This post is also available in: Spanish
When I was in Prague I discovered this amazing fermented drink which tastes really good and brings you a lot of nutrients.
What is Kombucha?
It comes from China and was then brought to Russia and the whole world. The Chinese were calling it “Immortal Health Elixir“.
It is made of only four ingredients: black (or green) tea, water, sugar and “SCOBY”. SCOBY means Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast. It looks like a white creamy gelatin. Thanks to this bacteria, the beverage becomes in few days acid and effervescent.
The nutritional benefits of Kombucha
Hippocrates once said “all diseases begin in the gut“.
As every fermented food like kefir or kimchi, Kombucha is a great source of probiotics that help you create a health balance of micro-organisms in your intestines. It is also rich in antioxidants, vitamin B and enzymes. Moreover, it will boost your immune system and detox your body.
It tastes like cider for some and you can easily drink it instead of soda since its bubbles will remind you to this kind of drinks. It is also better to drink it at room temperature (not cold). We like taking it before breakfast.
How to make your own Kombucha?
Instead of buying it in stores, you can try to make your own. You first need to find a mother that’s is to say a “SCOBY”. You can find them on some bio shops or at forums in Internet (if you live in Mexico City we can give you one). There are even groups on Facebook related to Kombucha.
Once you have the SCOBY, you need to add a couple of small cubes of powdered brown sugar (piloncillo in Mexico) to a small bowl of boiling water and then add two bags of black (or green) tea and let the mix cool down (remove the tea bags 10 min after you add them). Place this mix in a sterilized glass jar, add purified water (until it is about 1L including the tea mix) then add the SCOBY and cover the jar with a breathable cover (like a gauze) so that it can breathe but prevent dust or insects to get inside.
After 10 days you can filter it and place it in a bottle with a hinge to encourage the effervescence.
Even if the acidity helps to keep it safe, make sure to maintain good hygiene during the process: Make sure to clean each utensil and to wash your hands before doing anything. If any mold appears, throw it.
Who can drink it?
Kombucha contains caffeine so it is better to drink it in the morning if you are sensible to it. As it is a fermented beverage it also contains alcohol in a small quantity (between 0,5% to 1%). Thus it is not recommended to pregnant women, and children should drink it occasionally and in very small quantity.
Ready to try it? Let us know what you think about it.
If you would like to know more about Kombucha’s benefits, read this article.
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