Its roots go back millennia, and the popularity of kombucha has fluctuated over the past 100 years, according to a review published in the February 2019 issue of Annals of Epidemiology. Now it’s reportedly the fastest-growing product in the “functional beverage” market. These are drinks that are marketed for their health benefits beyond nutrition. Kombucha is a fizzy drink made by fermenting tea (generally black tea, though sometimes green tea or oolong tea) and sugar with a biofilm of microorganisms known as a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) for 7 to 10 days. After fermentation, kombucha becomes a rich source of probiotics (a “friendly” type of bacteria), polyphenols (plant compounds), and contains a small amount of vitamins B and C, according to the aforementioned review. The fermentation process also creates acetic acid (an ingredient found in vinegar), low levels of alcohol, and other gases and acidic compounds, all of which give kombucha a mildly acidic flavor that resembles apple cider, according to a review published in December 2015 in the Journal of Chemistry. Compared with soda, kombucha may be a healthier choice than soda, thanks to the aforementioned nutrients and the significantly lower level of sugar. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a can of coke isn’t a significant source of vitamins and nutrients. Not to mention, kombucha is tasty, easy to DIY and generally safe to drink. That makes it a worthwhile addition to your healthy lifestyle. RELATED: 5 Great Fermented Foods for Diabetes
What Do the Probiotics in Kombucha Do?
Most of the health hype over kombucha centers on the presence of probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms, such as bacteria and yeasts, that are beneficial to the body, and are often found in yogurt and fermented foods. Some bacteria aid digestion, while others produce vitamins or help prevent illness, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Unfortunately, there isn’t much research to support the benefits of kombucha. But kombucha may help protect our bodies from free radical damage and promote immunity, says Jennifer McDaniel, RDN, owner of McDaniel Nutrition Therapy in Clayton, Missouri. After all, probiotics can balance your gut microbiota (bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other compounds), helping normalize processes in the gut and boosting the immune system, notes the Journal of Chemistry review. The authors write that compounds released from the tea leaves during the fermentation process offer antioxidant benefits. Antioxidants help scavenge free radicals — harmful atoms found in environmental pollutants like cigarette smoke — from your body. Too many free radicals can damage your cells, and may play a role in common diseases like cancer and heart disease. Drinking antioxidant-rich beverages like kombucha may help protect your body from free radical damage. Yet more research is needed. RELATED: 10 High-Antioxidant Foods That Prove Food Is Medicine
Who Shouldn’t Drink Kombucha?
Kombucha is generally safe to drink, but there are some instances where you should tread carefully. For one thing, kombucha contains small amounts of alcohol, and it’s tricky to know exactly how much alcohol you’re getting when you brew your own kombucha. For this reason, and because kombucha isn’t pasteurized, children, and pregnant and breastfeeding women in particular should avoid homemade kombucha. Store-bought kombucha may be a safer option than homemade kombucha, as the alcohol content is highly regulated, says Maria Zamarripa, RD, owner of Food Farmacist, RD, in Denver. Still, it’s always a good idea to check with your healthcare provider if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Also, people with weakened immune systems — like those with a serious illness, those going through chemotherapy, or those taking immune-suppressing drugs — face a greater risk of harmful side effects from unpasteurized foods and probiotics. In fact, people with weakened immune systems may want to stay away from probiotics in general, according to the NCCIH. The potential side effects of probiotics for these people include infections and the creation of harmful substances by the probiotic microorganisms. Even if you’re free and clear to drink kombucha, don’t overdo it. Zamarripa recommends starting with four ounces twice a week and gradually increasing once you know how your body responds. “Too much [kombucha] at once can cause a lot of people to become bloated and uncomfortable,” she says. RELATED: 10 Good Foods to Help Relieve Constipation
How to Make Kombucha at Home
Whipping up plain kombucha can be safe, as long as you follow the steps carefully. If you don’t, you risk the growth of mold, in which case you’ll need to toss the whole batch. “Mold growth on a kombucha SCOBY is fairly uncommon, but if found, the SCOBY and all the liquid associated with that batch should be thrown away,” Zamarripa says. Some discoloration and darkening of the SCOBY will naturally occur during the fermentation process, but kombucha mold is usually fuzzy, and resembles the type of mold you regularly see on old food, “which makes it fairly easy to identify,” Zamarripa says. Kombucha mold can be black, green, white, or tan, she adds.
Supplies for Making Kombucha From Scratch
You need to have a few supplies on hand before you can start brewing: RELATED: 10 Potential Health Benefits of Green Tea
12 Steps for DIYing Kombucha
Once you’ve gathered your materials, follow these steps for brewing kombucha, provided by Zamarripa. Brewing up the perfect batch of homemade kombucha will take a little trial and error, but you’ll get the hang of it after a couple of batches. RELATED: A Detailed Guide to Matcha and Its Health Benefits
Kombucha Can Be a Healthy Addition to Your Diet
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that offers a pleasant and fizzy flavor. It’s also packed with beneficial probiotics, plant compounds, and vitamins, making it a healthier alternative to sugary sodas and energy drinks. Brew your own kombucha at home to save money. If you’re new to kombucha or fermented foods, take it slow to give your body time to adjust to the probiotics. Start by drinking 4 ounces twice a week and gradually work your way up once you see how your body responds. Don’t drink kombucha if you’re a child, pregnant, breastfeeding, sick, taking immune-suppressing medications, or otherwise have a weak immune system. When in doubt, check with your healthcare provider. And finally, remember that kombucha doesn’t replace a healthy diet. “[Kombucha] is not a magic bullet,” Zamarripa says. It can definitely add to your healthy lifestyle, but don’t expect it to cure every ill.
title: “How To Make Your Own Kombucha At Home” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-19” author: “Jill Young”
Its roots go back millennia, and the popularity of kombucha has fluctuated over the past 100 years, according to a review published in the February 2019 issue of Annals of Epidemiology. Now it’s reportedly the fastest-growing product in the “functional beverage” market. These are drinks that are marketed for their health benefits beyond nutrition. Kombucha is a fizzy drink made by fermenting tea (generally black tea, though sometimes green tea or oolong tea) and sugar with a biofilm of microorganisms known as a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) for 7 to 10 days. After fermentation, kombucha becomes a rich source of probiotics (a “friendly” type of bacteria), polyphenols (plant compounds), and contains a small amount of vitamins B and C, according to the aforementioned review. The fermentation process also creates acetic acid (an ingredient found in vinegar), low levels of alcohol, and other gases and acidic compounds, all of which give kombucha a mildly acidic flavor that resembles apple cider, according to a review published in December 2015 in the Journal of Chemistry. Compared with soda, kombucha may be a healthier choice than soda, thanks to the aforementioned nutrients and the significantly lower level of sugar. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a can of coke isn’t a significant source of vitamins and nutrients. Not to mention, kombucha is tasty, easy to DIY and generally safe to drink. That makes it a worthwhile addition to your healthy lifestyle. RELATED: 5 Great Fermented Foods for Diabetes
What Do the Probiotics in Kombucha Do?
Most of the health hype over kombucha centers on the presence of probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms, such as bacteria and yeasts, that are beneficial to the body, and are often found in yogurt and fermented foods. Some bacteria aid digestion, while others produce vitamins or help prevent illness, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Unfortunately, there isn’t much research to support the benefits of kombucha. But kombucha may help protect our bodies from free radical damage and promote immunity, says Jennifer McDaniel, RDN, owner of McDaniel Nutrition Therapy in Clayton, Missouri. After all, probiotics can balance your gut microbiota (bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other compounds), helping normalize processes in the gut and boosting the immune system, notes the Journal of Chemistry review. The authors write that compounds released from the tea leaves during the fermentation process offer antioxidant benefits. Antioxidants help scavenge free radicals — harmful atoms found in environmental pollutants like cigarette smoke — from your body. Too many free radicals can damage your cells, and may play a role in common diseases like cancer and heart disease. Drinking antioxidant-rich beverages like kombucha may help protect your body from free radical damage. Yet more research is needed. RELATED: 10 High-Antioxidant Foods That Prove Food Is Medicine
Who Shouldn’t Drink Kombucha?
Kombucha is generally safe to drink, but there are some instances where you should tread carefully. For one thing, kombucha contains small amounts of alcohol, and it’s tricky to know exactly how much alcohol you’re getting when you brew your own kombucha. For this reason, and because kombucha isn’t pasteurized, children, and pregnant and breastfeeding women in particular should avoid homemade kombucha. Store-bought kombucha may be a safer option than homemade kombucha, as the alcohol content is highly regulated, says Maria Zamarripa, RD, owner of Food Farmacist, RD, in Denver. Still, it’s always a good idea to check with your healthcare provider if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Also, people with weakened immune systems — like those with a serious illness, those going through chemotherapy, or those taking immune-suppressing drugs — face a greater risk of harmful side effects from unpasteurized foods and probiotics. In fact, people with weakened immune systems may want to stay away from probiotics in general, according to the NCCIH. The potential side effects of probiotics for these people include infections and the creation of harmful substances by the probiotic microorganisms. Even if you’re free and clear to drink kombucha, don’t overdo it. Zamarripa recommends starting with four ounces twice a week and gradually increasing once you know how your body responds. “Too much [kombucha] at once can cause a lot of people to become bloated and uncomfortable,” she says. RELATED: 10 Good Foods to Help Relieve Constipation
How to Make Kombucha at Home
Whipping up plain kombucha can be safe, as long as you follow the steps carefully. If you don’t, you risk the growth of mold, in which case you’ll need to toss the whole batch. “Mold growth on a kombucha SCOBY is fairly uncommon, but if found, the SCOBY and all the liquid associated with that batch should be thrown away,” Zamarripa says. Some discoloration and darkening of the SCOBY will naturally occur during the fermentation process, but kombucha mold is usually fuzzy, and resembles the type of mold you regularly see on old food, “which makes it fairly easy to identify,” Zamarripa says. Kombucha mold can be black, green, white, or tan, she adds.
Supplies for Making Kombucha From Scratch
You need to have a few supplies on hand before you can start brewing: RELATED: 10 Potential Health Benefits of Green Tea
12 Steps for DIYing Kombucha
Once you’ve gathered your materials, follow these steps for brewing kombucha, provided by Zamarripa. Brewing up the perfect batch of homemade kombucha will take a little trial and error, but you’ll get the hang of it after a couple of batches. RELATED: A Detailed Guide to Matcha and Its Health Benefits
Kombucha Can Be a Healthy Addition to Your Diet
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that offers a pleasant and fizzy flavor. It’s also packed with beneficial probiotics, plant compounds, and vitamins, making it a healthier alternative to sugary sodas and energy drinks. Brew your own kombucha at home to save money. If you’re new to kombucha or fermented foods, take it slow to give your body time to adjust to the probiotics. Start by drinking 4 ounces twice a week and gradually work your way up once you see how your body responds. Don’t drink kombucha if you’re a child, pregnant, breastfeeding, sick, taking immune-suppressing medications, or otherwise have a weak immune system. When in doubt, check with your healthcare provider. And finally, remember that kombucha doesn’t replace a healthy diet. “[Kombucha] is not a magic bullet,” Zamarripa says. It can definitely add to your healthy lifestyle, but don’t expect it to cure every ill.
