Black Tea Kombucha Consumption: Effect on Cardiometabolic Parameters and Diet Quality of Individuals with and without Obesity
Gabriela Macedo Fraiz,
Mirian A. C. Costa,
Rodrigo R. Cardoso,
James R. Hébert,
Longgang Zhao,
Viviana Corich,
Alessio Giacomini,
Fermín I. Milagro,
Frederico A. R. Barros,
Josefina Bressan
Affiliations
Gabriela Macedo Fraiz
Department of Nutrition and Health, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, Brazil
Mirian A. C. Costa
Department of Food Technology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, Brazil
Rodrigo R. Cardoso
Department of Food Technology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, Brazil
James R. Hébert
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Longgang Zhao
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Viviana Corich
Department of Agronomy, Food Natural Resources, Animals, and Environment (DAFNAE), Università degli Studi di Padova, Via dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Alessio Giacomini
Department of Agronomy, Food Natural Resources, Animals, and Environment (DAFNAE), Università degli Studi di Padova, Via dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Fermín I. Milagro
Centre for Nutrition Research, Department of Nutrition, Food Science and Physiology, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
Frederico A. R. Barros
Department of Food Technology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, Brazil
Josefina Bressan
Department of Nutrition and Health, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, Brazil
Background: Kombucha, a fermented tea, has been suggested as an adjuvant in the treatment of obesity. Although animal and in vitro studies indicate its promising benefits, exploring kombucha’s impact on human health is necessary. Methods: This quasi-experimental pre–post-intervention assessed the effect of black tea kombucha consumption on cardiometabolic parameters for 8 weeks, considering the quality of the diet of individuals with and without obesity. Diet quality was assessed through the Dietary Inflammatory Index® and Dietary Total Antioxidant Capacity. Paired t-test/Wilcoxon was applied to compare differences between pre- and post-intervention (α = 0.05). Results: After the intervention, individuals with obesity showed a decrease in insulin, HOMA-IR, and GGT; those without obesity showed an increase in total cholesterol and alkaline phosphatase, but this was only observed in those with a worsened diet quality. Conclusion: kombucha intake demonstrated positive impacts on the metabolic health of individuals with obesity beyond the importance of combining it with healthy eating patterns.
