Washington - The growth of kombucha is fascinating, both as a hot trend in the beverage aisle and in the biological sense – it is brewed with a live, expanding bacterial culture.
The drink, which originates in Asia, has been around for centuries and has long been popular with alternative-health people, but it has gone mainstream in the US. Sales are expected to reach $500-million by 2015.
What is it? Kombucha is a fermented tea made by adding a culture of bacteria and yeast to a solution of tea, sugar and sometimes fruit juice and other flavourings. It’s often referred to as “mushroom tea” because during the brewing process, the bacteria and yeast grow into a mass that resembles a mushroom cap.
It has a slight effervescence and sweet-tart flavour. It often has small remnants of the bacteria mix floating in it, which sounds unappealing but is not much different from finding some sediment in your wine.
It is highly acidic, contains sugar, B vitamins and antioxidants, as well as some alcohol that results from the fermentation process. It has about 30 calories per 235ml (mainly from the sugar), which is considerably less than other soft drinks.
Kombucha has been touted as a magic elixir, curing everything from digestion problems to arthritis and cancer, but it has also been maligned as a potentially toxic alcoholic beverage. As with most things, the truth of it lies in the middle.
Most of the big curative claims about kombucha are unfounded: there have been just a few animal studies on it, and no solid research has been done on people. But some health benefits are likely since kombucha, when raw or unpasteurised, is rich in probiotics, good gut bacteria (like those in yoghurt) that have been shown to boost immunity and overall health.
The downside is that kombucha’s probiotics do not survive the pasteurisation process, and drinking it unpasteurised, if it was not produced in sanitary conditions, may pose a food safety threat, especially for those who are pregnant or have compromised immune systems.
The beverage is sold with an alcohol content of less than 0.5 percent, but alcohol levels of home brews vary a great deal.
Kombucha is not a magic potion but it is a potentially healthy, flavourful drink that is relatively low in calories and sugar. As with any food or drink, it is wise not to overdo it but to enjoy it in moderation. – The Washington Post