Kombucha Benefits: Making Kombucha Your Cup of Tea

Ok but first, Kombucha!

Is kombucha your cup of tea? Kombucha is a fermented and sweetened tea usually made with black tea or green tea. It is also a rising trend among beverages! Kombucha tea’s insane popularity comes from influencers and celebrities who swear by the drink and the supposed kombucha benefits. So what are these kombucha benefits? Are they really worth the risk of testing out this trending health drink? Let’s find out! Here’s a list of kombucha benefits that may convince you to buy a bottle of kombucha or to make your own kombucha at home!

5 Potential Kombucha Benefits: Is Kombucha Tea Good for You?

ginger lemon kombucha

Credit: Raw Bites PH

Even though there are tons of kombucha benefits backed up by science, most people still tend to skip the kombucha tea trend because of its peculiar taste. While kombucha is definitely not for everyone, make sure to try it first yourself and check out if these potential kombucha benefits are true! You can start with Remedy Kombucha in Ginger Lemon. This is a safe starter, since it’s only 250ml and it’s rated 4.9 stars on Shopee Philippines. The chances of you not liking the drink are significantly lower! See for yourself the kombucha benefits!

1. Kombucha contains probiotics that improve your gut health.

woman clutching stomach

Credit: Sora Shimazaki / Pexels

The biggest kombucha benefit is the amount of probiotics you can get in every serving. Due to its fermentation, kombucha is rich in probiotics. Probiotics are bacteria good for the gut, and gut health affects the entire body. The digestive system and how it intakes food and nutrients is a huge factor to one’s overall health. Having great gut health can improve your immune system and it can also help out a lot with weight loss too. So if you’re trying to slim down, this might be a great addition to your diet! Check out these workouts you can try at home while you drink your kombucha and get fit. You can also look out for other probiotic-rich food like kimchi, yogurt, and other fermented foods to get similar kombucha benefits.

2. Kombucha can help you cut back on soda and other sugary drinks.

different kombucha flavors

Credit: Tyler Nix / Unsplash

Speaking of fitness, most diets these days involve cutting back on soda and juices that have a lot of sugar. These types of drinks are very addicting so it’s understandable if they’re hard to quit. Drinking kombucha can be a good substitute for your guilty pleasures! Beverages are usually the number one source of added sugar in your daily intake, excluding those who only drink water. Kombucha tea has lower sugar content, so it’s often the healthier choice over your favorite sports drinks and energy drinks.

3. Kombucha can keep you hydrated.

kombucha in a bottle

Credit: LyraSid / Pixabay

Everyone knows how it’s important to drink at least eight cups of water per day. However, it might be a bit boring and plain to keep drinking water all the time. A great and healthy way to spruce up your fluid intake would be adding sparkling water and kombucha into your daily mix! You can try out Nature’s Spring Sparkling Water, available on S-Mart, but you can also try Remedy Kombucha in Cherry Plum. Don’t forget to treat yourself once in a while with boundless kombucha benefits!

4. Kombucha is high in antioxidants.

teacup next to flowers

Credit: Mareefe / Pexels

Kombucha also contains antioxidants that can effectively cleanse your body and kill harmful bacteria which helps to ward off any potential illnesses. Apple juice is generally known for being high in antioxidants. You can test out Apple and Eve’s Apple Juice, this has no sugar added. Tea is also an antioxidant-rich beverage. You can get the best of both worlds with Remedy Kombucha in Apple Crisp! Both apple juice and fermented tea in one cool drink!

5. Kombucha has various vitamins and minerals.

tea with books

Credit: Thought Catalog / Pexels

The last kombucha benefit is the amount of nutrients one drink contains. Kombucha tea is usually categorized as a functional drink that contains vitamins and minerals. These come from the complex fermentation process. If you’re looking for more ways of sneaking in nutrients in your lifestyle, you should give kombucha a chance! Teazen kombucha is a fun and exciting way to experiment with kombucha. It comes in lemon, berry, and citron, so you can taste different flavors! Just make sure you drink kombucha tea in moderation so that you don’t end up with an upset stomach. One bottle per day is good enough to reap all the kombucha benefits.

How to Make Kombucha at Home

kombucha jar

Credit: Megumi Nachev / Unsplash

Given those kombucha benefits, you might be wondering how to make your own kombucha tea. While it takes a lot of energy to prepare it from scratch, it’s definitely worth your time and money. Drinking kombucha you’ve brewed yourself gives a different sense of satisfaction and we don’t want you to miss out on it! So here’s how to make kombucha in the comfort of your own home.

Prepare your SCOBY

scoby in kombucha jar

Credit: Tim-Oliver Metz / Unsplash

SCOBY is actually an acronym for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast. This little blob is the mother and heart of kombucha tea. You can purchase a SCOBY online on Shopee Philippines or you can choose to make your own at home!

How to grow your own SCOBY at home:

  1. Pour unflavored and unpasteurized store-bought kombucha in a jar.
  2. Add black tea and sugar. You can add My Everyday White Sugar and brewed Gold Leaf Premium Black Tea, both available on Shopee Mall.
  3. Cover with a cotton cloth and secure it with rubber bands.
  4. Set aside and store for seven weeks.

Here’s a video you can follow if you want to make your own SCOBY on your journey in learning how to make kombucha:

How to Brew Homemade Kombucha

two jars of kombucha tea

Credit: Geraud pfeiffer / Pexels

After preparing your SCOBY, you can proceed to the actual brewing process! The brewing process has two fundamental parts, the first and second fermentation.

The First Fermentation

  1. Boil a big batch of black tea with sugar then wait for it to cool.
  2. Add cold water to your jar.
  3. Pour the concentrated tea into the jar after it has cooled down.
  4. Add your starter tea. Starter tea comes from a previously brewed batch of unflavored kombucha that has gone first fermentation. If it’s your very first batch, unflavored and unpasteurized store-bought kombucha will do!
  5. Add your SCOBY in the jar.
  6. Cover your jar with a cotton cloth and secure it with a rubber band.
  7. Set aside for about a week and a half.

Again, here’s another video you can follow if ever you get a bit confused with the steps:

The Second Fermentation

The first fermentation results in an unflavored and non-carbonated kombucha. If you want to add flavors and some fizz to your brew, you can do so in this part of the process! The second fermentation also includes bottling if you want to sell it or give your homemade kombucha away to your loved ones.

  1. Remove the SCOBY from your first fermentation.
  2. Set aside some of the kombucha from the first fermentation so that you have enough starter tea for the next batch.
  3. Pour your flavoring in airtight bottles.
  4. Fill your bottles with your brew from the first fermentation.
  5. Dry the tops of your bottles and seal them up.
  6. Set the bottles aside at room temperature for three days. Leaving it at room temperature allows the yeast to ferment and eat up the sugar which adds the carbonation in the kombucha.
  7. Move the bottles to the fridge.

Most of the brewing process involves your personal preference, so here’s another video to guide you through it and help you explore your kombucha taste:

Bring Kombucha to Your Next Tea Party

tea party

Credit: JillWellington / Pixabay

We hope you had fun learning about kombucha benefits and the tedious but rewarding process of making homemade kombucha. If you’re more of a coffee person, you can also read on the best coffee makers and the different types of coffee makers. If you’re exploring different drinks, you can also learn more about the best soju flavors and the different kinds of milk. Lastly, you can try out these easy vegan recipes, if you’re transitioning to a more healthy lifestyle. Happy brewing!

Comments
Tags from the story
More from Shopee Philippines

Top Soul-Searching Philippine Destinations for Holy Week 2019

5 Ideal Places for your Holy Week Pilgrimage and Summer...
Read More