Whether you’ve heard about it in your tea searches, have that friend who won’t stop talking about it or have seen it in your local grocery store – you’ve probably heard of Kombucha Tea.
What is Kombucha Tea?
Kombucha tea is a drink made from fermented tea using a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, sometimes called a “SCOBY”. Though not necessarily notable for the taste, described as somewhere between carbonated apple cider and vinegar soda, it is heavily lauded for its health benefits, though not by the scientific community. Some claim that it boosts immune systems, increases energy and can even extend life.
Probiotics
This may because of all of the bacteria present inside Kombucha Tea. There’s more and more evidence that this friendly bacteria/probiotics helps to improve digestion and may even strengthen the human immune system. The human body also contains bacteria that actually live inside us and help us digest the food we eat. Bacteria actually produces certain nutrients for us, so maybe the bacteria in Kombucha could do the same.
Not Endorsed Scientifically Yet
That being said, Kombucha is not endorsed in any way by the scientific community. It is still awaiting trials. Kombucha made wrong can result in severe sickness and even death from contamination. At least for now, it would probably be better for those who want to try Kombucha to buy it in store where the way it is made is heavily regulated. To make Kombucha, one makes sweetened tea, puts “SCOBY” in it, seals the container and keeps in a sanitary location for a week. At the end, the “SCOBY” will be in a disc that can be taken out. In a normal household, there could be margin for error, so those who want to try it are advised to be very careful.
With that caveat, for adventurous tea drinkers out there – this might be a fun tea to try, if not only to see if it really is that fountain of youth, that magical tea.
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