Coffee, Alcohol and Kombucha: Is it True or False?
“Kombucha is not a beverage but rather a fermented tea made from the juice of the bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum.” – Wikipedia
Is it true that coffee, alcohol and kombucha are all good for each other? Is there any truth to these claims? What do they really mean and how much do they actually affect your body?
Let’s take a look at these three things together.
What Are Coffee, Alcohol and Kombucha?
Let’s start with what exactly are coffee, alcohol and kombucha?
They are all beverages that contain one or more ingredients such as water, sugar, milk or fruit juices. There is no clear definition of which ingredients make up each type of drink. Some drinks may include both coffee and alcohol while others may only contain the former ingredient. Also, some types of drinks may have different levels of caffeine depending on whether they contain milk or not.
In general, alcoholic beverages tend to have higher concentrations of alcohol than non-alcoholic ones. Coffee contains small amounts of both coffee beans and caffeine. Therefore, drinking coffee does not necessarily lead to intoxication.
However, if you consume too much alcohol (or even moderate amount) then you could experience unpleasant effects such as nausea and vomiting due to the high concentration of alcohol in coffee.
Kombucha is a sweetened, fermented tea that contains small amounts of alcohol and caffeine. The exact amount of alcohol and caffeine in kombucha depends on the brand and type of kombucha that you are drinking. There are no laws that require manufacturers to print the exact amount of alcohol and caffeine in kombucha on the product’s nutrition facts label.
Is it True that Alcohol, Coffee and Kombucha are Good for Each Other?
There are several rumors that say coffee is good for you if you drink it after drinking alcohol or eating food. The logic behind this is that the caffeine in the coffee will help to sober you up. This may be true to an extent. However, if your body is still processing a lot of alcohol then drinking more of it is probably not a good idea. If you really want to be safe, it is probably better to wait until your body has completely processed the alcohol before drinking any coffee at all.
What about kombucha and alcohol?
Some people say that drinking kombucha after drinking alcohol is beneficial. Others disagree. to these claims. The logic behind these rumors are that the acetic acid in kombucha can help the body process alcohol more quickly and effectively. It may also help prevent a headache.
However, these rumors may or may not be true. The exact amount of alcohol in kombucha is not very high. It is usually less than 0.5%.
Also, there is no medical evidence that shows that drinking kombucha after drinking alcohol helps the body process alcohol more quickly.
What about coffee and alcohol?
Once again, some people say that coffee helps the body process alcohol. The logic behind this claim is questionable at best. Other people believe that coffee can help prevent a hangover altogether. While this may be true in rare cases, it is not always the case. Coffee does not prevent alcohol from damaging your body in any way.
Does Alcohol Prevent Caffeine Intoxication?
There are rumors that say alcohol prevents caffeine intoxication altogether. These rumors may have some truth to them. For instance, the logic behind coffee helping you sober up while drinking alcohol is true to an extent. However, a lot of these claims make the assumption that if you consume alcohol and coffee together then you will not suffer any effects from consuming too much caffeine.
Is this true?
The answer is: it depends. The effects of alcohol and other drugs do not always go hand in hand. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. This means that it slows down your central nervous system. Coffee, on the other hand, can cause your central nervous system to speed up. It can speed things up so much that the effects of the alcohol are lessened.
Many people who drink coffee while drinking alcohol do not experience as many effects from alcohol as they normally would. However, this does not mean that these people are immune to the effects of alcohol. For example, if you are drinking a cup of coffee while you have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.1%, then this may drop to 0.08% or even lower.
This may sound good, but it’s not. A BAC of 0.1% can still cause a variety of issues including nausea and vomiting. Your reaction time could still be negatively altered. It is best to have no more than a 0.02% BAC if you decide to drink coffee while drinking alcohol.
On the other hand, some people may experience the opposite effect of having a higher BAC while drinking coffee. These people may experience similar effects as someone who has had too much caffeine. These side effects could include restlessness, anxiety, a fast heartbeat, and even a psychosis.
So can alcohol prevent caffeine intoxication altogether?
The answer is no. Some of the rumors about the relationship between alcohol and coffee are true, but others are not. The best advice is to be careful no matter what you decide to consume. Be sure to monitor how much alcohol and caffeine you have consumed during the course of the night as well as your eating habits.
Is Alcohol Required for a Good Time?
It’s a common misconception that alcohol must be consumed in order to have a good time. This is simply not the case. While alcohol may help you relax and have a good time, there are other ways to achieve the same effect.
For example, meditation has been proven to have a positive effect on your mood. If you learn how to meditate properly and practice it regularly then you will begin to notice a difference in how you feel both mentally and physically.
Another alternative to consuming alcohol is vaping. This is a relatively new method of relaxation that has already taken the market by storm. Many people vape because it has been proven to be significantly safer than smoking cigarettes.
Plus, vaping doesn’t have any negative effects on those around you. You may even find that vaping has the same effect on your mood as alcohol does.
No matter what your reasons are for not partaking in drinking alcohol, you should not feel ashamed or belittled in any way. Being sober is just as good as being drunk and this should be respected by all.
How to Survive a Hangover: 8 Proven Tips
A hangover can be one of the worst pains that you will ever experience. While hangovers were once thought to be mostly in your head, it is now known that they are actually caused by several different factors. For example, drinking on an empty stomach can increase the chances of developing a hangover.
This is because alcohol is absorbed at a faster rate.
Drinking on an empty stomach can also cause you to become dehydrated. Dehydration causes your body to feel sluggish and fatigued, which is why drinking water while you are drinking can help prevent a hangover.
Not only does dehydration contribute to the severity of a hangover, but it can also make your hangover last longer. Drinking water while you are drinking will ensure that you do not become dehydrated and will help prevent a hangover.
Here are some more tips to prevent a hangover:
Drink lots of water before going to bed
Avoid certain foods before bedtime, such as avocado, which can cause heartburn
Eat something light if you wake up with a hangover. Your body is dehydrated and needs nutrients. Go for foods high in sugar and sodium such as peanut butter and bananas or cereal and milk.
If you can handle it, try drinking some coconut water. It’s extremely good for curing a hangover.
Do some light exercise to help blood flow and relieve the pressure in your head.
Get as much rest as you can.
If you have medicine for headaches, take it. Be sure to follow all instructions and do not exceed the recommended dosage.
The Science of Hangovers & How To Avoid Them
So what is a hangover exactly?
A hangover is the consequence of consuming too much alcohol and is experienced the day after a night of drinking.
When you drink, the alcohol in your system causes vasodilation. This means that your blood vessels are widening, which increases blood flow. After an extended period of time, this results in your liver becoming overwhelmed by the amount of toxins it needs to process.
This, in turn, results in you experiencing a hangover.
So, how can you avoid a hangover?
The best way to avoid a hangover is by drinking in moderation. For most people, this means drinking no more than one drink per hour. By keeping this pace, you will avoid the unpleasant side effects of drinking without limiting your fun the next day.
If you don’t want to cut down on the amount that you’re drinking, there are other ways to avoid a hangover. The first step is maintaining proper hydration. By making sure that you are properly hydrated before going out, you will prevent headaches and fatigue the next day.
While drinking water won’t necessarily eliminate a hangover, it will make you feel better if you do get one.
The second step is eating before and while you’re drinking. Most drinks don’t have much nutritional value to them. This means that your body is missing important nutrients that it requires.
Sources & references used in this article:
EFFECT OF KOMBUCHA CULTURE ON CAFFEINE AND CHLOROGENIC ACID CONTENT IN FERMENTATION OF ROBUSTA GREEN COFFEE BEANS … by T Narko, MS Wibowo, S Damayanti, I Wibowo – receptor, 2020 – rasayanjournal.co.in
Kombucha tea fermentation: Microbial and biochemical dynamics by S Chakravorty, S Bhattacharya, A Chatzinotas… – International Journal of …, 2016 – Elsevier
Kombucha: Is Consumption Safe for Everyone? by T Fourre, K Salverda – 2020 – digitalcommons.csbsju.edu
Probable gastrointestinal toxicity of Kombucha tea: is this beverage healthy or harmful? by R Srinivasan, S Smolinske… – Journal of general …, 1997 – Wiley Online Library
Kombucha: The miracle fungus by H Tietze – 1996 – books.google.com
Mechanisms for the reduction of caffeine consumption: What, how and why by S Rodda, N Booth, J McKean, A Chung, J Park… – Drug and Alcohol …, 2020 – Elsevier
Caffeine: a boon or bane by V Kumar, J Kaur, A Panghal, S Kaur… – Nutrition & Food …, 2018 – emerald.com
Kombucha: Benefits Including Gut Health, Immunity, Cancer-Fighter, and even helps with Weight Loss? by C Ebeling – thenutritionwatchdog.com
