By now, almost everyone has heard about kombucha and it’s suggested health benefits. But what is it? And how do you get started using it? Can you even make it in your own home?
Kombucha Revealed
Kombucha is an ancient Asian drink that has been used for centuries as a health tonic. It is often referred to as “mushroom tea” even though it has no mushrooms in it. Rather, it describes the appearance of the tea as it goes through a fermentation process and “blooms.”
Kombucha is made with three key ingredients:
1. Some sort of tea, such as black, green or oolong
2. Yeast
3. Sugar
As with yogurt, the “starter” kicks off the fermentation process. The tea is then allowed to ferment in a cool place, and is then filtered and drunk.
Why Drink Kombucha?
Kombucha is a type of probiotic drink, that is, one which contains healthy bacteria. Many people have become aware of the fact that there are both harmful and healthy bacteria in the body, particularly in the digestive tract. With the growing concern in the West about the over-prescribing of antibiotics, which kill both harmful and healthy bacteria alike, there has been an increasing interest in fermented foods, including kombucha, to restore balance to the gut.
Should I Buy Commercial Kombucha?
You can buy ready-made kombucha, but it will not have the same active cultures as kombucha that you make at home. It will also be far more expensive than making it yourself with just a few simple ingredients.
How Can I Make Kombucha at Home?
You will need a kombucha starter, the active bacteria. However, you should only buy from a reputable company whose name you recognize, as there have been a great deal of quality-control issues with contaminated starters.
Once you add the starter to your tea mixture, you need to keep the tea in a cool place free from contaminants.
Making a Proper Cup of Tea for Your Kombucha
The success of your kombucha will depend on making a proper pot of tea and keeping all your containers and utensils very clean. Starting with high-quality ingredients will lead to a high-quality result.
The flavor will depend on what type of tea you used to start with, green versus black, for example, and how long you let the tea steep before you remove the tea leaves. Don’t use decaf or tea bags, as they are processed with chemicals.
Let the tea cool until it’s about 90 to 100 degrees F. Any hotter than that, and it can kill off the bacteria in the starter, and kill the yeast that are to be used for fermentation.
Don’t skimp on the sugar in your recipe that comes with your starter kit. The sugar is food (so-called pre-biotics) for the yeast and bacteria, and won’t cause you to pack on the pounds.
Once it is fermented and ready to drink (about 7 to 10 days), you can add flavor to it, such as lemon, and drink it whenever you wish for a quick pick me up.