Kombucha is a beverage made from tea, sugar, yeast, and bacteria. A culture of acetic bacteria and fungi (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast, or SCOBY) ferments the sugared tea. Originally from China, the beverage made its way to Korea, Japan, and Russia, where its health benefits became well known (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Traditionally, Kombucha is made using white sugar and black tea<\/a>, but can also be made with green or oolong tea. After the tea is prepared, sugar, starter culture, and tea fungus are added to the mixture to ferment the tea for one to eight weeks (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n After this fermentation period, kombucha is ready to be taken out and stored in a clean container. It is consumed after fermentation is finished (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Kombucha is believed to have many health benefits for immune function, inflammation, heart disease, and digestion (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n The antioxidant activity in tea and Kombucha can be attributed to their catechin and polyphenol content from the tea leaves (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n The fermentation process increases free radical<\/a> scavenging activities in Kombucha, so Kombucha has even higher antioxidant activity than unfermented tea (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Although kombucha has many health benefits, its safety is not guaranteed because most of the studies are done on rats and other animals. More human studies must be done before its health benefits can be confirmed.<\/p>\n Kombucha is considered safe to drink for most people, but it has not been approved by the FDA for any health purpose and generally lacks solid clinical research.<\/strong><\/p>\n The following purported benefits are only supported by limited, low-quality clinical studies. There is insufficient evidence to support the use of kombucha for any of the below-listed uses. Kombucha is considered safe for most people, but it should never be used in place of something your doctor recommends or prescribes.<\/p>\n Kombucha is a probiotic<\/a> drink. Some researchers believe that the microorganisms found in the tea may balance intestinal microbiota<\/a>, improve digestion, fight against harmful bacteria, and aid gut processes (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n The bacteria and yeast used in the fermentation process have been found to promote the growth of beneficial microbes in the intestine. When humans are exposed to unhealthy environments, their gut microbiota<\/a> can change and harm their health. The microbes in kombucha have been found to revert some such changes and keep the human gut healthy (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n No clinical evidence supports the use of kombucha for any of the conditions listed in this section. Below is a summary of the existing animal and cell-based research, which should guide further investigational efforts. However, the studies listed below should not be interpreted as supportive of any health benefit.<\/p>\n Both green and black tea extracts significantly lowered blood glucose<\/a> in rats (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n In diabetic rats, kombucha was a better suppressor of high blood glucose levels than black tea. Kombucha polyphenols prevented the damage and death of pancreatic \u03b2-cells, which play a role in insulin<\/a> secretion (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Additionally, some researchers have suggested that kombucha\u2019s antioxidant properties may also help protect against diabetes-related complications (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n<\/a>Antioxidant Activity<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Health Benefits of Kombucha<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n<\/a>Insufficient Evidence For<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>1) Gut Health<\/h4>\n
<\/a>Animal & Cell Research (Lacking Evidence)<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>2) Blood Sugar<\/h4>\n