PHYSICAL HEALTH 101: The KOMBUCHA Experiment!
- F. F. YUZOFF
- Jan 29, 2017
- 5 min read
KOM-BU-CHA! I just love saying it.
I was reading some article on Pre and Pro-biotic foods the other day and knew that those are supplements I need to add to my list. So, as usual, I did a research on foods high in Pre and Pro-biotics and came up with a few natural ways to consume them for a healthy gut.
Before going further into KOMBUCHA, let's first learn about Pre and Pro-biotics.
Prebiotics and Probiotics...What are they?
From my own understanding, Prebiotics and Probiotics are good bacteria living in our guts to promote digestive health.
Prebiotic
Prebiotics are a kind of digestion-resistant (fiber) that serves as fuel for the healthy bacteria in your gut.
In short, Prebiotics are FOOD FOR GOOD BACTERIA.
This makes Prebiotics vitally important for maintaining a healthy population of gut bacteria. If your Prebiotic intake is low, your gut is going to suffer.
(Information courtesy of muscleforlife.com)
Probiotic
Probiotics, on the other hand, are contained live bacteria meant to reinforce the ranks of good bacteria already in your intestines, and add new beneficial types that aren’t already present.
In short, Probiotics are GOOD BACTERIA in supplement form.
(Information courtesy of muscleforlife.com)
Why are they important?
They break down toxic compounds that would otherwise be absorbed into your bloodstream.
They can enhance your immune system and create health-promoting compounds like short-chain fatty acids, which are molecules that have been linked to various health promoting effects, including a reduced risk of inflammatory diseases, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
They can also affect your gut-barrier function, which regulates which molecules should be allowed to escape the colon and enter the bloodstream and which shouldn’t.
Having a healthy collection of gut bacteria also prevents unhealthy, disease-causing bacteria from taking their place.
(Information courtesy of muscleforlife.com)
Foods that are rich in prebiotics and probiotics
Prebiotics
There's no need for supplementation. Most studies that have found positive effects from Prebiotic supplementation used doses of about 4 to 20 grams per day, and one medium sized banana has about 6 grams of Prebiotics.
So, if you eat 2 to 3 servings of both fruits and vegetables per day (like you should be), along with some whole grains, your diet alone will suffice for Prebiotic intake.
(Information courtesy of muscleforlife.com)
Probiotics
There are supplement pills for this but I always prefer getting my nutrients from whole foods as much as I can.
So, here's a list of foods high in Probiotics.
Yogurt
Kefir
Saeurkraut
Dark Chocolate
Microalgae
Miso Soup
Pickle
Tempeh
Kimchi
KOMBUCHA
Now that we've got that cleared, let's move on to the topic to of the day that is KOMBUCHA.
So, what is KOMBUCHA?
KOMBUCHA is, to put it simply, fermented tea.
The origin of KOMBUCHA
Okay, this is a confusing one. When I googled KOMBUCHA's origin, there were several answers and I really can't make out where it really originated from BUT my guess would be Japan simply because of it's name. The word “Kombu” in Japanese means “Seaweed” while “Cha” means “Tea”. Although KOMBUCHA is literally translated as “Mushroom Tea” and not “Seaweed Tea”, I think it's the closest.
This is the reason why I don't say KOMBUCHA TEA, instead I just say KOMBUCHA because the word “tea” is already indicated in the word, “KOMBU-CHA”.
Why did I choose KOMBUCHA over other probiotic foods?
For one thing, I love to experiment and I wanted the experience of making KOMBUCHA myself.
I've avoided drinking my calories as much as possible. Meaning I've avoided drinking juices, sodas or the likes. The only flavored drinks I consume are milk, soy milk, coffee and unsweetened teas and only because these drinks serve their purpose. Milk and soy milk for protein, coffee as my pre-workout boost and unsweetened teas like green tea for pre-workout and Rooibos for antioxidant and better sleep, etc. Since KOMBUCHA is low in calories (only 60 calories every 16 oz) and known to be a good substitute or replacement for sodas, it will be my next go-to flavored drink.
I love Yogurt, Dark Chocolate and Kimchi as my source of Probiotics but having only yogurt can be boring while Dark Chocolate and Kimchi are expensive in Malaysia. As for Microalgae, Pickle and Sauerkraut, nah, I'm not a fan of the taste. Tempeh, I LOVE, but it turns bad pretty easily. While Miso soup is something I like and relatively easy to find, but instant stuff mostly so I'm not down with it. So the next best thing I can think of now is KOMBUCHA. While Kefir, is in my list of experiments. YAY!!
Just with one SCOBY to start with, I can continuously make KOMBUCHA without spending extra money, provided that I have extra SCOBYs to spare every time I brew a new batch and the SCOBYs I own don't grow molds. Super Economical nonetheless.
Enough facts for now. Let's get to the fun part, the experiment itself.
The Making of KOMBUCHA
The tools and ingredients that you would need.
This is a measurement for a quart-size batch of KOMBUCHA.
Tools
A clean cooking pot
A clean glass jar of at least a quart-size
A clean weave cloth or paper kitchen towel (enough to cover the jar)
Thick rubber band or a jar ring
SYMBIOTIC COLONY OF BACTERIA AND YEAST
(SCOBY)
Ingredients
A SCOBY (Symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) in starter tea
80 grams of white sugar
2 bags of black tea/green tea
1 liter of clean distilled water
Method
Prepare the tools and ingredients in advance. Make sure all of them are CLEAN.
Boil the distilled water in the pot.
Once the water comes to a boil, insert the tea bags and steep for 5 minutes in this condition.
Switch off fire and let the tea steep for another 5 minutes.
Take out the tea bags and add in sugar. Stir vigorously until all of the sugar is dissolved.
Cool the sweetened tea mixture completely before proceeding to the next process. This will usually take about 2 hours.
Once cooled, pour the starter tea first, followed by the sweetened tea mixture.
Last but not least, insert the SCOBY on top of the tea in the jar.
Cover the lid with a clean weave cloth or paper kitchen towel and secure the cover with a thick rubber band or jar ring, whichever works best for you.
Leave the jar untouched in room temperature away from direct sunlight for 7-30 days or according to taste.
WALLA! WE'RE DONE!
Experiment date: 27th January 2017
Expected results date: the earliest, 3rd February 2017
After fermentation period...
Tools you will need
A funnel
A 1 liter-size Korken glass bottle or a tightly sealed glass container
Optional ingredient
Real fruit juices or any flavoring of preference
So your KOMBUCHA is ready for consumption. You can either have it plain or flavored. If you would like some flavor in your KOMBUCHA, feel free to add fresh fruit juices or anything of your preference to boost the taste of your KOMBUCHA.
One thing you will need to note is how you store your KOMBUCHA. A Korken glass bottle or a tightly sealed glass container would be ideal.
Make sure to save the SCOBY and about 200 ml of liquid from the bottom of the jar to use as starter tea for your next batch.
ENJOY YOUR KOMBUCHA!!!
This was the first KOMBUCHA I've ever made and I can't wait to taste it! It should taste sour with a slight sweetness to it.
Oh by the way, don't worry about the sugar content in KOMBUCHA. The sugar used during fermentation is actually food for the SCOBY, thus, the amount of sugar left would be very little, at probably 6 grams or so. Which is why this drink is also a healthy choice for diabetics. Plus, if you perform a second fermentation where you can add fruits or other ingredients to give it a little kick, KOMBUCHA will become fizzy and can easily be a substitute for sodas.
Great stuff, huh? Not only that it's great for the health of your guts, it also tastes great. My A-Grade Super Food!
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