Kombucha Tea: What Is It, How Do You Make It, And What Does It Do?

Kombucha tea is a medicinal drink you can make at home to enjoy its many valuable properties for your body.

Kombucha tea has been used in many Asian countries for thousands of years. Today it is popular due to its high probiotic content and the ability to cleanse your body and strengthen the immune system. Kombucha is a fermented tea with a certain content of fungi and bacteria. The fungi and bacteria generate gas, glucose and ethyl alcohol.

These components accumulate on the surface of the tea, forming a jelly-like, brownish, cream-colored mass. The bacteria and fungi used can vary depending on the type of tea used and the cooking time.

How to make kombucha

Ingredients

4 cups water (1 liter)
3 tablespoons brown sugar (70 g). You can also use organic sugar.
1 SCOBY ( Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast)
6 tea bags (organic green, black or white) (60 g)
1/2 cup liquid starter tea (125 ml)

: Start tea is usually made from remnants of kombucha tea. If you can not get it, use 1 1/4 cup (312 ml) clear distilled vinegar or pasteurized apple cider vinegar.

Equipment

To make it, you need:

Glass jars
Piece of cloth or towel
Rubber band
Spoon if not made of metal (wood, etc)
Sil
Straws

What am I doing?

Remember that the bacterial and fungal culture that is to form in the tea can be contaminated by things in the environment around you when you make it, and thus be harmful to your health.

Therefore, you need to disinfect your kitchen completely and wash all the utensils you want to use very well with plenty of soap and warm water. Also remember to wash your hands very thoroughly.

Teen

Heat the water, and as soon as it boils, put in the tea bags.

The time it will take will depend on which tea you use:

Green tea : 5 minutes
Red tea: 7 minutes
Black tea: 10 minutes

The longer it goes, the stronger and more bitter the end product becomes. Also, the better tea you use, the lower the temperature the water needs.

Sweet tea

Add the sweetener (brown or organic sugar) and stir with a spoon.
Make sure it is completely dissolved.
Then take it off the plate and leave it for 4 hours until it reaches room temperature.

Add kombucha

Strain the tea into the glass jar you want to ferment the kombucha in.
Then add the kombucha culture and the start tea.

Fermentation and bottling

Cover the jar with a clean towel or cloth and secure it with a rubber band. Then store the jar in a dark place for 7 to 14 days. The longer it lasts, the stronger and more bitter the end result will be.

Test if it is finished

You can start testing it after 5 days. When ready, it will have a sour taste.

To test it, put a clean straw in it without damaging the fungus that has formed on top.
Cover the hole opening and keep the contents in another container by uncovering it.
If it tastes very sweet, cover it again and leave it longer.
When it tastes very bitter, it has become bad. But do not worry, you can use it as vinegar in salads.

Drink kombucha tea and recycle the new mushrooms

Start by drinking 1/4 cup (62 ml) kombucha in the morning. As the weeks go by and your body gets used to the tea, you can gradually increase the amount.

Remember to save at least 10% of the tea (like starter tea) and the SCOBY that is formed on the surface as ingredients for the next production of kombucha.

What kombucha tea does for your body

Kombucha tea: What is it, how do you make it, and what is it good for?

Kombucha is amazing for your body. The:

Is good for your skeleton : It strengthens cartilage, which is recommended for people with arthritis.
Improves digestion and other gastrointestinal problems, as it stimulates metabolism.
Helps with migraines.
Promotes cellular regeneration. It can be used to treat degenerative diseases. It is also very good for your hair.

Cleanses your body due to its organic acid content, which also contributes to circulation.
Has a high content of vitamins and minerals that are essential for a well-functioning nervous system and healthy muscles.
Since it is made from black tea, it contains small amounts of caffeine, thus stimulating the central nervous system.
Strengthens your immune system.
Regulates your cholesterol.

Give it a try!