Kombucha Benefits and Recipe

Fizzy and Healthy Kombucha Recipe: Discover Kombucha Benefits and How Easy it is to Make at Home

Kombucha is a fermented tea that has been gaining popularity in recent years due to its many health benefits. It is made by adding a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) to sweetened tea, which ferments the tea and creates a fizzy, slightly tart beverage.

One of the main kombucha benefits is that it is rich in probiotics.

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live in the gut and help to maintain a healthy balance of gut flora. This can improve digestion, boost the immune system, and promote overall health.

Kombucha is also a good source of antioxidants, which help to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. This can help to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Kombucha Benefits include being rich in vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B, vitamin C, and iron. These nutrients play an important role in maintaining good health and can help to prevent deficiencies.

Another benefit of kombucha is that it can help to detoxify the liver. The liver is responsible for filtering toxins from the body, and kombucha can help to support its function. This can help to improve overall health and well-being.

Many people think that making a kombucha recipe is difficult, but it is actually quite easy. The basic process of making kombucha involves brewing sweetened tea, adding a SCOBY, and then fermenting the tea for several days. Once the fermentation process is complete, the kombucha is ready to drink.

Here you will finally learn how to make it.

For those who do not want to go into the trouble of making their own (though I highly recommend, it is easy and rewarding), you can usually find Kombucha in a healthy food store, farm markets and at fairs to get all the Kombucha benefits.

Always look out for natural organic and no added additives.

A lot of Kombuchas are flavoured with herbs or fruits, always ensure these are natural. The more natural, the better.

Now for the die-hard Kombucha fans, here is the real thing to do your own Kombucha Recipe.

First you need a Starter kit.

You can find this often at fairs, farmer markets and health food stores or google it. I got mine from Angry Booch (Miami).

What you need:

• 1 gallon glass jar
• 2 cups of starter booch (from previous Kombucha)
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 scoby (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria+ Yeast)
• Rubber band
• Paper towel
• 8 tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose tea 

Instructions:

1. Boil 13-14 cups of water in a large pot
2. Once it reaches a boil, turn off heat
3. Add one cup of sugar, stir till dissolved
4. Add tea, stir
5. Let the tea steep and cool to room temperature with lid off (2-3 hours)
6. Remove tea
7. Add cooled tea to gallon jar (too much heat will kill scoby!)
8. Place paper towel over opening of jar and secure with rubber band
9. Place jar in a well ventilated area with adequate sunlight, but not too direct where it will not be disturbed with (temp 74-80)
10. Allow the batch to sit 7-10 days or to taste
11.  If fizz or flavor is desired, remove scoby, add flavorings such as ½ cup of fruits, ginger, herbs (optional) and close lid for 3-5 days at room temperature. Best done in a separate glass container. Check on it daily and do not leave it too long, it may explode. Open over the sink (believe me, the build-up of bubbles can lead to a messy kitchen)

 What you need to know:

• Your kombucha is alive!  Treat it with love 
• Take a whiff every few days to get familiar with the smell (you’ll discover what’s good/bad) it should smell like yeast and vinegar
• Your scoby may float to the bottom or top. You may notice white bubbles form on the surface resembling a white film – this is OK!
• At 7-10 days take a clean straw and slip it beneath the surface placing a finger on top. Taste the liquid stuck in the straw. Once you’re happy with the taste you can drink as is, or go for a second fermentation.
• If you like it a little fizzy or flavored start at 7 days for a second fermentation.  The kombucha will continue to ferment while the yeast consumes the sugar. 
• After the second fermentation is done, place in the refrigerator and enjoy!
• Always store kombucha in glass, no plastic!
• Leave behind 2 cups of kombucha for the next batch.
• Try to avoid flavored teas because the oils will help mold grow.

START WITH:

4oz in the morning on an empty stomach. Follow with a glass of water.

If that goes well, try another 4oz serving before dinner.

Drinking water is critical to the cleansing of toxins and getting all the kombucha benefits. Without water, your body will reabsorb them.

THEN:

Listen to your body. If you find you want more, have some. If you have any reactions, cut back.

I was sceptic about the sugar content but after the fermentation only very little sugar remains (only around 1 tsp per gallon)

Kombucha benefits include being a detoxifying agent, so introduction to your system can have immediate and occasionally dramatic effects. For this reason, start slowly to minimize the likelihood of a Herxheimer Reaction. Remember Kombucha is not for everybody and if you have any intolerance or allergy to yeast or any other ingredients, this is not for you. If in doubt check with your health care practitioner.

Drinking Kombucha 20 minutes prior to your meal will help to curb your appetite. Or drink it after meals to improve digestive function for best Kombucha benefits.

Kombucha contains about 1/4 the amount of caffeine as regular tea.

Keep in mind there is a small amount of alcohol in the Kombucha of .5% and 1%, sometimes slightly more to allow the body to readily absorb the good stuff it gets from Booch. Like tincture or cough syrup, the alcohol acts as a delivery system. Kombucha is far lower in alcohol than either of those readily available products.

Repeat and enjoy it over and over again for the best benefits of drinking Kombucha.

You can also customize your kombucha by adding fruits, herbs, or spices to the tea before fermenting. This can give it a unique flavor and added health benefits.

In conclusion, kombucha is a fermented tea that offers many health benefits, including probiotics, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and liver detoxification. It is also easy to make and can be customized to suit your taste preferences.

If you’re looking to improve your overall health and well-being, give kombucha a try!