Looking to quench your thirst and kick your soda addiction? Finally, there is a delicious and healthy alternative—kombucha! What is that? Kombucha is a fermented tea that typically includes a mixture of yeast, good bacteria, a natural sweetener and black tea. It’s fizzy like soda but very low in sugar—2 grams per 8 ounce serving versus 27 grams for soda.

Kombucha Nutrition

Kombucha is known as a functional food, or drink in this case, as it has additional health benefits. Functional foods don’t just provide us with energy in the form of fat, carbohydrates and protein, but they also contain properties that promote health. In this case, kombucha is an antioxidant-rich drink with organic acids, enzymes, probiotics and B vitamins. The organic acids remove toxins from the liver and digestive tract. The enzymes and probiotics aid in nutrient absorption, gut health, waste removal and support immune function, and the B vitamins enhance metabolism.

Raw kombucha is sold in its original flavor or with aromatics like ginger, fruit—ranging from pomegranate to passion fruit and the trending superfood, chia seeds. It has a unique sweet-sour taste that some liken to a great beer. Oh yeah!

Tips for Kombucha Consumption

Make sure your kombucha is raw. Pasteurized kombucha is high in sugar and has very few of the health benefits compared to its raw counterpart because the good bacteria has been destroyed.
As it is often made from fermented black tea, most kombucha has a bit of caffeine and a trace amount of alcohol.
You can find Kombuchu at local stores or delivered to your front door from Fresh Direct.
You might even consider making your own!

Have you tried kombucha? What’s your favorite flavor? Let me know @BushwickNutrition

Written by Debi Zvi, RD, CDN and Alanna Cabrero, MS, RD, CDN

Edited by Tamara Cabrero & NYHRC Team

Originally posted on NYHRC Tumblr