Kombucha is very fast becoming the #1 drink for those looking after their GUT. I have person after person tell me that their GUT is functioning so much better after drinking kombucha daily.
Basically it is a fermented probiotic drink made from a SCOBY. Most have never heard of a scoby before. Like any ferment, you buy the scoby, add it (or part of it) to tea and brew it. Sounds simple, but like most brewing it can go wrong and you have to throw it out, but certainly worth a try.
Once bottled the brew will continue to ferment. This is where the alcohol starts and could go up to 1%. I wouldn’t be concerned about this but you should know that there will be a very small amount of alcohol in it. The longer the bottle sits and more alcohol. Keeping the bottles in the fridge will slow this down. There is also sugar in the bottle, so drink in moderation to keep the sugar intake under control also. Should be consumed within a month.
The easy way out is to buy it. When choosing your brand, need to make sure that the probiotics are actually still alive in the bottle. Unfortunately alot of them have been killed to improve the shelf life of the product. Ask questions
– Has the probiotic been killed
– Has the drink been carbonated (this will tell you that it is not alive also)
– What is the alcohol content of the drink (there should be some)
The sugar content should be on the bottle. This will also vary as the product continues to ferment.
If you want any more information on making kombucha or what brands to buy email me at paula@cuffley.com.au