Kombucha Health Benefits
Kombucha Health Benefits
Ah, kombucha. Sweet, tangy, delicious kombucha. The kombucha craze has been in full force for a while now, but this fizzy drink is nothing new. Kombucha has actually been used as a medicinal tea for thousands of years! But what exactly is it? How is it made? What are the health benefits and why is it good for us?
So many questions! And we’ve got the answers for you.
What is Kombucha?
Simply put, kombucha is fermented tea. The essence of kombucha is SCOBY, which stands for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. This is commonly referred to as “the mother” or the “culture.” The SCOBY is packed full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and health-promoting organic acids. This bubbly drink is a fantastic probiotic and is great for your gut health. And if you’ve read our other blog about gut health, you know just how important it is for your overall well-being. Some of the other health benefits include:
Decreases digestion issues
Increases energy levels
Improves hypertension
Relieves allergies
Prevents chronic fatigue
Strengthens immune system
Reduces the risk of cancer
Promotes positive mental health
Lowers risk of heart disease
Reduces toxins in liver
Aides weight loss
There hasn’t been extensive research supporting the positive effects of kombucha, but as they say, the proof is in the pudding. Thousands of years of healing can’t be wrong, right? Drink a glass and let us know how you feel.
How to Make Kombucha
While kombucha is certainly delicious and nutritious, it can be a little pricey. Around four dollars a bottle can really start to add up, especially if you drink it on a frequent basis. So, what’s the best solution to satisfy your kombucha craving? Make it yourself! It’s actually really quite simple; you just need a bit of patience. Here’s all you need to do:
Make SCOBY
As we mentioned earlier, SCOBY is the heart of kombucha. Make yourself some SCOBY and you’ll never lack kombucha ever again.
Bring 7 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and dissolve ½ a cup of white sugar into it.
Add 4 bags of black tea to the water and allow it to steep while water cools to room temperature.
Pour the tea into a jar and add ½ a bottle of unflavored store-bought kombucha to it.
Cover with a few layers of cloth (paper towels, cheesecloth, coffee filters, etc.) and secure with a rubber band.
Allow the mixture to sit in a dark, room temperature room for 1 to 4 weeks, or until about a quarter inch of SCOBY has formed.
Do not keep the tea you used to make the SCOBY. It may seem like a good idea, and obviously less wasteful; however, it is very vinegary and will actually ruin the taste of your kombucha.
First Fermentation Process
Now that you’ve made your SCOBY, it’s time to actually make the kombucha.
Bring 14 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and dissolve 1 cup of white sugar into it.
Add 8 bags of black or green tea and allow to steep while water cools to room temperature.
With freshly cleaned hands, remove the SCOBY from the tea and place on a clean plate.
Pour the new tea into a jar and add 2 cups of unflavored store-bought kombucha.
Gently place the SCOBY into the jar. Cover with a few layers of cloth and secure with a rubber band.
Allow the mixture to sit in a dark, room temperature room for about 6 to 10 days. Taste test your kombucha around day 6. The longer the tea ferments, the less sweet it will be.
To make the process simpler the next time around, reserve 2 cups of tea from this batch to keep the SCOBY in. That way, you won’t have to make more SCOBY the next time you make kombucha. The rest can move into the second fermentation process.
Second Fermentation Process
This is the fun part! Now you get to experiment with flavors and choose how to enhance the taste of your homemade kombucha. This process also gives the good bacteria within your kombucha the kick it needs to start carbonation and create fizzy bliss
Strain your kombucha and funnel into separate bottles.
Add your chosen sweetener and tightly seal the lid. Options include fruit, honey, and sugar (1 to 2 tablespoons of mashed fruit, slice of orange, 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey, peppermint candy, candied ginger, etc.).
Allow the mixture to sit in a dark, room temperature room for about 3 to 10 days. Once desired flavor is reached, keep in the refrigerator.
And BAM! You’ve got a kickass kombucha. Enjoy!