Kombutcha- The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

I'm sure you've seen all the rage these days is this fermented, vinegary drink they call Kombutcha. I first heard about it from my organic loving, nutrition enthusiast friend and mentor offering me a Scobie...what in the world? Then I saw it offered at the local coffee shop and in the quick drink aisle at the grocery store. Some said it has healing gut power and others said it tasted like beer (which I hate) so I was very unsure. I finally tried a drink of a friend's when we went to coffee and I was hooked!

I started searching out all the good brands, flavors and types I could get my hands on. I love to drink it on tap and have found Awakenings Coffee House in Boise and Black Rock Coffee have it, but some bottled brands are pretty good too. I also researched to find out if this was in fact a healthy option. Although many brands, especially the good tasting ones, have a lot of sugar, the probiotics in the raw organic fermented tea far out weighed the bad in my mind. Of course only if drank in moderation. I like it enough I have to limit myself 🤣😉

I found out SCOBY stands for symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast that is added into brewed black or green tea, and sugar, and then fermented over time. Although that sounds disgusting, the bacteria is extremely good bacteria that helps with digestion and the yeast helps to combat bad yeast in the gut such as Candida. According to Healthline.com Kombucha also contains antioxidants, can kill harmful bacteria and may help fight several diseases.

As I fell in love, I tried sharing it with my friends and family. Some friends were in agreeance with me, but my husband and kids almost spit it out all over the truck when I insisted they give it a try. Some of them were even willing to try a few different types but always having the same reaction. "It tastes like vinegar!" they would yell and shoot me a disgusted face. So apparently if you don't like the taste of vinegar this might not be a great drink for you. I still recommend you try a few different types before calling it quits. Apparently, the longer the fermentation process the sweeter the drink is and the less like vinegar it will taste.

I also recently discovered that one company, Brew Dr. is using the bi-product that comes from their production as a substitute for fuel in Portland. NO the Kombutcha is NOT able to be used as fuel, but it is fermented tea and does produce ethanol that is removed and able to be re-cycled and utilized as fuel. I thought this was a fascinating use of waste, and although the brand isn't my favorite tasting, this made me want to purchase it to support their efforts. They are also a brand I find often in our local gas stations and grocery stores. You can read more about this as I'm probably butchering the explanation here: https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/food-drink/a27006072/gasoline-tea/

I guess my overall suggestion would be if you're looking for a new, healthier option for a fizzy summer beverage and you don't mind or even prefer the taste of vinegar, you should give it a try. Also know that there are lots of different brands and flavors to chose from so go ahead and give them a try. You'll be doing something good for your body as well!