Referred by the Chinese as the Immortal Health Elixir, kombucha is a 2000-year-old drink with astonishing health advantages for the heart, gut, and brain.
Since it is a fermented beverage, kombucha is rich in healthy bacteria we know as probiotics. These good bacteria enter in the digestive tract and boost the immunity by absorbing nutrients and fighting off diseases and infections.
If we take into account that 80 percent of our immunity is in the gut and that the digestive system is the second largest part of the neurological system, it is no wonder the gut is considered to be our second brain.
People who are already following a healthy and balanced diet should know that adding kombucha is an excellent idea. It will strengthen the immunity, but nourish your health in numerous different ways.
Kombucha Explained
Kombucha is a fermented drink made from black tea and healthy sugar (fruit, honey or unrefined sugar). It is rich in bacteria and yeast that trigger the process of fermentation.
Once the fermentation is finished, kombucha becomes carbonated. It contains vinegar, enzymes, probiotics, B vitamins, and acid. The bacteria in it produce cellulose which protects the cells.
Though usually made with black tea, green tea can also be used or both. Nowadays, there are a lot of health food stores where you can purchase kombucha; however, it is always a better and healthier option to make your own at home, right?
5 Health Benefits of Kombucha
- Prevents diseases due to being a potent antioxidant which lowers inflammation
- Keeps the gut healthy with its amino acids, enzymes, probiotics, and acid
- Kombucha consumption may help with silicosis- a lung disease triggered by exposure to silica particles
- Kombucha, despite being made with sugar, may relieve diabetes symptoms
- Kombucha is able to decrease the triglyceride levels and balance the cholesterol
- Preserves the health of the liver by averting oxidative stress and damage due to toxins
DIY Kombucha Recipe
You will need:
8 cups of filtered water
½ cup of organic honey or organic cane sugar
A big glass or a metal jar
A big cloth or towel
A SCOBY disk
4 tea bags, black or green tea
A cup of organic, unpasteurized kombucha
Preparation: First, boil the water in a big pot. Once it boils, remove it from heat and add the sugar and tea. Mix until the sugar melts down. Leave the content to steep for 15 minutes before you remove the tea bags.
Wait for the mixture to cool down, usually about one hour. Then, transfer the mixture into the jar or bowl. Add the SCOBY disk and the cup of kombucha.
Cover the bowl with the cloth and attach it with a rubber band or a tie. Leave the kombucha for 7 to 10 days (less time, weaker kombucha with a less sour taste; longer time, sourer kombucha). You can taste the batch every three days or so to so if it has reached the desired taste and carbonation level.
Then, transfer the kombucha into smaller glass bottles and keep them in the fridge for 24 hours to cool down and end the carbonation. There will be a new SCOBY disk created so you need to store it in a glass jar with some kombucha or at room temperature to have it at hand for new batch.
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