I’ve been addicted to kombucha from first sip. It wasn’t really the probiotics or other health promises that did it for me — although I’ll take those, too! It was the way it tasted: like tart green apple mixed with sour stone fruits, but with an underlying sweetness that keeps it all together. And fizzy! I couldn’t believe that something this good could actually be made from tea, of all things. Or that I could make it at home with a few very basic ingredients. What, what you say?
That’s right, I make it at home. Not only is it super easy to make but it’s a whole lot cheaper too. Lately I’ve been playing around with different flavors by combining spices and adding fruit. Wowza! I think I’ve become kombucha krazy ya’ll. So what the heck is kombucha anyways and why should you drink it? Glad you asked.
Meghan Telpner describes kombucha as the following: Kombucha tea is a lightly sparkling chilled beverage created from a very simple infusion of tea (black, green or white) and sugar (organic evaporated cane juice) and metabolized by the kombucha culture. The process is similar to the fermenting of beer. As the kombucha interacts with the tea base, a chemical reaction ensues. The kombucha culture digests most of the caffeine and sugar in the tea base, breaking it down and converting it into an efficacious solution of detoxifying acids, living enzymes, minerals and vitamins C, B1, B2, B3, B12 and B15.
Key Benefits:
– promotes detoxification
– has antioxidant properties
– boosts energy and immunity
– studies have shown that kombucha is preventative against metabolic and infective disorders.
Whoooa!!!! That some good benefits.
Which brings us to the next question: what’s actually in kombucha? Kombucha is indisputably full of probiotics and other happy things that our intestines love and that help boost our overall health. Taste good and healthy? Whats not to love.
Now that you know what it is and why it’s so darn good for you let me tell ya’ll what I’ve been kicking up. Let’s start with a trial I did on a small batch that included nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamon.
Insanely.Good. Bursting with warm fall flavors, the batch unfortunately made only one glass full. I took a sip, then told my husband to try it. He liked it so much that he drank the whole thing not knowing we were sharing the ONE and ONLY glass. Sigh.
Next time around I tried infusing a batch with fresh, organic, local raspberries.
You can leave the berries in after the carbonation process but if you don’t like things floating in your drink just strain it out. I did on this batch and look how beautiful this turned out.
This would make a perfect holiday party drink. Just the right amount of sweetness and the fizz makes you think your drinking something naughty. Don’t worry…I won’t tell Santa.
Today I’m working on a new batch. This go around I’m using organic blueberries. I’m also tempted to make another batch using fall flavors and you can bet I’ll be making a bigger batch and keeping it to myself!
How about you, are you crazy for kombucha? Have you tried making it at home? If you want to try drop me an email and I’ll share my recipe. I’d love to see what flavors you kick up.
Mending the mind and body through plant based nutrition.
Kat
References: http://www.meghantelpner.com/blog/kombucha-licious-part-1/