The miracle drink Kombucha is a trending topic in the food industry. Its popularity is due to the health benefits it has to offer. The mass market well perceives the benefits.
Social media banners and shifting trends are directing people’s attention toward healthier options, where healthy food comes first. A single food choice with a wide variety of benefits always gets preference. The market has offered fermented products as a one-stop shop for healthy food. Among these, fermented drinks like Kombucha tea are gaining a sizable market share.
The market analysis indicates a surge in the sale of Kombucha from 2015 to 2021, and still on. The global market size stands at 2.64 billion USD in 2021, and the predicted compound annual growth rate is 15.6 % from 2022 to 2030.
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The miracle drink Kombucha shaped throughout history
The ancient medical science of civilizations like Greece, India, and China is still a mystery to the modern world. These early practices were a blend of conventional beliefs and superstitions. The limited understanding of the human body and the natural world made the practices more mysterious. These practices were passed on from one generation to another as anecdotes.
One example is the use of plants and herbs to treat various ailments. While modern science has discovered the chemical compounds and medicinal benefits of many of these plants, we still need to fully understand how or why they work the way that they do. Despite some advances in understanding the human body and the natural world, much of this ancient medicine is still a mystery.
About 2000 years ago, people believed in Kombucha and its therapeutic values. People in China and Japan drink Kombucha to live longer. The Chinese called it Godly Tsche, the elixir of life, and the Japanese called it Tsche of Kombu. The brew could treat everything from digestive disorders to severe terminal diseases. As per the belief, it could improve energy and vitality and bring balance and harmony to the body. People believed in its powerful anti-aging and rejuvenating benefits.
Kombucha Drops or Kombuchal
In 1920, the researcher developed a concentrated form of Kombucha for experimentation. Doctors also prescribed the drops to patients who never wanted to miss their daily Kombucha dosage. It had a certain dilution level that defined its purity. Being patented in Germany, it was available in pharmacies as well.
The Kargasok Tea
In 1960 and 1970, Kombucha was all the rage. The fermented black tea, an ancient Chinese tradition, caught the eye of the European press. The media published many articles reporting the findings of the researchers. It mainly contains the therapeutic value and health benefits the miracle drink can offer.
Among these reports, one stands out because of an unlikely location: Kargasok, a small region in Russia. The people of this region were known for their quality of life and longevity. The report attributed the higher consumption of Kombucha to this reason. It was so popular that the Kombucha was named Kargasok Tea. This tea’s reputation began to spread throughout Europe. Soon, there were hundreds of thousands of fans who believed that Kombucha was the magic drink for long life and good health.
Kombucha and its therapeutic values
Over time, the benefits of Kombucha extended to many other ailments. The primary function is to serve as an antioxidant, detoxification, antimicrobial properties, and so on. Kombucha can cure an endless list of diseases.
The organic acids of Kombucha
The main healing property is due to the organic acids it contains. The fermented Kombucha develops acids like acetic acid, butyric acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, and oxalic acid, to name a few. However, bioactive compounds are also part of the picture.
Organic acid has an array of therapeutic properties. Some researchers revealed the following findings;
- Glucuronic acid acts as a detoxifier. It removes harmful metabolic and chemical waste from the body.
- Gluconic acid can dissolve gallstones.
- Lactic acid bacteria produce lactic acid. It has a role in promoting gut health. Lactic acid also plays a role in the body’s immunity.
- The Kombucha’s acidic pH and bioactive compounds make it antimicrobial. In other words, it kills or hinders the growth of microbes.
Kombucha as a cure
In earlier days, Kombucha was a cure for many critical diseases. In most cases, doctors prescribe Kombucha with other medicines. It was never the sole remedy but rather a healing agent.
People believed that the tea healed them and enhanced the body’s natural healing skills. Patients told miraculous stories about discovering the tea too late after the best doctors in the country had declared them dead.
Herald W. Tietze (Kombucha: The Miracle Fungus, 1995) mentioned the story of the miracle and a few pieces of research to understand the facts behind those stories.
Kombucha showed a remarkable improvement in the bowel microflora of cancer patients, which aided in the treatment.
Infantile dysentery treated with Kombucha drops in a clinic in Omsk, Russia.
It became a trendy remedial drink in the HIV+ community. Although, there was no proper evidence except for a few publications and personal accounts.
It was a common remedy for diabetes and high blood pressure. The sugar content of home-brewed Kombucha cannot be determined or controlled like commercial products. So, diabetic patients used long fermentation to reduce sugar consumption in home brewing, as advised.
Recent studies are suggestive of the claims;
- The diabetic rats were fed Kombucha for weeks. The result suggests a reduction in fasting blood glucose. Thus, proving the antidiabetic effect.
- Kombucha can alter lipid metabolism in rats. Therefore, it protects the liver from lipid toxicity in conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver.
- The usnic acid is an antivirulence and may present in Kombucha. Nevertheless, it has yet to be confirmed.
Caution of the word for the miracle drink Kombucha
All the earlier evidence proving Kombucha to be a miracle drink is circumstantial. Most stories were individual experiences or reports circulated by the press. Although clinical trials exist, their number is minimal, and they need proper documentation. The ingredients used in making the Kombucha in such tests need clarification. The bacterial population is unpredictable and can change with the substrate composition.
Recent studies are mostly animal trials. The human clinical trials are negligible in number. Enough substantial studies are needed to establish Kombucha as a cure. One cannot base their faith on a few animal studies and not-so-profound human trials.
However, Kombucha contains many health-beneficial compounds like organic acids, polyphenols, vitamins, enzymes, probiotics, etc. Several studies can support the properties of these compounds, which can be linked back to Kombucha.
So choose your detoxifying drink wisely. Drinking too much Kombucha can lead to acidosis, where the acid level increases in the blood and causes nausea, vomiting, and respiratory ailments in sick and older adults.
Harmful fungi such as molds can contaminate the Kombucha during home brewing. It is a potential health hazard. Consumption may result in nausea, vomiting, jaundice, liver disease, and shortness of breath.
US FDA guidelines
The US FDA issued industry guidelines to strengthen commercial production and ensure the safe delivery of products to customers.
The challenges faced during the marketing of the Kombucha
- At times during fermentation, pathogenic bacteria grow that can resist acidic pH.
- Over fermentation or too much acid production occurs after bottling or in the end product.
- Carryover ethanol production.
- Spoilage due to fungal growth.
- Proper labeling and setting consumption limits are challenging.
Kombucha fermentation is an ongoing process, and the most exciting thing is that the cycle continues even after bottling. So, there are always chances of getting more alcohol or acids in the bottles, ready to sell.
The acid-tolerant pathogenic bacteria can stop growing by maintaining a pH less than or equal to 4.2 but greater than or equal to 2.5. Kombucha that is too acidic can have adverse health effects and an unpleasant taste, so keep the pH above 2.5.
The refrigeration and antifungal preservatives stop the carryover fermentation and growth of harmful fungi. Refrigeration alone suppresses yeast and other fungi. The logistics should keep the cold chain intact until it reaches the customer. Any lag in the process leads to spoilage. Pasteurization is the most assuring and safest, though it may alter the taste. Because of the process, the product is “ambient” (stored at room temperature and does not need any refrigeration)
The labels on the bottles do not make any health claims. According to the CDC, an average healthy person can consume no more than 4 oz of Kombucha daily. The dosage may not hold for immunocompromised patients.
Citation
- Herald W. Tietze, Kombucha – The Miracle Fungus, Tietze Publication. 1995, pp 17-19, 67-75
- Nyhan, Laura & Lynch, Kieran & Sahin, Aylin & Arendt, Elke, Advances in Kombucha Tea Fermentation: A Review, Appl. Microbiol., 2022 10.3390/applmicrobiol2010005.
- Vikas Kumar and V. K. Joshi, Kombucha: Technology, Microbiology, Production, Composition and Therapeutic Value, Int. J. Food. Ferment. Technol., 2016, 6(1), 13-24
- Brian A. Nummer, Kombucha Brewing Under the Food and Drug Administration Model Food Code: Risk Analysis and Processing Guide, Journal of Environmental Health, 2013, pp 8-11