Bloating really is the worst. Referring to a common yet uncomfortable condition in which the stomach feels full and tight, it often occurs after eating and can be a sign of things like digestive problems, food intolerances and even bacteria imbalance in the gut.
Common methods of treating it include avoiding eating particular foods, taking certain medications, and exercising. But one potentially underrated way is by drinking kombucha.
Here we look at what exactly it is and why kombucha can help with bloating.
What is kombucha?
Kombucha is a fizzy, fermented drink created using yeast, sugar and tea. In order to make it, a SCOBY (a pancake-shaped symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) is mixed with sweetened tea, enabling the bacteria and yeast to convert the sugar into ethanol and acetic acid.
The drink has been lauded for its potential health benefits for the gut and the immune system due to its probiotic and antioxidant content, the former of which in particular can be incredibly useful for dealing with bloating.
Is kombucha good for bloating?
Because kombucha contains live bacteria and organic acids, which are known to help with digestive issues, the drink can prevent excess gas and bloating.
Kombucha’s bacteria content
As touched upon earlier, one of main causes of bloating is a bacteria imbalance in the gut, which is where the number of “bad” bacteria exceeds the number of “good” bacteria. This is something that kombucha can help with considering its probiotic content, which helps to balance the gut by boosting the number of “good” bacteria. These work together to promote digestion and overall gut wellbeing, which in turn can alleviate digestive issues including bloating.
Kombucha’s organic acid content
Meanwhile, kombucha’s fermentation process can produce various beneficial organic acids. These include glucaric acid, which may have anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce bloating, and gluconic acid, which can support the growth of bifidobacteria, a type of “good” bacteria.
Kombucha’s other ingredients
Some of the other ingredients added to kombucha may also be good for bloating, one being ginger, which is also known to work as an anti-inflammatory. Consequently, our ginger kombucha may be especially useful for digestive issues like bloating, particularly as it also contains turmeric, which is believed to have a similar effect.
Can kombucha make you bloated?
Although kombucha may improve digestive health, drinking too much of it can have the opposite effect. This comes down to kombucha being a carbonated drink, which means it contains carbon dioxide gas bubbles that can cause bloating.
Some types of kombucha also contain sugar that, if consumed excessively, can lead to water being drawn into your intestines, resulting in bloating. Fortunately, No. 1 Living’s kombucha is sugar-free, meaning this will never be an issue when drinking our products.
All in all, kombucha can be a great aid in reducing bloating, though, like with anything in life, moderation is key. If you have any more questions for the team at No. 1 Living, don’t hesitate to get in touch, and to check out our full range of kombucha, follow this link. Thanks for reading!
