​Health & Beauty Benefits of Fermented Drinks

Several Good Reasons to Include Fermented Drinks in Your Diet

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Have you heard of Kombucha, Kefir or Kvass? Have you tried any of them? If you have, then you already know that fermented drinks are not just another health trend, but a really rich source of benefits for your body.

For those of you, who want to find out more about these beverages, and why beauty experts and nutritionists swear by them, we’ve prepared a brief overview of the wonderful properties of fermented drinks.

What is fermentation anyway?

In the pre-refrigeration era, people had to use other methods to preserve food and prevent spoilage. After lots of trial and error, they came up with fermentation – a metabolic process in which naturally occurring bacteria feeds on sugar and starch found in the food, and converts them into preservative alcohols and acids. That is how fermented drinks were invented. Whether these people knew it or not, fermented drinks do not only last longer, and enrich one’s diet with new flavours and textures, but they also have many positive effects on how we feel and look.

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The benefits of fermented drinks

Renew gut flora

As you probably know, the balance of ‘good’ vs. ‘bad’ bacteria in your gut is essential for your overall health. Consumption of fermented beverages promotes the creation of probiotic bacteria strains, which helps maintain the balance (or helps restore it, in case it was disrupted). No wonder, nutritionists love to say “If you heal the gut, you heal the body”.

Improve digestion

During fermentation, the microbes in fermented drinks produce certain enzymes that have the ability to break down hard-to-digest foods into more digestible forms. For example, lactose is broken down into glucose and galactose (which can be a lifesaver for lactose-intolerant people), and cellulose into simple sugars.

Boost nutritional intake

Natural fermentation can increase and preserve the levels of nutrients in food, especially vitamin B and omega-3 fatty acids. Some ingredients found in fermented beverages are even believed to destroy anti-nutrients (the compounds that hinder the absorption of nutrients) allowing you to get the best of what you eat.

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Control weight

Scientists believe that good bacteria play an important role in preserving normal body weight. Given that fermented drinks restore the levels of good bacteria in your intestines, and improve metabolism, they can also prevent unintentional weight gain.

Fight acne

It is no secret that skin appearance and good diet are closely related. Latest studies show that the good bacteria that reside in the gastrointestinal tract promote the healing of inflamed skin, hence why indulging on fermented beverages can be a great, alternative way to prevent and treat acne.

Slow down aging

The probiotics naturally found in fermented drinks improve the metabolism and absorption of nutrients/antioxidants found in food. This way, they contribute to the nourishment of the skin on a cellular level, helping it heal from the inside out. Antioxidants, on the other hand, destroy toxins and free radicals that are considered to be the primary culprits for premature aging.

Fermented Drinks To Try

Finally, let’s meet some of these miracle-doers!

Kombucha, known as the ‘Immortal Health Elixir’, originated thousands of years ago, in the Far East. It is made from black tea and sugar, fermented with yeast. Kombucha contains high levels of enzymes, b-vitamins, probiotics, and acetic and lactic acids.

Yoghurt requires no special introduction. It is worth mentioning, however, that the live bacteria that remain in yoghurt after the fermentation process is over, is what makes it so unique and special, in terms of its health benefits.

Kefir is yoghurt’s close relative and probably the most popular homemade milk-based fermented drink. It’s a natural source of probiotics + it is believed to support the immune system.

Kvass is commonly made in Russia from fermented slices of rye bread. It has a rather long fermentation cycle of 3 to 7 days, however, it tastes so amazing that it’s totally worth waiting 7 days.

Boza can be traced all the way back to Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. Different cereals (wheat, millet or rye) can be mixed with yeast and lactic-acid bacteria to start fermentation.

The list could go on forever, since almost every region in the world has its traditional local fermented drink. The point is – if you haven’t tried any fermented beverage so far, we hope we’ve managed to convince you to give them a go (at least to one). We hope you'll like them, as much as we do!

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