TRENDY and recommended by influencers and celebrities alike, kombucha has been touted as a beverage to improve your health. But, how good for you? While many associate their stomach and core with digestion and strength, our guts are far more connected to our overall health than we realize. Our gut is the root of holistic wellness since it contributes to immune health, skin, mood and more, according to Danielle Ryan Broida, a holistic nutritionist and an instructor of mycology. “The gut is known as the microbiome, or mycobiome, which is a complex community or ecosystem containing trillions of microorganisms, bacteria and fungi residing in your small and large intestine,” says Broida. “The health of this ecosystem is controlled by having more ‘good’ bacteria than ‘bad’ bacteria. Everything you eat either feeds the good or bad bacteria and fungi down there.” Kombucha comes into play since it’s a probiotic food, or a form of “good” bacteria, thus, improving our gut health. “Fermented foods, including kombucha, are rich sources of probiotics, making them a critical component to a healthy gut,” she says. Particularly now, many people are caring about the fighting-power of their immune system. And sure, loading up on vitamin C isn’t a bad idea, per se, there are other avenues too, like when you drink kombucha. As Elroy Vojdani, a functional medicine doctor, explains, this probiotic beverage powerfully improves your immune system by activating cells centered with the gut called “regulatory T” cells. “These cells are responsible for creating a balanced and efficient immune system, which reduces your risk of developing several chronic diseases like eczema, joint disease, or thyroid disease,” he says. You might experience a few trips to the restroom if you drink kombucha, and that’s OK. As Vojdani explains, the beneficial bugs living in kombucha can significantly aid our own ability to digest and metabolize food, leading to improved digestion and, in some cases, weight loss. This is partly due to the fact that kombucha changes how we metabolize fat-degrading acids, also called bile acids, produced by our liver, he adds. Kombucha shouldn’t replace your water intake and should be considered an added health ingredient in your balanced diet. Especially in the beginning, it’s essential to start slowly and see how your body reacts. The only time you should think critically about giving kombucha is if you have histamine intolerance, according to Becky Campbell, a board-certified functional medicine doctor. Because kombucha is fermented, it produces the type of bacteria that can actually increase histamine levels in the body. So for histamine intolerant people, Kombucha is not a good idea.(SD-Agencies) | 