Gut health is important for everyone, but especially college students. Here are 6 reasons why college kids need to try kombucha.
1. Kombucha’s natural probiotics will help boost your immune system
You’re in a new environment, maybe a new state, and definitely in closer proximity to more people than ever before. Your body’s immune system can get overwhelmed by your new surroundings, making it easier to get sick and stay sick. By introducing kombucha into your diet, you will increase your gut’s microbiome, leading you to overall better health.
2. Kombucha aids in digestion
We are all guilty of over-indulging at the dining hall. For the first time in your life you can eat a burger, spaghetti, fruit, and soft serve in one sitting! Just because you can, doesn’t mean your body will love it. Kombucha will help keep things moving in your digestive tract by introducing good bacteria.
3. It has energy-boosting properties so you can give up the caffeine crash
Cramming for a test or trying to stay up late for college football? Kombucha is packed with amino acids and B-vitamins that are known to boost natural energy and metabolism. You can replace your morning coffee with kombucha and not crash mid-day. Caffeine restricts blood flow by constricting the capillaries (or smallest blood vessels) of the body, causing anxiety and physical stress in some people. I drink kombucha in the mornings to avoid the way caffeine negatively affects my body and mindset.
4. You can help your hangover with kombucha
Alcohol is a quick way to disrupt your gut’s natural micro-biome. Alcohols above 9% alcohol by volume (which is all liquors, some wines, and a few types of beer) destroy probiotics. The best way to replace them? A nice cold, kombucha. The bubbles with sooth your stomach, probiotics will replenish your gut flora, and because it’s a water-based beverage, it will help you re-hydrate.
5. It can help bring your bloating down
Again, kombucha has diuretic properties which aid your body in eliminating excess water and waste. It is an easier detox solution than a juice cleanse or fasting (both of which aren’t that safe.)
6. Kombucha is a great alternative to sugary drinks
Sometimes water gets boring! Though it’s essential for life, sometimes you want something with some flavor and bubbles. Kombucha comes in all kinds of fruit and fragrant flavors. Love ginger ale? Try ginger kombucha. Love fruit juices? Try berry, peach, and pineapple flavors. Your choices are unlimited!
Keep your gut healthy. Luckily, at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, kombucha is available at multiple POD locations. This includes the local Panacea Brewing Company kombucha available everyday in two flavors on tap.