This content has been Fact-Checked by a Certified Nutritionist in our Publishing Team. Learn more here. Always consult a medical professional before commencing any diet.
Kombucha Weight Loss – Everyone loves a nice refreshing and delicious drink, especially in summer, when all you want to do is to lay by the pool and relax.
However, not all beverages are healthy, and it can be tricky to find a healthy drink especially if you are trying to lose weight.
Most of the summer drinks contain lots of sugar and other ingredients that can definitely prevent weight loss. Different from kombucha.
Surprisingly, this drink (also containing sugar) can help you lose weight. It may be hard to imagine but kombucha tea has various health benefits, including improved weight loss.
In this article, you will find everything you need to know about kombucha for weight loss and it’s health benefits.
What is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a fermented bubbly beverage made from black or green tea and sugar.
90% of the sugar added is consumed by the yeast in the course of fermentation.
This indicates that fermentation is the method of turning sugar into acids or alcohol with the use of yeast or bacteria.
Often, kombucha is called “tea mushroom”, due to a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) that is also added to the drink.
The color may vary from pink to dark brown, depending on how long it ferments (7-30 days). Moreover, it has a specific sweet-sour taste; The longer you leave it to ferment the bolder flavor will be.
Some European and Asian countries have been using kombucha as a remedy for health issues for several hundred years. In China, kombucha is considered to be the oldest and first drink ever made, about 2000 years ago.
Kombucha is believed to be a low-sugar beverage, as it may contain 0.1g – 3.8g sugar (2.5g or less sugar content per 100ml is considered low, according to the Australian Food Standards Code). Hence, it can be a good alternative for those who drink sugary beverages like coke every day.
Besides the certain sugar amount, kombucha tea also contains alcohol (about 0.5%), similar to non-alcoholic beer. Hence, people with diabetes and recovering alcoholics should consider these two factors before trying the drink.
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Kombucha Benefits
Drinking kombucha frequently can result in a number of benefits, such as harmonized metabolism and weight loss. Those who have tried kombucha have shared the following positive effects:
- Improved digestion
- Stronger immune system
- Increased absorption of iron
- Detoxifying effects
- Anti-inflammatory and effect and anti-oxidant activity
- Healthy nervous system
- Help in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver: It has an effect on gut microbiota which helps combat the fatty liver according to this study.
According to research results, kombucha possesses impressive antimicrobial properties that allow you to use it in many health treatments. Plus, due to its detoxifying effect, scientists registered large amounts of pollutants and exotoxins eliminated from people’s bodies that have consumed kombucha.
Kombucha is also said to be beneficial for people with hypertonia and arteriosclerosis.
Moreover, there is a claim that the drink may prevent and even fight cancer. According to this study, kombucha tea has the ability to kill colorectal cancer cells. However, this point needs more research.
Kombucha Weight Loss Benefits
The proponents of the drink also claim kombucha assists in weight loss. Although there is no scientific evidence showing that it really works, kombucha can be a great addition to your healthy habits, eventually resulting in cutting some pounds.
Firstly, kombucha may be a good source of probiotics, as it contains certain lactic-acid bacteria, that have a probiotics function. Probiotics are essential as they provide healthy bacteria for your gut. They can improve the digestive system and reduce inflammation. Most people trying to shed some pounds have problems with digestion and are, consequently, unable to process food effectively.
In addition, kombucha is thought to give energy and hence, help you stay more active throughout the day and burn more calories.
Improved metabolism can help you lose weight in the following ways:
- Balanced hormones – A number of important hormones responsible for blood sugar level and the feeling of being full are controlled by the gut bacteria.
- Lower body fat – Probiotics have the important function of dissolving bile acids that absorb fat. Hence, the body can regulate how much fat it absorbs and stores.
- Improved detoxification – It gets considerably more difficult to lose weight when there are a lot of toxins in the body. Gut bacteria are necessary to clear out those toxins and improve metabolism.
- Increased thyroid conversion rate – converting inactive thyroid hormones to its active structure will also enhance metabolism.
Losing weight also becomes easier with kombucha as it acts as an appetite suppressant and reduces unnecessary cravings. It does not mean you will starve yourself but preventing excess calorie intake plays a crucial role in the weight loss process.
Also, you can drink kombucha after your workout as it has the necessary enzymes and electrolytes that the body requires. Having about 150 ml after the exercises is enough for those cravings to disappear.
When to drink?
People who used kombucha for burning fat and were successful, recommend drinking 120-240ml, 30 minutes before your main meal of the day. Also, you can drink a glass of kombucha early in the morning, to stimulate proper digestion for the day.
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Kombucha Weight Loss Results
Kombucha can be a good weight loss “weapon” that you should consider adding to your arsenal. Apart from the above-mentioned weight loss benefits, kombucha also balances intestinal flora. Consuming a glass of kombucha 30 minutes prior to your dinner or lunch can help you digest your food more effectively, and hence, assist in losing weight.
There are numerous success stories claiming that kombucha for weight loss really worked for them. The results are evident within the first 2 days.
Kombucha contains 30 calories per cup and can easily replace other high sugar beverages and fruit juices that definitely have more calories. Studies have also revealed it can help to adopt a calorie-reduced diet.
How much kombucha should you drink?
Although there have not been enough studies for determining the optimal amount of kombucha to be consumed. Negative side effects will show that you shouldn’t drink more than about 240 ml a day. This means that about 80ml of kombucha can be used up to 3 times each day.
Consuming beyond that limit may be harmful as having too much of anything can be bad for you.
Kombucha Probiotic Tea for Weight Loss
If you don’t have time to make your own drink or not sure if you can make it properly, there are various ready-to-drink products available in stores.
Try purchasing kombucha teas from well-known trusted stores, offering different brands. For example, Walmart has numerous products with different flavors and sizes. The prices may vary from $15 – $50. You can find a review of the main brands offering kombucha, and decide which one you would like to try.
Probiotic teas are usually available only for in-store purchases. However, you can order a kombucha starter tea, which includes all the necessary ingredients ready for brewing. The general rule for brewing is using 90% fresh sweet tea and 10% starter tea.
The third option is fermenting your tea from scratch at home. Most of the regular consumers of kombucha tea do not recommend purchasing from stores, as the vendors have to modify the recipe to meet certain standards, and also to make the product last longer on shelves.
This means that the kombucha in stores is not alive. It contains more added sugar and is pasteurized. All of these factors probably kill all the beneficial organisms in kombucha.
Hence, we offer an easy recipe that you can use to make your own kombucha at home. All you will need is a clean environment, sweetened tea, warm place and time.
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How to make kombucha tea at home
You can find many articles on how to make kombucha at home. Here, we will share the general rules of making the beverage yourself. Based on these rules, you can make variations in the recipe to add some interesting flavor, like adding ginger and pineapples. See the recipe here.
Firstly, the SCOBY “eats” the ingredients in the tea. So, make sure to let it soak for at least 15 minutes. Some recipes claim that 4-5 minutes is enough, but not letting the SCOBY to properly feed on the ingredients may ruin its beneficial properties.
Don’t worry about adding too much sugar to your tea, as the SCOBY will consume most of it and the taste will become lightly sweet.
What you will need:
- 1 cup of raw organic sugar (regular white sugar is fine too)
- 5 tea bags of black or green tea (or the same amount of loose-leaf tea)
- 3 liters of boiled water
- SCOBY
- 1 glass container for fermentation
- glass bottles for storing
- kitchen cloth or paper towel
- 1 rubber band
Instructions:
Step 1. Wash your hands without soap (especially antibacterial soap) for at least 2 minutes.
Step 2. Clean every glass container that you are going to use with hot water. Do not use dishwashing liquid or any other chemicals.
Step 3. Pour sugar and water into a large pan and put on the heat until the sugar dissolves.
Step 4. Add the tea bags and remove the pan from the heat, allowing it to rest 30-60 minutes.
Step 5. Remove the tea bags and let the tea to cool down to room temperature. Pour into a large glass container and add your SCOBY.
Step 6. Wrap the container with a kitchen cloth and put on a rubber band on the opening.
Step 7. The fermentation process will take 6-12 days. The room temperature should not be too cold (over 20 degrees Celsius). If you are unsure when to use the drink, you can apply special test stripes for checking.
Step 8. When kombucha is ready, leave 10% of it for fermenting the next kombucha tea. This will make the entire process much faster.
Step 9. Enjoy the remaining drink!
You can also watch a video on how to make kombucha tea at home.
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General tips
- Keep the product away from direct sunlight.
- You should only store the finished product in the fridge.
- The duration of the fermentation depends on the room temperature; the warmer the environment the faster the fermentation.
- If your beverage tastes too vinegary then you didn’t add enough sugar.
- Your SCOBY might grow in different weird shapes and colors. All is fine.
- If your SCOBY gets too big, you should remove the darker side.
FAQs
Where can I get a kombucha starter?
Kombucha starter is available in stores like Walmart, specialty stores and many online shops. If you have a certain favorite brand, then you can purchase kombucha kit right from their official website.
You can also find various tea blends, brewing kits, glass bottles, bottle caps, kombucha liquid starter, and other tools in online shops.
Where can I buy kombucha ready to drink?
Kombucha ready-to-drink teas are available in many physical stores. Simply make sure you buy it from a trusted brand and trusted shop.
As mentioned before, the recipe of the ready-to-drink kombucha teas is probably changed, as the manufacturers need to make sure that the beverage lasts long in stores. That’s why you will not feel the same effects in the gut like in case of the 100% natural homemade kombucha.
Kombucha Side Effects/ Warnings
Overall, kombucha is a healthy drink offering various benefits for your gut. You only need to know how to properly brew it if you are making it at home.
If you are a newbie, you should know that your body will require some time to get adjusted to this beverage. Also, listen to your body and drink as much as you feel comfortable.
Here are the main things that you should be aware of:
- Kombucha contains acidic elements that may decay the tooth enamel. Make sure you drink with a straw or rinse your teeth with water after drinking kombucha.
- You should be careful with homebrewed kombucha as in case it becomes contaminated it may contain toxic Candida yeast that has a disastrous effect on your immune system.
- There are studies reporting that kombucha may develop lactic acidosis in women, although it may occur in men as well.
- If you have a sensitive stomach, then you should know that in some cases kombucha causes an upset stomach, heartburn, and stomach ulcers.
- Drinking too much kombucha may cause headaches and nausea.
In some cases, kombucha might not be suitable for consumption.
The following group of people should avoid drinking kombucha:
- Pregnant women
- Young children
- People with chronic liver or kidney disease, or HIV
- Those who have a compromised immune system or alcohol dependency
- People who often have allergic reactions to anything
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This content has been Fact-Checked by a Certified Nutritionist in our Publishing Team. Learn more here.
Great article, totally what I was looking for.