Kombucha: What Is, Composition, Healthy Properties, and Recipe

As research showed, its composition included bacteria of the genus Acetobacter aceti, Komagataeibacter xylinum, Gluconobacter oxydans, Acetobacter pasteurianus, Acetobacter nitrogenifigens, and Gluconacetobacter kombuchae.

There are also yeast, e.g.,:

• Saccharomyces cerevisiae,
• Schizosaccharomyces pombe,
• Brettanomyces bruxellensis,
• Brettanomyces intermedius,
• Brettanomyces lambicus,
• Brettanomyces custersii,
• Zygosaccharomyces sp.,
• Zygosaccharomyces kombuchaensis,
• Zygosaccharomyces rouxii,
• Saccharomycodes ludwigii,
• Kloeckera apiculata,
• Pichia sp.,
• Pichia membranaefaciens,
• Torulaspora sp.,
• Torulaspora delbrueckii,
• Candida sp.,
• Zygosaccharomyces bailii.

The tea mushroom does not look very beautiful. It has the form of a gelatinous mass. Its color is usually white or has a light orange shade.

When you add it to sweetened tea, it begins to ferment. This process creates a sweet-sour, sparkling, and refreshing drink with an intriguing taste. You can buy a ready-made kombucha drink in health food stores and online.

Composition of Kombucha

Depending on the type of these microorganisms, the composition of the drink obtained by fermentation of the mushroom may vary.

Various organic acids are present, such as acetic, gluconic, glucuronic, citric, lactic, malic, tartaric, malonic, oxalic, succinic, pyruvic, usnic; sugars: sucrose, glucose, fructose; vitamins: B1, B2, B6, B12, C; 14 amino acids, biogenic amines, purines, fats, proteins, a small number of hydrolytic enzymes, ethanol, carbon dioxide, phenols, a small number of polyphenols, minerals, anions and glucaronic acid lactone and many other various metabolites of bacteria and yeast.

Microorganisms found in kombucha metabolize substrates in a variety of complementary ways. Yeast synthesizes invertase, which breaks down sucrose into glucose and fructose. At the same time, they use fructose and produce ethanol in the process of glycolysis. Acetic acid bacteria use glucose to synthesize gluconic acid and metabolize ethanol to acetic acid. During fermentation, the pH of the drink decreases due to the formation of acids. For the first eight days, the obtained product has the characteristics of a refreshing drink, and then it turns into food vinegar.

Due to the content of so many compounds, drinking kombucha has many health properties, although most have not yet been confirmed by scientific research.

Taste – Is Kombucha Tasty?

Kombucha has a sour, slightly tart, but also sweetish aftertaste, which is not to everyone’s taste. Sometimes, it may resemble spoiled apple juice. However, some enjoy this drink because it is refreshing and even delicious.

It owes its sour character to the large amount of organic acids present. The pH of kombucha should vary from 2.5 to 4.5. A more alkaline reaction will facilitate the multiplication of colonies of unfavorable bacteria, which will disturb the harmony and proportions between the beneficial microorganisms in kombucha.

Kombucha lovers, however, are guided not so much by its taste but by the valuable properties it acquires during the fermentation process of the mushroom, which results in a positive effect on the entire body.

Healthy Properties – What Health Benefits Does Drinking Kombucha Have?

According to its composition, researchers claim that kombuchas’ health benefits include, e.g.:

• Detoxification of the body, resulting from the existence of glucuronic acid and its products, which can incorporate with toxins and drug metabolites, which are then neutralized and eliminated from the organism
• Antioxidant effect – thanks to the presence of vitamin C, polyphenols, and certain minerals
• Supporting the immune system and contributing to the reconstruction of bacterial flora (that is thanks to the existence of lactic, acetic, malic acid, vitamins, and minerals)

Kombucha helps regulate digestion and kidney and bladder function and supports liver regeneration.

Kombucha also has many valuable properties when used externally, which is why it is used in the production of cosmetics, e.g.:

• Facial toners and makeup removers restore the skin’s proper pH
• Acne-fighting preparations because they contain alcohol, which has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, removes toxins, and eliminates free radicals
• Anti-wrinkle, brightening, smoothing, and moisturizing creams, thanks to the action of vitamins C and A and lactic acid
• Cleansing peels, thanks to the content of malic acid
• Hair balms because they contain B vitamins and vitamin C, which stimulate the hair bulbs and strengthen the hair shaft

Negative Effects of Drinking Kombucha – Are There Any?

While kombucha is generally considered safe for most people, it is significant to mention that not everyone can drink it.

Kombucha is contraindicated in people with impaired immune systems, transplant recipients, and autoimmune diseases. In such cases, the harmfulness of unpasteurized kombucha mushrooms is high and can cause a bacterial blood infection or fungemia (fungal infection of the blood). Due to the lack of appropriate scientific research, Kombucha consumption is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

There has been information on intense allergic reactions, acidosis, and liver complications due to potentially contaminated kombucha drinking – although these have been extremely rare and usually associated with other medical conditions.

Individuals can experience digestive discomfort after consuming kombucha, especially if they drink too much of it.

How long to drink kombucha? Research suggests that consuming large amounts of kombucha may lead to unpleasant side effects, i.e., abdominal pain, nausea, dizziness, and allergic reactions. Cases of metabolic acidosis and liver and kidney diseases have also been reported. Therefore, the FDA indicates the dose of kombucha to 125 ml of the drink daily.

Doctors’ opinions on the use of kombucha are divided. Dentists compare drinking it to other carbonated drinks – it has a low pH, and the more acidic the saliva, the more friendly the oral cavity is to breeding cariogenic bacteria.

Propagation of the Kombucha Mushroom

Kombucha mushroom is available in some health food stores, and we can grow other mushrooms ourselves because they multiply very effortlessly. Therefore, only “the mother” of the tea mushroom is needed to grow kombucha.

Fermentation causes new layers to grow on the mushroom surface, constituting a separate yeast and bacteria culture. This part can be separated from the previous one very effortlessly. You can use the new kombucha mushroom to make another drink portion.

Recipe – How to Make a Kombucha Drink?

The finished drink is nothing more than fermented tea. You can make it yourself at home very effortlessly.

The fungus feeds on the sucrose contained in the tea. Then, the whole thing begins to ferment. The process usually takes from 4 days to 2 weeks. The fungus consumes about 95% of the sugar. If we do not stop fermentation after this time, we will get tea vinegar. How to make the perfect kombucha?

Preparing kombucha is very simple.

What you need to prepare kombucha:

• Water (1 L)
• Sugar (optimally 50 g)
• Tea leaves (5 g)
• Tea mushroom – SCOBY (24 g)
• 200 mL of previously prepared kombucha (optional)

Below, we have described step by step how to prepare kombucha yourself:

• Boil water (1L)
• While cooking, add 50 g of sugar (5 tablespoons)
• Add 5 g of tea leaves
• After 5 minutes, remove the leaves (filter the tea into a sterilized glass vessel – preferably with a large diameter – this will help place and remove the tea fungus)
• Cool the filtered tea to room temperature (approx. 20 degrees)
• Inoculate the tea with a tea mushroom (approx. 24 g)
• The tea can be further acidified (lower its pH) by adding 200 mL of previously prepared kombucha
• Cover the vessel with fermenting tea with a breathable cloth
• After approximately 10-14 days, a new tea fungus will appear on the surface of the tea (in the form of a 2 cm thick disc)
• The resulting mushroom should be removed with a spoon and can be further stored (for further use) in a small volume of fermented tea
• Fermented tea should be filtered and stored, preferably in corked bottles, at a temperature of 4 degrees (in the refrigerator)

Kombucha Starter – Which One is the Best?

The most significant ingredient, without which you cannot make kombucha, is the SCOBY starter – a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. When purchasing a starter from stores or microbreweries, we can be sure that the SCOBY was grown in appropriate sterile conditions.

As in the case of bread leaven, a starter can also be an older kombucha made earlier. If you are preparing your first drink and don’t know which starter to choose, use our kombucha.

Kombucha starter usually consists of a liquid and cellulose part. To prepare a liter of drink, you will need approximately 250 ml of the liquid portion and 50 g of the solid part. It is best to add the starter to the infusion with sugar when the temperature reaches below 35 degrees. Why? If we said it to a drink that was too hot, some of the significant bacteria and yeast could die.

How to Brew Tea?

To prepare a liter of kombucha, brew 4 g of tea.

Do you value a more expressive taste? In such a situation, adding 7 to 10 g of tea per liter of kombucha is recommended.

What Sugar to Use?

Sugar is crucial in the kombucha preparation process. It makes the drink stronger and helps to ferment faster. What sugar is best to use? You can add beet sugar and cane sugar to prepare the drink. Remember that sugar may be an element of the drink’s flavor when deciding.

Kombucha is supposed to be a healthier alternative to other drinks. That is why we suggest not overdoing it with sugar. The optimal amount is 55 to 65 g of sugar per liter of kombucha.

Can sugar in kombucha be replaced with anything? Unfortunately, no – it is an essential ingredient of this delicious drink. It cannot be replaced with other sweeteners like stevia or xylitol.

Kombucha Fermentation

Let’s summarize the previous steps – to prepare kombucha, first brew the tea, strain, then add sugar, mix cold water, add the starter, and mix well again. Then, cover the jar with the drink tightly with a breathable cloth and leave it to ferment at room temperature.

Bottling Kombucha

After about two days, a gelatinous substance will appear on the surface of the kombucha, which will become thicker over time. You will also notice darker yeast pods hanging from the SCOBY. Thanks to them, the kombucha will slowly start to form bubbles. Then, you can start tasting the drink.

How long will it take for homemade kombucha to be ready to drink? There is no specific time in which kombucha is prepared – it all depends on the conditions we ferment (temperature, airflow, starter used, and other ingredients). Typically, the drink is ready after 6-10 days, but if you like more vinegary flavors, you can wait a little longer.

Choose bottles made of thick glass (we don’t want the fermenting drink to break the bottle) and with an appropriate closure. The specialists recommend storing kombucha to use capped bottles – so you can be sure that they are tight.

If you prefer a slightly carbonated kombucha, pour it into bottles and put it in the fridge overnight. If you want a more carbonated drink, use a second fermentation. All you need to do is leave the kombucha (with or without additives) at room temperature for a few days (2-4) and then put it in the fridge overnight so that the naturally accumulated carbon dioxide can dissolve in the drink.

It is natural that in bottles, after some time, a small SCOBY may appear on the surface of the kombucha. It is because air remained in the bottles when pouring the drink. You can drink it safely.

Do not use fruit and juices for the second fermentation. Due to their high acidity, they often seem not very sweet, but they have a lot of sugar. Why do you need to be careful about this? The large amount of sugar in the second fermentation can cause very high carbon dioxide pressure in the bottle. Too much stress, at best, guarantees excitement when opening the bottle. At worst – especially in bottles made of thin glass – it can cause an explosion.

Sources

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