New Delhi, Aug. 25 -- A weak gut has entered wellness conversations as the root cause for a number of health issues. Bloating? Heal the gut. Acne? Heal the gut. Low energy, poor mood, inflammation? Heal the gut. Inevitably, packaged solutions have boomed: kombucha in sleek glass, kefir in pretty pours, sauerkraut in neat jars, probiotic powders and "microbiome-friendly" snacks that make good digestion feel like something one can outsource.

This was evident at the recently concluded Longevity Summit in Mumbai which had an exhibition area with kombucha brands. But a modern wellness label does not automatically make something better than what has existed in Indian kitchens for generations.

Long before kombucha became a cafe staple, Indian ...