Are you looking for a refreshingly sweet and bubbly summer drink that's also packed with major health benefits? Well, you should add kombucha to your shopping list. This fermented drink (it tastes a lot better than that sounds!) comes in all sorts of flavors and will help heal your gut to boost immunity, balance blood sugar, and more. Here is everything you need to know about the benefits of kombucha -- plus, three drink recipes you can try making at home.
Sipping kombucha daily increases levels of the "good" probiotic bacteria living in the gut. In a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, this effect reduced subjects' annual sick days by 31 percent. Bonus: Since more than 70 percent of the immune system resides in the gut, kombucha recharges that system after it's fought off infection.
2. It helps steadies blood sugar.
Enjoying fizzy kombucha every day for a month may assist in significantly reducing blood glucose levels. That's the word from researchers writing in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, who found that the sip lowered levels of the enzyme amylase, slowing the breakdown of carbohydrates to limit the amount of free glucose in the bloodstream.
3. It helps melt a menopot.
The acetic acid in kombucha switches off key fat-storage enzymes, an effect that can help melt a menopot effortlessly. In fact, subjects in a 2009 study who were given acetic acid (through vinegar) gained significantly less weight on a diet designed for weight gain than those who didn't receive it.
3 refreshing kombucha drink recipes to try
Now onto the kombucha drink recipes that will deliver all of these health benefits in a delicious and refreshing way!