Health benefits

Health benefits#

Kombucha is a valuable product due to its nutritional values (organic acids, C and B vitamins, minerals, biologically active substances derived from the substrate, polyphenolic compounds, and hydrolytic enzymes)(Antolak et al., 2021, Jayabalan et al., 2014).

Kombucha supports digestion, soothes inflammation, has a laxative effect, prevents infections, helps fight stress, has anti-cancer properties, and supports the body’s immunity (Malbaša at al., 2011).

In addition, Kombucha is also credited with lowering blood pressure, reducing LDL cholesterol, and having hepatoprotective properties (Kapp and Sumner, 2019).

Kombucha’s key health-promoting factor is the main raw material. In the traditional tea kombucha, tea itself is characterized by high biological activity, such as lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimutagenic and antioxidant properties, mainly due to the polyphenol fraction, with the highest share of catechins (Antolak et al., 2021, Lorenzo and Munekata, 2016, Zhu et al., 2000).

A study showed that consumption of kombucha tea microbes by the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans triggers a fasting-like response to suppress lipid accumulation. It showed a significant reduction in lipid accumulation compared to animals fed a control diet of E. coli (DuMez-Kornegay et al., 2024).

Health benefits from the action of acetic acid bacteria#

Numerous studies highlight the positive impacts of consuming vinegar (product from mainly from acetic acid bacteria action) on health. These include antimicrobial and antioxidant effects, regulation of blood sugar levels, cardiovascular benefits, weight loss support, enhanced appetite, reduced fatigue, and anti-mutagenic activity (Lee et al., 2017, Li et al., 2015, Liu et al., 2019, Lynch et al., 2019, Zou et al., 2017). Reactive oxygen species, which can speed up aging and increase the risk of cancer or brain degeneration, are countered by the antioxidant properties of substances like polyphenols and vitamins found in various types of vinegar (Budak, Aykin, Seydim, Greene, & Guzel-Seydim, 2014).

Research indicates that vinegar can be beneficial in weight loss efforts, potentially speeding up the process. Moreover, the healing properties of “mother of vinegar” have been identified, suggesting its therapeutic effect on burns. AAB cultures in vinegar form may also aid in alleviating muscle damage from inflammation after intense exercise. Additionally, vinegar consumption has been associated with a potential reduction in blood pressure (Sankpal, 2019). Furthermore, vinegar demonstrates an anti-glycemic effect, improving control over blood glucose and insulin resistance (Johnston and Gaas, 2006, Lynch et al., 2019).

Beyond physical health, research suggests that vinegar positively influences brain function. It has been observed that vinegar consumption may enhance cognitive functions in humans and could be an effective approach to improve the condition of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (Sankpal, 2019).

Section references#

H. Antolak, D. Piechota, A. Kucharska. Kombucha Tea—A Double Power of Bioactive Compounds from Tea and Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeasts (SCOBY). Antioxidants, 10(10), Article 10 (2021), 10.3390/antiox10101541

R. Jayabalan, R.V. Malbaša, E.S. Lončar, J.S. Vitas, M. Sathishkumar. A Review on Kombucha Tea—Microbiology, Composition, Fermentation, Beneficial Effects, Toxicity, and Tea Fungus. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 13 (4) (2014), pp. 538-550, 10.1111/1541-4337.12073

R.V. Malbaša, E.S. Lončar, J.S. Vitas, J.M. Čanadanović-Brunet. Influence of starter cultures on the antioxidant activity of kombucha beverage. Food Chemistry, 127 (4) (2011), p. Article 4, 10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.02.048

J.M. Kapp, W. Sumner. Kombucha: A systematic review of the empirical evidence of human health benefit Benchmarking Laboratory-Scale Pomegranate Vinegar against Commercial Wine Vinegar, 30 (2019), pp. 66-70, 10.1016/j.annepidem.2018.11.001

J.M. Lorenzo, P.E.S. Munekata. Phenolic compounds of green tea: Health benefits and technological application in food Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 6 (8) (2016), pp. 709-719, 10.1016/j.apjtb.2016.06.010

M. Zhu, Y. Chen, R.C. Li. Oral absorption and bioavailability of tea catechins. Planta Medica, 66 (5) (2000), pp. 444-447, 10.1055/s-2000-8599

DuMez-Kornegay RN, Baker LS, Morris AJ, DeLoach WLM, Dowen RH (2024) Kombucha Tea-associated microbes remodel host metabolic pathways to suppress lipid accumulation. PLoS Genet 20(3): e1011003. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1011003

S. Lee, J.-A. Lee, G.-G. Park, J.-K. Jang, Y.-S. Park. Semi-Continuous Fermentation of Onion Vinegar and Its Functional Properties. Molecules, 22 (8) (2017), 10.3390/molecules22081313

S. Li, P. Li, F. Feng, L.-X. Luo. Microbial diversity and their roles in the vinegar fermentation process Effects of Mixed Cultures of Candida Tropicalis and Aromatizing Yeast in Alcoholic Fermentation on the Quality, 99 (12) (2015), pp. 4997-5024, 10.1007/s00253-015-6659-1

Q. Liu, X. Li, C. Sun, Q. Wang, H. Yao, W. Yang, Z. Zheng, S. Jiang, X. Wu. Effects of mixed cultures of Candida tropicalis and aromatizing yeast in alcoholic fermentation on the quality of apple vinegar. 3 Biotech, 9 (4) (2019), p. 128, 10.1007/s13205-019-1662-3

K.M. Lynch, E. Zannini, S. Wilkinson, L. Daenen, E.K. Arendt. Physiology of Acetic Acid Bacteria and Their Role in Vinegar and Fermented Beverages. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 18 (3) (2019), pp. 587-625, 10.1111/1541-4337.12440

B. Zou, J. Wu, Y. Yu, G. Xiao, Y. Xu. Evolution of the antioxidant capacity and phenolic contents of persimmon during fermentation. Food Science and Biotechnology, 26 (3) (2017), pp. 563-571, 10.1007/s10068-017-0099-x