MIT engineers create kombucha-inspired 'living materials'
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Kombucha is a fizzy sweet-and-sour drink made with tea, and it is said to be really good for you in a number of ways. But do you know why? Express.co.uk chatted to Anna Dominey, the UK General Manager of Remedy Drinks to find out everything you need to know about kombucha.
Kombucha can be made in different ways, but the traditional method involves the natural fermentation of sweet tea with a live culture.
The live culture is a good bacteria and yeast called a mother, or mushroom.
Anna said: “Remedy Kombucha, for example, is made in small batches and long-aged brewed for 30 days, which results in a delicious and refreshing sparkling drink with a balance of sweet and sour flavours.
“Remedy is naturally free from sugar and full of antioxidants, live cultures and organic acids.”
What are the benefits of drinking kombucha?
When kombucha is fermented naturally and kept raw, unpasteurised and unfiltered, it contains healthy, living, good bacteria – or live cultures.
Anna explained: “Live cultures can potentially support gut health by increasing the diversity of your gut flora, preventing the growth of bad bugs that make you sick and supplying billions of micro-organisms that are full of vitamins, minerals and fibre, which the healthy bacteria in your gut use as a food source to produce important metabolites for good health.
“By improving our gut health, this can improve immunity, and all the other follow-on effects from absorbing nutrients better, such as improved mood, metabolism and brain health.
“In addition to these benefits, drinks like kombucha also offer a low-calorie and low-carb alternative to other soft drinks and alcohol-free options, which can often be high in both calories and carbs.”
Kombucha is a good choice for anyone, especially people who want to be healthier.
Anna said: “Kombucha appeals to anyone looking for easy ways to be healthier, to support their gut health, to cut down on sugar, or wanting to reject processed foods and drinks in favour of more natural alternatives.
“ Not only is kombucha a delicious and refreshing soft drink, but it is also a great alcohol alternative for those looking to cut back on their drinking. Or, it can be used as a healthy and low-calorie mixer.”
You don’t need to limit yourself when it comes to kombucha – you can drink as much as you like and any time you like!
Anna said: “For some, it is a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, particularly for those who are looking for ways to cut out sugar and/or artificial sweeteners.
“Others enjoy it in the evening as an alcohol alternative or as a healthy mixer. It also works well as an accompaniment to food.”
Will kombucha help you lose weight?
Kombucha won’t directly help you lose weight but if you swap out fizzy, sugary drinks for kombucha you might lose weight.
Anna said: “So many fizzy drinks are pumped full of sugar and/or artificial sweeteners, but one 330ml can of Remedy Kombucha contains 330 million live cultures and just nine calories.
“Our kombucha is naturally free of sugar and low in caffeine.
“This makes kombucha a simple yet effective way to reduce your intake of sugar, calories and caffeine, but without compromising on quality.”
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