Did You Know That Kombucha is An Ancient Chinese Remedy?
There have been hundreds of health food trends over the years – from green tea to coconut oil. It can be overwhelming to know which of them really do have amazing health benefits . Kombucha is claimed to have a myriad of health benefits and it is perhaps for this reason that the unusually brewed beverage has been passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years. But just how long has kombucha been around? And is it really as beneficial for your health as some people claim? Either way, kombucha is an ancient drink with a fascinating history.
WHAT IS KOMBUCHA?
Kombucha is a type of tea – either green or black which originated in China but has now become a global phenomenon. The sweetened, slightly fizzy beverage is consumed cold, and it has traditionally been brewed at home. Nowadays there are wide range of commercial kombucha available and Pepsi even have their own range of flavoured kombucha.
The basic ingredients in kombucha are yeast, sugar, and black tea. The mix is set aside for a week or more. During that time, bacteria and acids form in the drink, as well as a small amount of alcohol. This process is known as fermentation, and it’s similar to how cabbage is preserved as sauerkraut or kimchi, or how milk is turned into yogurt. These bacteria and acids form a film on top of the liquid called a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast). You can use a SCOBY to ferment more kombucha.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF KOMBUCHA
Fermented foods such as yogurts, sauerkraut and kefir all contain live microorganisms. As kombucha is the product of fermentation, a number of probiotic bacteria are produced. At specific concentrations, probiotic bacteria can help to balance the gut microbiome in humans and improve digestion.
Antioxidants are substances that protect the body from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are a normal by-product of processes in the body, but the key is to minimise their impact by having a diet rich in antioxidants. Tea, especially green tea, is rich in a group of antioxidants called polyphenols. It is suggested that the fermentation time has an impact on the antioxidant properties of kombucha, however, to date there is not enough evidence to show a significant effect.
Kombucha contains small amounts of vitamins and minerals which are produced when the yeast breaks down the sugars, including vitamin C and B vitamins B1, B6 and B12.
THE ORIGINS OF KOMBUCHA
It is difficult to confirm the exact origins of kombucha, and there is much debate surrounding the question. The origins of tea-drinking in general are attributed to Shen Nong , an emperor of China who began brewing the beverage around 2700 BC. It did not take long for the Chinese people to realise drinking tea had a number of health benefits and it quickly became a popular drink among the entire population – from the upper echelons of society to soldiers and people living in humble remote villages. By 200 BC the healing properties of tea had become legendary, and the first version of the drink believed to be kombucha was created during the Qin dynasty for the emperor Qin Shi Huangdi. This was so highly regarded it became known as the “ elixir of life ” and “ tea of immortality ”. Qin Shi Huangdi believed that drinking the tea kept him young. Ancient records confirm that there was a Korean doctor at court around 400 AD by the name of Komu-ha. It is likely kombucha was introduced to Russia at the end of the 19th Century when soldiers from China, Japan, Korea, and Russia were involved in territorial conflicts which had the side effect of mixing cultural practices. As a consequence, by the 1900’s kombucha was being brewed over a wide area, including much of Russia, and it was being used by many as a folk remedy. Kombucha spread further into Europe during the First World War when a German scientist, Dr. Rudolf Sklenar, witnessed Russian peasants using kombucha to aid wounded soldiers. He was intrigued by kombucha and its potential use as a treatment. After bringing it back to Germany he used kombucha in his treatment of cancer patients. Kombucha – was known as a "cure all" and used as medicine for wounded soldiers and as a treatment for cancer patients. Both Russia and Germany continued to use kombucha as a medicine throughout the early 20th Century, and a huge number of studies were conducted in an attempt to understand and verify the benefits of the drink – many of these studies were focused on how kombucha could help with digestive problems and in managing diabetes. During the Second World War, the trend for kombucha died down when tea and sugar were heavily rationed. However the Summer Olympics, held in Munich saw a resurgence of kombucha among the Soviet athletes. They claimed it was a performance enhancer and that it is rich in organic and amino acids, active enzymes, and polyphenols. The Soviet team went on to win 50 gold medals during these Summer Games. The benefits of drinking kombucha were once again embraced and enjoyed. This resurgence in popularity was given a further boost when Swiss scientists presented research confirming some of the health benefits of drinking kombucha.
A further and rather surprising boom in popularity came as a result of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. Doctors were monitoring the health of people living in the towns surrounding Chernobyl, and incredibly they found that there were a group of people who were suffering less from the effects of the radiation – and that group all drank kombucha. As implausible as it may seem, the notion that kombucha may be able to combat the effects of exposure to radiation was further tested in 2011 after the accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant in Japan. Since 2007 at least 7 studies have confirmed that drinking kombucha can help to combat the effects of mild exposure to radiation – and so the drink was once again adopted by the health conscious . It has also become popular by people going through chemotherapy as it has helped some people with the side effects of treatment.
Modern Day Kombucha News
Kombucha continues to make headlines with well known proponents like Cameron Diaz and Kim Kardashian spruiking its benefits and according to Glamour Magazine in the UK, it is even starting to infiltrate beauty products now. It is now being made into an alcoholic beverage that is available on tap in the US.