Each year seems to bring with it a surplus of new diet trends to try. The first couple of months of the year are prime targets for the rollout of these new diets since so many of us tend to make new year’s resolutions to get healthier, lose weight, or increase our intake of fruits and vegetables. Navigating all these new fads can be exhausting!
It’s especially refreshing that foods like tepache exist, with its established history and its nutritious qualities. Let’s explore the many benefits of tepache.
What is Tepache?
“What exactly is tepache?”, you ask.
In short, it’s a fermented liquid made from pineapples and spices. You may have heard of kombucha thanks to its more recent rise in popularity, but tepache has been around for quite a while. It originated in Mexico and has existed since at least before the Spanish conquests occurred, according to an article by Well+Good.
Just as with many other recipes, flavors of tepache can vary with the person creating the batch. Some people prefer to go easy on the spices while some may like their tepache full of more robust flavors from spices and even other kinds of fruit, according to Well+Good. Tepache does have a bit of alcohol since it’s a fermented drink, so be aware of that before you decide to plunge in and give this tasty beverage a try. The amount of alcohol is generally quite small and much less than the amount in a traditional alcoholic beverage, but it’s important to take note.
Those who enjoy the tropical flavors of a ripe yellow pineapple may already be sold on trying this beverage. Though if you aren’t quite sure whether you’re up for introducing this fermented drink into your life just yet, rest assured that the benefits of tepache make it worthy of a second look.
Fermented Benefits of Tepache
The Canadian reports that the fermenting process used to create tepache helps support good gut health because it nurtures the growth of ‘good bacteria’ in the intestinal tract. Probiotics play a big role here, but prebiotics also come in to play with tepache. Gut bacteria impacts numerous areas of human health, including our mental health, so consuming those pre-and probiotics can be beneficial.
Pineapple with Benefits
Well+Good’s article also notes that the pineapple used to make this delicious drink has a few health benefits in and of itself, never mind the benefits of the fermenting process alone. As The Canadian notes, the fermentation gets a boost from its interaction with the nutrients in the fruit used to produce tepache. Talk about a double dose of goodness!
Healthier-Looking Skin
Vitamin C is one of the nutrients that abound within pineapples. It helps support many of our natural processes, including the creation of collagen, as Well+Good states. Collagen can give the appearance of healthier-looking skin, so tepache is worth considering if you’re looking to achieve a healthy glow this winter.
Inflammation Fighting Bromalin
As if healthier skin thanks to collagen wasn’t quite enough, The Canadian goes on to say that pineapples have numerous other nutrients that all have their own benefits. One such notable nutrient is bromalin, which can help with digestion. More than that though, bromalin is noteworthy for being an anti-inflammatory. In today’s world, we all know that inflammation can be dangerous and pose multiple health problems. Adding some anti-inflammatory ingredients to your diet via natural sources like tepache could be a good idea if you’re hoping to get healthier and reduce inflammation.
Tepache Can Be Green
With all the vitamins, minerals, and good bacteria contained in just this one drink, it can be easy to overlook one other benefit of tepache: you can make it with scraps. Since tepache is generally made from both the rind and the core of pineapples, it helps use up all those pineapple leftovers that we generally don’t consume. The core of the pineapple is what we typically enjoy when making a tasty afternoon snack for ourselves. If you decide to make it, you use up much more of the entire pineapple since you can add in the rind. You can also use it in the core.
At-Home Benefits of Tepache
Of course, you can purchase tepache online or, if you’re lucky enough, at a store near you. But you can also brew up a batch of tepache right from the comfort of your own home. Well+Good provides a recipe, but any simple online search will turn up delicious variations. Try your own hand at mixing it up with spices you already have on hand and make the process fun and unique to your tastes.
Tepache Offers a Wealth of Benefits
The many benefits of tepache are quite astounding for such a sweet, fruity beverage. Sipping on tepache can boost your gut health, support the appearance of healthier skin, aid in the fight against inflammation, and even help you reduce food waste by making good use of the pineapple rind as well as its core. Best of all, you don’t even have to leave the house to sample this beneficial beverage since you can brew up a batch from the comfort of your own home.
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