There’s still talk about why people like kombucha even though it comes from bacteria, and the original flavor isn’t everyone’s favorite.
But we can’t deny the fact that this drink is liked by many people and has been consumed for centuries, gaining popularity over the years.
Now, let’s see some of the reasons why Kombucha is preferred by many people in different regions around the world.
Why do so many people like kombucha
One of the many reasons people like Kombucha is because it is hailed as a healthy drink that has a great number of benefits. Also, people like the taste due to the different flavors that drink can be made of.
Now besides of the kombucha health benefits, there are other reasons. Let’s see some of them.
Easy to Make
The basic brewing of kombucha involves making tea with sugar. Then, add something known as SCOBY, which contains the bacteria and yeast, and allow it to set for a certain number of days to ferment. Because it’s so easy to make, many people prefer making their own kombucha instead of buying it in stores.
Variety of Flavors
Because you can start with nearly any type of tea and add additional flavors after the brewing process, it means that the possibilities are endless when it comes to the flavors that kombucha can have. You can also find kombucha in the store in many different flavors, so there’s always something different that you can try and tantalize your taste buds.
Good Soft Drink Alternative
For people who love the carbonation of soft drinks, kombucha makes it an excellent alternative. It’s not only the fizziness that makes soft drinks stand out. But it’s also much lower in sugar without lacking in flavor. The fact that there is a healthy alternative to soft drinks is great news for people who want to kick that addiction without losing out on enjoying a delicious beverage.
Low in Caffeine
While some people may need some caffeine in their tea to get a little boost to make it through the day, others prefer lower caffeine because of the way it affects them such as keeping them from being able to fall asleep at night. Because of the fermentation process, kombucha allows you to get many of the great benefits of tea without the addition of caffeine.
Relaxing
One of the natural by-products of the fermentation process is alcohol. The amount increases with the amount of time the kombucha is allowed to ferment. So this is strictly controlled in a commercial setting and can be experimented with in a home setting. However, because of this low alcohol content, kombucha will help anyone who drinks it to relax.
Healthy drink
As we already stated, easily the biggest reason that kombucha has gained popularity is because of its many health benefits. It has a number of probiotics that can help with digestive issues, antioxidants that can help remove toxins from your body, and B vitamins that help in a number of ways within your body. It’s also low in sugar, calories, and sodium, making it great for people who are trying to lose weight.
Other reasons why people like Kombucha
It have documented that drinking Kombucha brings you several health benefits like weight loss among others. But there are also several other studies that have been done that indicate that kombucha tea could help with several other health problems. Nevertheless, these are not as well-documented as the previous ones.
These other benefits include:
- Reducing the risk of heart disease
- Better management of type 2 diabetes.
- Prevention of some types of cancer.
- The interesting origin of Kombucha
Origin of Kombucha
Nobody knows for sure how far back kombucha goes. And the truth has been so mixed with legends over the years that it’s hard to separate them now. But we’re going to do our best to present you with the history of kombucha tea, and how it came all the way from an ancient Chinese medicinal drink to a modern-day health beverage around the world.
Inception
The first recorded mention of kombucha goes back to 220 BC during the Qin Dynasty in China. It was said to have been used as a drink of immortality for Emperor Qinshi Huangdi.
This is likely where it gets the “cha” part of its name as the Chinese word for tea is “cha.” The Chinese had many other names for this drink as well such as “stomach treasure,” “sea mushroom,” and “tea mold.”
Dr. Kombu
Supposedly, in the year 414 AD, a Korean doctor by the name of Dr. Kombu brought the drink to Emperor Inyoko of Japan, and this is where the drink got its name.
However, there isn’t enough evidence to back up this story, so it could be the stuff of legends. Another story is that Ghengis Khan carried kombucha with him as he traveled.
Russia and vicinities
From Asia, kombucha found its way to Russia as well as Europe, where it not only gained popularity until the 19th century. But also gained a few more names, such as in Russia where it is referred to as “tea mushroom.”
According to one account, this beverage saved the life of Alexsander Solzhenitsyn, a Nobel Prize winner, while he was in exile in Siberia.
World War II
Kombucha continued to be popular throughout Europe and Russia until the beginning of World War II. This was because both tea and sugar were rationed. And it was too hard for the average citizen to get their hands on enough of them to regularly make the drink. After the war, however, it began to grow again in popularity, and saw a surge in the 1960’s when Swiss researchers proved its health benefits.
Chernobyl
In the 1980’s, there was a horrific accident near Chernobyl in Russia where a nuclear plant melted down, exposing hundreds of people nearby to radiation.
There was a group of people made up primarily of elderly women who survived and did better than the others. It was found by the scientists and doctors that these people regularly drank kombucha.
Modern popularity
Since the year 2000, kombucha has become a popular health drink throughout the Western world, with people all over Europe, the United States, and Australia enjoying its numerous health benefits.
Unfortunately, as many hail this drink as a miracle cure for a number of ailments, others claim it to be dangerous. Because it is created through a natural process and cannot be patented, big companies have little interest in it, which is why there have been few studies done on kombucha to provide completely conclusive evidence one way or the other.
Some Kombucha considerations
People will love the kombucha tea. Many drink it as a tradition. So it won’t go away because many people believe that Kombucha improve their quality of life.
No. Some might say is like coffee but Kombucha is very low in caffeine. And most importantly it doesn’t either keep you awake or make you addicted to it.
That depends on the preference of the person drinking it. However, Kombucha has 0.5 percentage of alcohol. So if you like fermented drinks, kombucha is a good alternative.
Yes, kombucha is created when bacteria and yeast work together to break down the sugars in tea. Many of these healthy bacteria will break off from the SCOBY during the fermentation process and end up in the drink itself.
These live healthy bacteria can then thrive in your digestive tract where they can provide you with a number of benefits.
Yes, and besides digestion it also helps you with other related stomach problems.
No. As long as your refrigerate it in the correct bottle, your kombucha is safe for drink later. You can even keep the kombucha tea good for weeks.
David is a writer and graduate professor. He writes for different websites. With 7+ years of experience in writing and education, David has combined his expertise in teaching with his passion for physical and mental wellness. He researches and writes to bring you valuable information about weight loss, nutrition, fitness, community, society and more.
