Kombucha is a delicious fermented drink that is made from tea, sugar and a culture known as a S.C.O.B.Y. (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast)
You can make kombucha at home or buy it at your local grocery store in the refrigerator section.
Eight reasons to drink and make REAL SCOBY cultured Kombucha
1.) It is very difficult to find properly brewed Kombucha from a tradional SCOBY with all the health benefits at most grocery store. If you’re buying a big name well distributed kombucha. Kombucha is very simple to make, ingredients include tea, sugar, water and a mother culture (SCOBY).
2.) Kombucha contains flavonoids such as quercetin, theaflavin and catechins which help reduce inflammation, promote heart health and fight cancer (Kombucha, Diana Allen, MS, CNS).
3.) Kombucha contains probiotic microorganisms and enzymes that boost digestive and immune system health. Bucha is a living food with powerful probiotic strains such as S. Cerevisiae, S. boulardii and Lactobacillus (Kombucha, Diana Allen, MS, CNS)
4.) Kombucha contains, “glucuronic acid (aids in detoxification), chondroitin sulphate (a component of cartilage), and B-vitamins” Food Feature, Dori Oliver
5.) Kombucha is a liver detoxifier! In order to live, our bodes must continuously eliminate toxins, heavy metals, pesticides, chemicals in food, tobacco smoke, synthetic fragrances, exhaust fumes, cleaning products, etc, etc “For the liver to eliminate theses toxins certain nutrient cofactors need to be met. Kombucha is packed with detox cofactors that detox and eliminate toxic substances from the body”(Kombucha, Diana Allen, MS, CNS).
6.) Kombucha contains “glucuronic acid, a powerful chelator of heavy metals and other toxins”. Gluconic acid binds to zinc and iron, enabling their absorption. (Kombucha, Diana Allen, MS, CNS).
7.) Kombucha fights candida and all bad yeast over growth in the body with beneficial yeasts! Kombucha helps your body have more “good guys” than “bad guys”. Beneficial yeasts include Zygosaccharomyces kombuchaenis (discovered from USDA), Brettanomyces, Zygosaccharomyces and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and two friendly strains of Candida (C. Lambia and C. valid) yeasts (Kombucha, Diana Allen, MS, CNS)!
8.) Bottled Kombucha at the store, costs over $4.00 a bottle! That’s $48 a box of 12 bottles! At home, you can make the same brew for as little as $1 for that whole box of 12 bottles! That’s a big savings.
Click HERE for directions on how to make Kombucha! Or visit this link, http://thepromiselandfarm.com/how-to-make-fizzy-kombucha-at-home-2/
Kombucha mother culture, SCOBY fermented in a crock
My back up butcha mother that I keep in the refrigerator for emergency’s 🙂
Sources:
“Kombucha” by Diana Allen MS, CNS. Woodland Publishing.
“Flavored Kombucha, A Home Brewer’s Guide” WAPF Journal Food Feature, by Dori Oliver
“Kombucha tea producer reworks formula to reduce alcohol content” by Tavaner K. Bushman. Oct 20, 2010. Medill Reports, Chicago
I just watched your video and am embarking on my first Kombucha go right now! I am thoroughly impressed at the attention to detail you gave it; and I just adore your kitchen looks–so inviting. Mine is currently such a mess, I can’t stand it! I bought a bottle of Kombucha today thinking I could use THAT as part of a starter, so I am really glad I watched your video twice. I will know use ACV instead!
Im curious where can you purchase the ceramic crooks (lead free) as you stated. I don’t really trust anything made in China. I was wondering if you know of any manufactured in the U.S.A. and my other question is, is this a high sugar drink. and very caloric? Thanks
Laura, Yes I own two of the crocks from Ohio Stoneware and love them. I called them to make sure there stuff doesn’t contain any led. You can buy them on Amazon here… http://amzn.to/16ekPZW I love them. I used several vessels and those are by far my favorite.
Rashel,
Where it you buy your bottle for the fizzy kombaucha? this is something that I would like to produce for my family. I am still looking for a source of the dehydrated scoby. Any help you an give would be appreciated. Thank you for your youtube video. my son came across it and this will be his project with some help from mom.
Sarah
Sarah, all your answers are in this post… http://thepromiselandfarm.com/how-to-make-fizzy-kombucha-at-home-2/
Thanks for the links for Amazon. The link for the SCOBY is broken. When looking on Amazon the choices are overwhelming. What brand would you recommend? I am very excited to start making Kombucha. If I can get away with it I would like to make up a batch of fizzy for a Christmas gift to my son. Again thanks so much for all the help.
Sarah
Sarah,
Thanks for letting me know about the broken link. I’ve fixed it. Kombucha Kamp has a great culture on line, you can find it here http://amzn.to/1cNFCvb What’s great is that it isn’t dehydrated, it’s fully active and ready to use.
Found it! thanks so much. Have a wonderful week.
Sarah Webber
I know several people who have fermented kombucha in crocks, and have come down with lead poisoning. Make sure your crockery is leadfree, or use glass.
What is a Crockery? I bought my Kombucha stuff today. At Target i really hope it’s safe to drink.
A crockery is a ceramic jar, made of clay instead of glass. Even though a company manufactures their product in the USA, they still have to purchase some of the components from other countries, if they can no longer get it here. So your back to square one.
I was concerned after reading Becky’s comment. How did your friends know they had gotten lead poisoning? What are the signs of that?
Thank you for posting that you are a Christian. I’m going to follow your lead and buy separately also as you stated above. Thank you of the good details for this first time Kombucha maker in a few short days.
I buy my Kombucha from a small organic produce store. The Kombucha is locally made by the Kombucha Mama. If you cannot buy properly brewed Kombucha with all the health benefits at the grocery store (unless they have a liquor license and you’re over 21 years old) would I then assume that the Kombucha I buy isn’t the real deal either? Is there a way to find out? Thanks!
Yes, it sounds like at Kombucha Mama you can buy properly brewed kombucha. Small brewers that you can buy from directly are probably brewing it correctly. It’s the big distributors that need a longer shelf life and a more stable product that have to cut corners and produce a non traditionally brewed bucha. Hope that helps 🙂
Thank you, Rashel!
Rashel, Discovered your web site from reading your article in the January Moosletter. We love Kombucha, but only make it occassionally. I am so anxious to try the different flavors and to bottle, & fizz it. Just pinned you on Printrest, hoping that this marvelous drink will open up a new world of health to many more people. You also inspire me to start trying to make cheese again. Most of my attempts have been met with failure. My few sucesses were delicious. Sally Fallon, with the Weston Price Foundation, has been at the top of my favorites list for many years. You Go Girl.
Thanks for the comments! I had many many failures in kombucha making and cheesemaking but after keeping at it… It all finally starting turning out. If you don’t succeed at first, “try try again!” 🙂
Rashel, Thanks for this mini-tutorial on kombucha making! What are your thoughts on the pre-assembled kits that come with glass containers? – Laura in Grapeland 😀
Id buy it all separate.
Thanks!
Wow! Thank you for all your research, will be making my own from now on. SHELLY
Good work Mom! I’m impressed you figured out how to comment on this blog! Nice 😉
RH
Thank you so much for the info! I had no idea. Another reason to do this at home.