CGM Experiment : Beer vs Kombucha?

Experiment Question

Which of these Foods is the Better Choice? Beer v/s Kombucha?

Experiment Answer

Kombucha!

Kombucha has been known to reduce blood sugar and HbA1C levels by improving insulin secretion and reducing inflammation in the gut microbiome. The fermented drink which is slightly sweet, slightly bitter and fizzy is made using tea, sugar, bacteria and yeast. Kombucha boasts of having multiple benefits including boosting immunity to improving gut, liver and even mental health thanks to the probiotics, vitamins and enzymes in it. It is fastly gaining popularity among fitness enthusiasts as a better choice when compared to beer which is known to cause higher sugar levels.

Scientific Rationale

Fermentation is a process where yeast converts the glucose to ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide gas, thus giving the brewed drink its alcohol content and carbonation. Both beer and kombucha are created by fermenting sugar but the types of sugars are different.

Types of Sugars

1. Single Sugars or Monosaccharides

• Glucose : Most commonly used energy source in most biological specimens.
• Fructose : Natural Sugar present in Fruits

2. Double Sugars or Disaccharides

• Sucrose : Natural Sugar found in fruits, vegetables and grains. Sucrose is also the scientific name for Table Sugar we all buy and consume at home in the form of White Sugar. Apart from our home use, Sucrose is used extensively in the food industry where it is most commonly added to many processed foods like candy, ice cream, breakfast cereals, soda and other sweetened beverages as well. Sucrose is a 50:50 mixture of fructose and glucose (Sucrose = Fructose + Glucose)
• Maltose : Created in seeds and other parts of plants as they break down their stored energy in order to sprout. Foods like cereals, certain fruits and sweet potatoes contain naturally high amounts of this sugar. Maltose is made out of two glucose molecules bound together (Maltose = Fructose + Glucose)

Fermentation

Beer is brewed by fermenting the staple element which is called Wort., which is a malt-sugar solution made up of both Simple and Complex Sugars; the most predominant of which is Maltose.

However when it comes to Kombucha, it can only ferment Simple Sugars such as Glucose and Sucrose, and forgets how to break down more complex sugars, making it a better choice and a healthier alternative to beer.

Hence Kombucha is a low calorie drink that has multiple benefits like to aid in digestion, detoxifying, boosting immunity, weight loss, controlling high blood pressure and preventing heart disease and cancer.