One common reaction I hear from my friends after they try kombucha for the first time is that they feel really good. We all know that kombucha is a pretty healthy beverage to drink, but what is it in the drink that makes you feel so good after you drink it?
Many people feel good and have an improved mood after drinking kombucha due to its amino acids, antioxidants, probiotics, B vitamins, healthy flavorings such as chia seeds and goji berries, all of which have been found to improve mood and reduce symptoms like depression and anxiety after eating or drinking them.
If you’ve felt good after drinking kombucha in the past and are curious why, this article is for you. Below are 5 possible explanations for why kombucha makes you feel good after you drink it. Let’s get started!
Why Kombucha Makes you Feel Good After You Drink It
It’s Not the Alcohol
The first thing that many people think is to blame for why they feel good after drinking kombucha is that they’re buzzed from the alcohol in it. But while kombucha does have some alcohol in it, it’s less than 0.5% of the bottle, a similar amount of alcohol to that in a ripe banana or grape juice.
The only situation where you would get buzzed or drunk off of kombucha is if you drank multiple bottles that were either stored improperly or over fermented and had an irregularly high alcohol content. But this doesn’t happen often, so I wouldn’t blame your good feeling from drinking kombucha on its alcohol content.
The Amino Acids and Antioxidants in Tea Can Make You Feel Better
You likely already know this, but kombucha is made from either a black, green, white, or oolong tea, which means that it’s full of all the great health properties of these teas.
One part of the tea in kombucha that may be causing you to feel good is an amino acid called theanine. Many studies have found that theanine, which can only be found in tea and a rare species of mushrooms, reduces anxiety and stress.
The tea in kombucha is also full of antioxidants: molecules in your body that fight harmful free radicals that may lead to illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
By drinking kombucha with antioxidants in it, you're bringing the free radicals in your body back under control and helping your body achieve a healthy equilibrium, which of course makes it feel good.
Kombucha's Probiotics Can Improve Your Mood
One big part of kombucha that may be leading to you feeling good after drinking it is the probiotics it contains.
Probiotics are beneficial living bacteria and yeast that are present throughout kombucha and play a big role in its fermentation.
So how do probiotics make you feel good? Well probiotics not only improve gut health, digestion, and weight loss, but many studies have found that they may improve mood and reduce anxiety and other symptoms of depression. Which could be the reason why you feel so good after drinking them in kombucha.
Kombucha's B Vitamins Reduce the Symptoms of Depression
When the yeast in kombucha breaks down sugars during fermentation, lots of B vitamins are produced. And since it’s believed that not having enough B vitamins in the body may lead to a bad mood and depression, drinking kombucha may be able to supplement B vitamins in your diet and increase your mood and happiness.
Some Kombuchas Have Healthy Flavorings
Another big piece of what makes kombucha healthy and leaves you feeling good after drinking it is the flavoring that’s used.
Unless you buy original, unflavored kombucha, most kombuchas you drink will be flavored with some kind of healthy fruit, herb, root, or juice. And so when you drink kombucha, you get all the health benefits you would normally get from eating these things.
Some common healthy kombucha flavorings include:
Chia Seeds
Goji Berries
Ginger
Turmeric
Cayenne Pepper
Real Fruit
Just like when after eating a salad or other healthy meal you feel really energized and clean, when you drink kombucha with superfoods such as chia seeds and ginger your body reacts really positively and leaves your mind feeling better after than it did before.
Kombucha is Low in Sugar and Empty Calories
The last possible reason why you feel so good after drinking kombucha is simply because you’re used to feeling bad after drinking sweet carbonated drinks like sodas and energy drinks.
The great thing about kombucha is that it has the sweet taste, strong flavor, and carbonation of soda, but with much less sugar and empty calories. Allowing you to enjoy a tasty beverage without feeling like crap afterwards, and maybe even feeling better thanks to all the great health benefits talked about above.
Final Thoughts
The reason that many people feel good after drinking kombucha is because it’s a healthy drink full of antioxidants, amino acids, probiotics, and B vitamins, all of which have been found to improve mood and reduce symptoms like depression and anxiety after eating or drinking them.
If this article made you want to learn more about kombucha, it’s health benefits, and even how to make it yourself at home, be sure to check out the rest of my website! Thanks for reading and have a great day!