fatigue.
The kidneys are affected by alcohol as they cannot filter the toxins out effectively. Additionally, the blood pressure remains high if alcohol is consumed regularly, in turn causing kidney failure. Alcohol is very harmful to the liver too and is one of the major causes of liver disease.
Despite high levels of sugar and alcohol in kombucha, it has a tremendous amount of health benefits. To get the most out of this drink, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Kombucha is a probiotic-rich drink that is a wonderful addition to your healthy diet. There are limited studies on its health benefits for humans, but kombucha does contain probiotics, which do have proven health benefits. However, depending on your individual condition, this drink can also cause side effects, especially because of the alcohol in Kombucha. Here's how to ensure that you get all the benefits of this drink without any of the consequences:
If you have AFS and want more information to help you decide if kombucha is right for you, then give us a call on +1 (626) 571-1234 or click here to talk to our team.
© Copyright 2020 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.
Although this beverage has a tremendous amount of heath benefits, the alcohol in kombucha makes it a drink that is not suitable for everyone. Those who are pregnant or suffering from an ailment such as Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome should limit and possibly avoid drinking this product altogether.
