Kombucha: what is it, benefits and where to buy this type of tea

One of the most popular drinks of the moment is kombucha, as it is part of the diet of Queen Letizia and many celebrities fill their instagram with images with this drink, which promises many benefits for our body.

Like many other of the superfoods that reappear from their ancestral use for their properties, Kombucha is a drink that has its origin in the East and that has gained many followers for detoxifying and preventing diseases, among other things. We tell you what it is, its properties and benefits.

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What is kombucha tea

Kombucha tea is nothing more and nothing less than a drink made from fermented tea and sugar. Its flavor, a bit similar to that of cider with an effervescent touch, is very pleasant on the palate and super refreshing.

In the most natural preparation of all, its appearance is that of a yellow liquid, with a gelatinous substance that floats to the top of the jar in which the kombucha is located. When we buy it already prepared, the kombucha that is packaged without this “jelly” can take on new flavors and colors.

This gelatinous substance that floats in kombucha is the SCOBY (acronym for its meaning in English), a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast to which all the properties and benefits of kombucha tea are attributed. In clearer words, it is a colony of living bacteria and fungi that coexist and support each other, resulting in a wealth of beneficial nutrients.

The most common strains of SCOBY are Acetobacter, Saccharomyces, Lactobacillus, Brettanomyces Y Gluconacetobacter kombuchaeAlthough there may be others in the different kombuchas on the market. In this way, kombucha tea goes through a process very similar to that of yogurt fermentation, since the mixture of yeast and bacteria produces lactic acid and a host of beneficial live bacteria for our body.

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Origins of Kombucha tea

The truth is that kombucha tea is not a new discovery, but rather an emergence in Western culture of other wonders they have done part of ancient medicine in eastern traditions, which include eastern Russia and eastern Europe. Some attribute its origin to the Qin Dynasty (220 BC. C) for the search for an "elixir of immortality", as its name translates.

Others on the other hand assure that it was during the V century a. C when Kombu, a Japanese doctor, cured Emperor Inyoko of his stomach problems using the same tea that samurais drank before going into combat, which was made from a fungus.

Properties of kombucha tea

It is thanks to the different strains of bacteria and fungi found in SCOBY, or kombucha culture, that we obtain many of its nutritional properties and, therefore, that give us healthy benefits.

Within the properties of kombucha we find gluconic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid and other fatty acids, amino acids, enzymes, microdoses of vitamins B, C, D, E, and K, and minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and zinc.

Kombucha tea benefits

The reason why this drink has become so fashionable is thanks to the great benefits of kombucha tea for our body.

Although there are no miracle drinks or foods as some claim, it is true that kombucha provides important nutrients for our body and makes it a healthy drink.

1. Antioxidants

Antioxidants are the substances that help us fight aging, as they kill free radicals that damage the cells of our body. Kombucha tea provides us with a large amount of antioxidants and hence some considered it as the elixir of immortality, because fighting free radicals keeps us healthy and long-lived.

2. Improves the digestive system

One of the properties of kombucha tea is that it is probiotic. This means that provides us with a good amount of healthy bacteria and necessary for the body, which favor the intestinal flora, improve the functioning of the entire digestive system, decrease gastrointestinal inflammation and may even promote the loss of weight.

3. Detox effect

On the one hand, consuming kombucha helps to eliminate many of the microorganisms that we have in the body and that are harmful to us. On the other hand, its large number of antioxidants also help us detoxify the body, by support the liver in its toxin elimination liver function.

4. Strengthens the immune system

Just as kombucha helps us detoxify, too helps us eliminate foreign agents found in the bloodstream. But in addition, the properties of kombucha are excellent for giving energy and activating the cells that are part of the immune system.

5. It can help us prevent cancer

Because kombucha tea, as its name implies, is made from tea, it also has polyphenols in its composition. These added to the antioxidants in this drink can prevent cancer cell growth as it is believed that these can block the genetic mutation of cells.

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Where to get kombucha

How it has become so popular today it is possible to get kombucha easily in the markets, especially those "bio" or with an offer of organic products, as well as in health food and health food stores.

Although its price is not high, it is not cheap either, so some decide to prepare kombucha at home. However, if you decide to buy it, keep in mind that the brand for which you decide is not pasteurized, as it may end up losing many of its properties.

On the other side is the option of make kombucha at home. It is relatively easy and there are a large number of tutorials on YouTube that teach you how to prepare it. However, it is very common for kombucha to be contaminated at home with some types of bacteria or microorganisms that can be harmful to us, so you must be ultra careful when preparing your kombucha homemade.

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