Editorial Team
Kombucha is a very fizzy oriental drink made from sweetened tea fermented with a particular symbiotic culture of yeasts and bacteria called “SCOBY” (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts). Recently some authors have put the lens on this drink and have discovered some very interesting things for Medicine. Kombucha contains bacteria and yeasts, organic acids, polyphenols, ethanol, amino acids, vitamins and trace elements. This mix makes it particularly active, as obvious, on the intestinal microbiota.
But that's not all.
Australian researchers have published a work* in which the endpoint was represented by the evaluation of the glycemic index and the insulin index following a standardized meal with a high glycemic index and accompanied by different beverages such as carbonated water, diet lemonade, soft drink and, indeed, unpasteurized kombucha, where carbonated water represented the control beverage.
The results showed that the differences in the glycemic index (GI) and the insulin index (II) were barely significant in the case of a standard meal accompanied by carbonated water (GI: 86 and II: 85) or by a diet soft drink (GI: 84 and II: 81).
Much more interesting was the result in case of taking Kombucha as there was a reduction in the two indices (respectively GI: 68, and II: 70).
Therefore, especially in acute postprandial hyperglycemia, Kombucha appears to show significant hypoglycemic actions.
Studies on murine models, however, would have highlighted a hypoglycemic action even outside the post-prandial event.
*Atkinson FS, Cohen M, Lau K et al. Glycemic index and insulin index after a standard carbohydrate meal consumed with live kombucha: A randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2023, Sec. Nutrition and Metabolism. Volume 10 – 2023.
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