Powerful Kombucha

Kombucha or “Tea Mushroom” is a fermented tea that has been consumed for thousands of years in the East and is gaining popularity in the United States as a healing microbiome remedy.  Historically it originated from China or Japan, but it still a #1 homemade drink in Russia. 

Kombucha is composed by symbiotic bacteria and yeasts, surrounded by a permeable membrane that looks like a giant mushroom and works similar to the tiny factory producing organic acids, amino acids, enzymes, polyphenols, antibiotic substances, vitamins, enzymes.

Besides being delicious, easy to make, and affordable if homemade, Kombucha has many health benefits. It carries antimicrobial, probiotics, and antioxidant activity. Probiotics found to be beneficial for antibiotics induced diarrhea, upper respiratory infections, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic diseases, and elevated cholesterol. Multiple bacteria reported being sensitive to the effect of Kombucha including Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella enteritidis, Helicobacter pylori, and Listeria.  Additional studies are needed, but no known significant risks reported.Kombucha may contain about 1% of alcohol as a byproduct of fermentation.

To make Kombucha one must have:

1. “Starter” a living symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, or a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY), that looks like a gigantic mushroom;

2.  Cooled off tea ( green, black,or herbal teas, and 

3.  Sugar for fermentation

4. Jar

My family has been using Kombucha for years instead of buying expensive Kombucha drinks for retail stores. It’s fun to make. I recommend to try Kombucha as a small amount and stop if any abdominal discomfort.

Recipe:

For the first batch follow instructions given with the scoby

Make a pot of tea ( green, black, lavender, Hibiscus ( red color),

Add cooled off tea to the jar with 1 scoby

Add sugar and 2 cups of starter tea from the last batch

Keep in the room temperature for 5-7 days

For 1 gallon of Kombucha: 

• 3 1/2 quarts water

• 1 cup sugar

• 6-8 bags of black, or green, or herbal tea, may use a mix 

• May use 2-3 tablespoons of loose leaf tea 

• Optional ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of ginger

• 1 tablespoon of honey

• 3 oz of cranberry juice

• 1 cup of infused tea from 2 tablespoons of lavender, mint, hibiscus herbs

• Equipment:

• 1 gallon glass jar

• Towel to cover the jar

• Jar for ready Kombucha