Fermentation, Supplements, and Gut Health
When it comes to gut health, there used to be two very different sides to the story: natural nutrients from foods versus commercial supplements. Fermented foods and beverages like kombucha have been gaining popularity globally, as they contain live microorganisms (mainly bacteria and yeasts) that can confer health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts. On the other hand, consumer familiarity and confidence with digestive health supplements, such as enzymes and probiotics, has created opportunities for the Food industry to capitalize on.
Kombucha vs Supplements: Which Makes for a Happy Gut?
Although both fermented foods and supplements support the nutrition and health of the gut microbiota, there are distinct advantages to both. In the battle of kombucha vs digestive supplements, here’s what you need to consider:
1. Probiotic Diversity
Did you know that the gut is home to trillions of living microorganisms that play a critical role in your overall health?
A high-quality digestive support supplement typically features multistrain, and multi-species probiotics for optimal results. These microbes help carry out digestive, metabolic, and immune functions when high in abundance and diversity. As for kombucha drinks, the diversity of gut-friendly bacteria is most likely to pale in comparison to supplement options.
2. Safety & Ease of Use
Fermented foods like kombucha must be made under strictly controlled conditions. So, while good kombucha is one of the healthiest drinks you can choose, you should only buy your kombucha from trusted brands that comply with all health regulations.
On the ease of use front, supplements are usually in pill or powder forms that are quick and easy to take. When you drink kombucha, it’s just a matter of unscrewing the cap and enjoying a cold beverage. Therefore, kombucha and supplements score about even in this round.
3. Micronutrients & Added Benefits
Studies have shown that fermentation makes nutrients easier for your body to absorb, or more bio-available. Kombucha contains vitamins and minerals essential for the body’s daily functions, plant compounds against oxidative damage and stress, along with pre-and probiotics.
Another bonus point for kombucha is that it comes in all sorts of flavors: refreshing, floral, fruity, or boozy, serving as a delicious addition to diets and lifestyles. There’s no flavor to, for instance, the good old probiotic pills or powder.
4. Efficacy & Precision
Even though most fermented foods and beverages naturally contribute bacteria that have a potential probiotic effect, taking in a random selection of bacterial strains is unlikely to address consumers’ targeted health goals.
Comparatively, digestive support supplements on the market are carefully combined in a laboratory environment—consumers know exactly the types and total amount of strains and bacteria it contains. This helps address a particular digestive health issue more effectively.
If you’re still wondering what’s the best way to provide your gut with a regular infusion of beneficial bacteria, the easiest answer is: why not both?
Powdered Kombucha—Kombucha Consumption in Supplement Form
Modern Nutrition, Probiotics & Our Bodies
Fermented foods and drinks contain probiotic bacteria, which may improve digestion, stay balanced, fill dietary gaps, and thrive. However, they are no alternative to taking a high-quality gut health supplement that can be more targeted and effective. There’s also a lot more scientific evidence for the health benefits of digestive supplements such as probiotics.
Kombucha powder offers manufacturers the chance to drive further growth in both categories.
Kombucha is loaded with gut-friendly prebiotics, probiotics, and digestive enzymes to support a healthy immune system and GI function. Incorporating kombucha into a regular diet can be an enjoyable way to rebuild and maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria, while supplement products, in general, provide higher potency along with more diverse cultures.
Setting against the backdrop of increasing consumer demands for products that prioritize health and wellness, in addition to pleasant taste and texture, kombucha powder has the potential to stand at the forefront of innovation to meet these needs.
What Is Kombucha Powder?
Like other naturally fermented products, kombucha takes a little time to go from its ‘raw’ state to the drink we see along the supermarket aisles, and the magic is in the fermentation. To make Kombucha, you start out with sugary tea, usually green or black tea. Then you add a starter and/or SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) to kick start the fermentation process. The tea and SCOBY are sealed in an airtight container and sit at room temperature for 7 to 10 days. Later on, what you’ll harvest is fermented, slightly alcoholic tea.
Kombucha powder, as you must have guessed, is kombucha tea manufactured in the form of powder. When manufactured into the powder format, kombucha’s nutritional values, including prebiotics, probiotics, polyphenols, flavonoids, and organic acids remain very similar to the kombucha liquid.
In other words, kombucha powder is a creation from traditional menus, by utilizing modern technology, to offer a ticket back to natural health and a deeper understanding of one’s own inner workings.
Kombucha Powder vs Liquid: What’s the Difference?
Kombucha powder can deliver health benefits & versatility at the same time.
Why bother transforming the tea? Manufacturing kombucha into the powder format is a small change that would bring a big impact.
As many companies are developing and launching digestive health supplements designed to help consumers balance and improve gut flora, kombucha powder, compared with tea liquid, provides the food industry with wider formulation versatility to tap into different product development opportunities.
Applications: Where Does Kombucha Powder Fit in All This?
When transformed into the form of powder, kombucha with its prominent health positioning is no longer limited to functional drinks, but a wide spectrum of digestive health solutions. This helps fulfill consumers’ health goals toward better digestion and overall wellness through various formats.
In this previous blog post, we demonstrated that kombucha is much more versatile than ‘tea’ by sharing some of our favorite kombucha products. Some inspiring kombucha formulations include:
• Kombucha effervescent tabs
• Kombucha single-dose stick packs
• Kombucha probiotics veg capsules
• Instant kombucha powder mix
Join us and dive into kombucha’s full formulation potential with this post: Kombucha But a Concept: 6 Brands Brewing Probiotic Premix, Caps, and Tablets.
How Does boocharati® Kombucha Powder Work?
Spray-dried or freeze-dried, boocharati® is a highly-fermented kombucha tea liquid processed into powder form. Other product features include:
• Made with aged kombucha brewed over 6 months: low-pH & shelf-stable
• HALAL-certified
• Easy to use in various dosage forms & formulas
• Free of chemicals and preservatives
Powdered Kombucha: Where Functional Drinks Meet Digestive Supplements
You’ve got the passion, and we have the right ingredients!
boocharati® kombucha powder provides essential nutrients to fill dietary gaps, support optimal health and vitality, and help your customers feel their best. Easy to use in a variety of dosage forms: from effervescent tablets, sachets, stick packs, ampules, soft gels, to capsules, this functional ingredient may boost immunity and overall health, especially GI health.
Leverage boocharati® kombucha powder to create a range of supplements that can be taken as part of a daily routine or used for more specific needs.