FAQs
What Is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a fermented drink made from sweetened tea and a specific culture known as a scoby. Scoby stands for ‘symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts’. The bacteria and yeasts convert the sugar into ethanol and acetic acid. The acetic acid is what gives kombucha its distinctive sour taste.
How do you make kombucha
Kombucha is usually made using: Sugar; Cold filtered water; Black/green tea (bags or loose leaf); and Scoby.
To make kombucha, the tea and sugar is steeped in boiled water and left to cool before adding the scoby. This is covered and left to ferment for up to a week. The mixture is then poured into an airtight container with some extra sugar and left for a few more days – the longer it is left, the fizzier it will become. At this point, flavourings such as spices or fruit can be added.
To make kombucha, the tea and sugar is steeped in boiled water and left to cool before adding the scoby. This is covered and left to ferment for up to a week. The mixture is then poured into an airtight container with some extra sugar and left for a few more days – the longer it is left, the fizzier it will become. At this point, flavourings such as spices or fruit can be added.
is kombucha a good source of probiotics
Fermented foods such as yogurts, sauerkraut and kefir all contain live microorganisms. As kombucha is the product of fermentation, a number of probiotic bacteria are produced. At specific concentrations, probiotic bacteria can help to balance the gut microbiome in humans and improve digestion. However, to date, there have not been enough studies to confirm whether kombucha contains enough beneficial bacteria to be deemed an effective probiotic.
is kombucha high in antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances that protect the body from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are a normal by-product of processes in the body, but the key is to minimise their impact by having a diet rich in antioxidants. Tea, especially green tea, is rich in a group of antioxidants called polyphenols. It is suggested that the fermentation time has an impact on the antioxidant properties of kombucha, however, to date there is little evidence to suggest a significant benefit to human health.
does kombucha contain vitamins and minerals
Kombucha contains small amounts of vitamins and minerals which are produced when the yeast breaks down the sugars, including vitamin C and B vitamins B1, B6 and B12.
