Often mistaken for a mushroom, Kombucha is in fact a colony of yeast and bacteria. Adding the colony to green or black tea with some sugar, this allows the mixture to ferment and make the tea. The resulting beverage will then contain B vitamins, vinegar, and other chemical compounds (listed below). In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this type of tea is labeled as the “elixir of life”. In the words of the sweet friend who gave me my SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast), “If you’re ugly, it’ll make you pretty.”
Kombucha is good for your immune system, protecting your liver, combating eczema, detoxification of the body, increasing your energy level (speeding up metabolism), reducing stress on your pancreas and liver, fighting arthritis, accelerating weight loss, helping combat acid reflux, managing stress, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and bad complexion. You know how Granny always recommends a little vinegar to heal what ails ya? Well, this acidic drink does the same thing. It contains Glucaric acid, Lactic Acid, Acetic Acid, Usnic Acid, Oxalic Acid, Malic Acid, Butyric Acid, glucosamines, B vitamins, Beneficial Yeasts, and, of course, like everything else, antioxidants. It has a delicious, but for most people, acquired, taste similar to a kind of sweet, fizzy vinegar. It is to be enjoyed in small portions, taking little sips.
To Make a Batch:
Bring 6-8 cups water to a boil. Add the corresponding amount of black/green tea bags (3-4). The tea must be caffeinated. Steep off the heat with a lid for 12 minutes, or the amount of time recommended on your tea box/jar. Strain out the tea bags and mix in 1- 1½ cups of white, granulated sugar until it is dissolved. Allow the tea to come to warm room temperature and pour into a glass jar with ½-1 cup of previous batch, setting the SCOBY on top of the liquid. Place a clean, doubled kitchen towel on top (it needs to breathe), securing with a rubber band. In a dark place (like your cabinet) let it ferment for 1 week. Pour into another glass container, leaving a little liquid in the jar to jumpstart your next batch. The made Kombucha goes in the fridge, ready to enjoy and your SCOBY is ready for another batch to ferment! Bring 6-8 cups water to a boil…
If mold develops on the Kombucha ‘pancake’, clean with a little vinegar.
It is recommended to drink 4 ounces or less a day.
A regular batch of the tea contains .5% alcohol, keeping it a non-alcoholic beverage. Higher amounts of sugar/extra brewing time might increase the alcoholic level to 1% or 1.5%.
Nourishing Traditions, Fallon, Sally Newtrends Publishing, Inc.
We have tried this tea before, but the taste was really strong! Maybe if we didn't let it ferment so long it would have a more appealing taste:-)
ReplyDeleteI think we need to give it a try again after reading all the benefits it contains!!!
I wonder if this tea would be an equal success if I were to prepare it with a sugar substitute :(?
ReplyDeleteRenae823: You absolutely may NOT use a sugar substitute! The fermentation process changes the properties the sugar into a very good thing for our bodies. I would give you a fuller answer, but I left my favorite nutrition book at home, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. She gives a very good treatment on how the black caffeinated tea and white sugar turn into actual healthy and important things for our bodies.
ReplyDeleteDel sisters: You need to come over and sample some of mine! Or I'll bring it the next time we meet for coffee... doesnt that sound appealing? Coffee and Kombucha? Yum?
So informative Elizabeth!
ReplyDelete