Kombucha for the Skin
A natural elixir for healthier, glowing, and smoother skin
After starting to drink kombucha regularly to promote gut health, I noticed an amazing side effect… my skin started to clear up! Not only was my skin looking clearer, but it felt healthier and more supple. Skin blemishes, hyperpigmentation, and acne were starting to fade, which got me super excited and encouraged me to learn more about kombucha’s ties to skin health.
Here’s what I found:
Is Kombucha Good for the Skin?
According to one study, kombucha seems to be great for the skin because it boosts collagen and decreases the effects of aging on the skin. Research by SUNY Downstate Dermatology also led to similar conclusions — kombucha is likely good for the skin because it aids with the treatment of acne and protection against aging and photo-damage.
The History of Kombucha
Kombucha originally came from Northeast China in around 200 B.C. It was used as a healing drink or “cure all.” It was used by wounded soldiers to chronically ill patients as a curative drink. Its name came from Dr. Kombu, a Korean physician who brought the fermented tea to Japan. GT Dave was the person that introduced kombucha to the large population in the United States. So, overall it seems like kombucha had its foundation as a drink that makes people healthier, which likely carries over to the skin!
What is in Kombucha?
Kombucha is a lightly sour, fizzy drink that is made of tea, bacteria, yeast, and sugar. This mixture is usually fermented over a week, during which bacteria and acids form in the drink. The fermentation process also creates a little bit of alcohol. Overall, the “fizziness” of kombucha is because of the yeast that feeds on the sugar. When the years feed on the sugar, carbon dioxide (a gas) is created as a byproduct. These gas pockets are what cause the fizziness in kombucha.
Kombucha Nutrition Information
One cup of regular kombucha normally has 30 calories, 7 grams of carbohydrates, and 4 grams of sugar.
- Calories: 30
- Carbohydrates: 7 grams
- Sugar: 4 grams
Most of the nutritional value in kombucha is from the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants it provides. It is a good source of vitamin C and the B group of vitamins such as B1, B6, and B12. It contains many minerals such as potassium, manganese, fluoride ions, gluconic acid, and amino acid derivatives (like theanine) which promote a healthier body. However, one of its biggest strong suits lies with its antioxidant content.
Is kombucha high in antioxidants?
Kombucha has high antioxidant properties, which make it a great drink for anti-aging! The specific antioxidant it is high in is flavonoids and polyphenols. These compounds neutralize free radicals within the body.
The reason free radicals have such a deleterious effect on the skin is that they break down the collagen within our skin. In the long-term the free radicals cause the skin to lose texture and appear dull, wrinkly, loose and saggy. This means they pretty much speed up the process of aging! Antioxidants can slow this process down by “sacrificing” themselves (well, really their electrons) to neutralize these radicals and stop the chain reaction, which in turn prevents them from harming your skin.
But how great really is kombucha’s antioxidant activity?
A thorough analysis of the antioxidant properties of kombucha concluded that antioxidant content for kombucha was in the range between 70.62% and 94.61% DPPH inhibition, which is a measure used to evaluate antioxidant activity. What this suggests is kombucha is a very potent antioxidant!
Break-down of why kombucha is so good for the skin
Anti-aging properties of kombucha
As was mentioned previously, kombucha has anti-aging effects due to its high antioxidant profile! By clearing the free radicals on the skin, antioxidants in kombucha help slow down skin aging.
Acne prevention with kombucha
Kombucha has beneficial effects on acne by improving gut health. Recent research has brought to light how important the gut is to prevent acne and promote smoother skin… which means because kombucha significantly increases gut health, it can in turn smooth your skin!
Let’s break down how kombucha leads to clearer skin!
All of us have a leaky gut — some amount of what we eat gets into the bloodstream. A problem arises, though, when there is too much permeability between the gut lining and the bloodstream due to imbalances between the good and bad bacteria in the gut. Inadequately digested food and toxins can leak into the bloodstream, which contributes to a chronic inflammatory response. One way this can manifest is through acne… and this is actually really common! Researchers found that 54% of people with acne have some sort of imbalance in their gut!
This research suggests that kombucha is able to prevent inflammatory acne by promoting a good balance between the good and bad bacteria in your gut. One study concluded that Kombucha has great microbial diversity, which lays the foundation for many potential health benefits. The researchers also concluded that Kombucha benefits the healthy human gut because it promotes bacterial diversity and composition within the gut. Taking this along with the fact that the majority of people with acne of some sort of gut imbalance, kombucha promotes clearer skin by increasing your gut health.
Specifically, in regards to inflammation, much of the evidence points to inflammation playing a critical role in the development and progression of acne. Since kombucha is an anti-inflammatory drink, it is likely that drinking it can help with clearing your skin!
Skin glow with kombucha
The two reasons based on science for why skin glows include how fast cells renew and blood circulation. Skin that renews itself often promotes a healthy glow. This is also the reason why younger people often have “glowing skin” — the skin renews itself more often when younger!
Another reason for skin glow is blood circulation. As more blood circulates, more skin cells near the surface of the skin will have the nutrients necessary to stay healthy.
Kombucha is a win-win in both of these departments. One study has shown that it improves blood circulation throughout the body, which certainly impacts the skin layer as well.
Kombucha also contains a much-talked-about ingredient within the beauty realm: gluconic acid. Gluconic acid both stimulates collagen and increases skin renewal. These biological effects from kombucha lead to what we all want… glowing skin!
Skin suppleness with kombucha
Supple skin is characterized by good skin elasticity, which is the ability of your skin to “bounce” back when it is stretched or moved. One of the primary reasons that your skin is elastic is because of collagen. Collagen is needed for skin elasticity because its fiber-like structure makes connective tissue; it basically forms the basis for the structure of your skin.
When collagen breaks down, then the skin appears less supple because of the loss of structure. It has been shown that diets rich in antioxidants and vitamin C promote skin elasticity, both of which are found in kombucha. The research I mentioned earlier also indicates just that… kombucha boosts collagen!
Make Healthy Kombucha at Home
To me, the healthiest type of kombucha is homemade! You know exactly what’s in it and how it was made. Research indicates that kombucha fermented for 14–21 days has the best bioactivity that promotes younger, clearer, smoother, and glowing skin.
Here’s what you will need
- A medium-sized glass jar
- Fermentation bottles
- Kombucha culture (SCOBY)
- Sugar
- Black Tea
1. Make the Tea Base
Boil about a gallon of filtered water and seep black tea bags for 15–20 minutes. Add sugar (I use organic cane sugar) and stir.
Step 2: Add SCOBY
Cool down the mixture until it’s warm (~80 degrees). Put the tea into the glass jar and add SCOBY. Usually, it’s recommended to test the pH at this step. If you do have pH test strips, see if it is 4.5 or below. If it isn’t, add some white vinegar drop-wise until it’s around that pH. Seal tightly with woven cloth.
Step 3: Fermentation
Place the glass jar in a warm (~77 degrees) and dark place for more than 14 days. The kombucha will taste stronger the longer you ferment it and the warmer the environment is.
Step 4: Prepare the next batch
Remove the top layer of SCOBY (looks like small pellicles) from the brew jar and place it in another jar. Pour 2 cups of kombucha over the pellicles.
Step 5: Secondary Fermentation
Pour the kombucha from the glass jar into sealed glass bottles (recommended to use fermentation bottles). Let ferment in a dark and room temperature room for another 5 days. Then, place in refrigerator to chill before drinking.
Step 5: Flavoring Kombucha
You can add whatever you want to flavor the kombucha now! I recommend some fruit juice. My personal favorites are guava and apple juice.
This article was originally posted on my blog www.dailyscientia.com
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay to drink a kombucha every day?
It depends on how much you are having every day! The Centers for Disease Control recommended that 4 ounces of kombucha can be consumed one to three times a day.
Can I put kombucha on my face?
Yes, you can! Kombucha also has beneficial effects on the skin microbiome and reduced inflammation. Just make sure to dilute it before putting it on the face or it might cause some slight irritation.
Can you use kombucha as a toner?
You can use kombucha as a toner. The SCOBY in kombucha helps remove oil, dirt, and sebum from the surface of the skin. Dilute some kombucha with rose water and add it to a spray bottle. Now you have a DIY toner to spritz onto your face! It is recommended to keep it cooled in the fridge.
Is kombucha good for dry skin?
Yes, drinking kombucha and even topical application does usually have moisturizing effects on the skin. It also promotes a healthy microbiome and controls inflammation, which can help with improving dry skin symptoms.
Is kombucha good for your skin?
Yes, much of the evidence does indicate that kombucha is good for the skin! It has anti-aging, clearing, and smoothing effects as mentioned in the article.
Does kombucha make your skin glow?
Much of the evidence also suggests that kombucha may improve “skin glow” As was mentioned before, one study has shown that kombucha improves blood circulation throughout the body, which gives the appearance of skin glow! Kombucha also contains gluconic acid, which stimulates collagen and increases skin renewal. These biological effects from kombucha lead to what we all want… glowing skin.
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