To Kombucha or Not to Kombucha

You know when something has hit critical mass when it has reached the Mid-West.  Kombucha is one of those things.  I had not sooner posted that Aldi was carrying it, than they had sold out of their limited supply.  Last spring I set out to try my hand at this probiotic drink.

 

 Kombucha is a type of probiotic tea, usually black or green, that is fermented using a SCOBY or "symbiotic 'colony' of bacteria and yeast".  It feeds of the sugar that is added to the tea and forms many of the lovely beneficial bacteria we look for to nurse our tummies to their optimal health.   It can be an acquired taste at first, considering it is the same acidity as cider vinegar, which in it's unpasteurized form is used to help "start" the growth.  You can learn how to make it here.

While I love to incorporate lots of fermented foods into our diet, I've sadly had to say good-bye to this fizzy, tart drink... today's topic is about a few things you should consider before you embark on your home brew.

1) Acidity.  While there are plenty of naturopaths that recommend a shot of unpasteurized cider vinegar daily for its health benefits especially toward digestion, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.  Since we flavor these so nicely we tend to ingest much more than 2 ounces.  High oral consumption of acidic foods can lead to gastric reflux, esophageal erosion, stomach ulcers and/or stomach pain.  Continued consumption over time can alter your systemic pH in many people and while a low (acidic pH) does help you fight bacterial infections, it is a beneficial environment for fungi and yeast.   Which leads me to my second warning.

2) Wild cultures.  A SCOBY, unlike many purchased cultures, is growing as it's fermenting your tea.  It is acquiring bacteria, yeasts, and fungi from the air and your kitchen environment.  While this is not always bad, many people have great sensitivities to yeasts such as Candida albicans which is notorious for overgrowth in the intestines and other mucus membranes.  If you shuddered at that word, you know this baddy is to be avoided.

So, that said, if these two things are not a problem for you, then brew away, but monitor your consumption and the good outcomes we always look for with probiotic foods.