DIY Kombucha

THE BENEFITS OF KOMBUCHA

Kombucha is an effervescent fermentation of sweetened tea also known as a delicious ancient healthy probiotic elixer. As I've discovered, do-it-yourself kombucha is simple.   Here's the potential health benefits which includes:

• lowers blood pressure 
• reduces risk of cancer
• reduces anxiety
• balances pH levels
• detoxifies the liver
• rebuilds connective tissue
•  helps reduce symptoms of arthritis
•  reduces symptoms of asthma
• alleviates constipation
• relieves headaches and migraines
• improves eyesight
• heals eczema
• heals ulcers
• lowers glucose levels. 

Isn't that amazing?  Even though kombucha has been around since the beginning of time, scientific research has never backed these claims up.  But here's my personal experience:  I've been drinking kombucha for 2 straight years and I feel better in many ways.  Because of the probiotic qualities I rarely get sick, I have more energy, my anxiety levels are down while at the same time making me feel cleansed daily.   If I go just a day without kombucha, I'm off.

DO-IT-YOURSELF KOMBUCHA

As part of my new financial plan, I knew I needed to start making my own kombucha.  At $4.00 or over per bottle, kombucha can really make a dent in the pocketbook. 

To get started, I ordered a kombucha culture (the bacteria) from Kombucha America for $14, but if you are a kombucha crackhead like me and you'd like some - I have plenty to share.  Just leave me a comment and I'll find a way to get it to you.  With each batch of kombucha, your bacteria mother creates a bacteria baby, so I'm finding that I'm constantly producing babies and they are up for adoption. 

My Kombucha factory - up above my fridge

Here's my stand-by proven recipe (I've made 15 batches and counting):

KOMBUCHA

3 quarts of black tea (you can not use green tea)
1 cup of sugar (no substitutes, the bacteria needs to eat the sugar to ferment)
1 teaspoon of sugar
4 black tea bags (MUST be black tea, I use decaf)
1/2 cup kombucha from your previous batch
1 kombucha bacteria
1 gallon glass container

Store in a dark place where the temperature is around 75-79 degrees. 

Bring water to a boil.  Add sugar and salt until completely dissolved.  Turn off burner and add 4 black tea bags until completely cool.  If the kombucha is not cooled down before you poor it into your glass container it will kill the bacteria. 
Once cooled, add the tea to a 1 gallon glass jar.  Add 1/2 cup of kombucha and the bacteria.  Cover the top of the glass jar.  I add a dish cloth and wrap duct tape around the container, but some people use coffee filters with rubber bands.  You can not brew kombucha in anything other than glass.  I was nervous and had a lot of questions when I started - but I just went for it and it was PERFECT so I've been going to town.  If you decide to make your own, I will be your support person because I LOVE everything about this wonder drink.

THIS AND THAT

And guess what?  The garden is only 50% done.  Ugh.  Hopefully by the weekend.  We took out a 1/2 acre of forest to add the garden and more lawn.  Hopefully I'll have the finished garden to show you soon.

Garden In Progress

Thanks for reading!

Cooking - ha!  Picture by Meg Jung and make-up/hair by Jen Titus

Kristin

Kombucha and Apple Cider Vinegar

I've had an expensive 3 year-long daily addiction to GT's kombucha and so I was extremely happy to discover a product with the same affect - apple cider vinegar.   Below you will discover a little about both of these ancient healthy elixirs.


KOMBUCHA

In case you are unfamiliar with my all time favorite beverage let me fill you in.  Kombucha is a fermented tea that leaves you feeling energetic, slightly buzzed, light and clean all at the same time.  Kombucha has 1 billion live cultures so it's an excellent probiotic.   I order it by the case at various health food stores because it's cheaper and by ordering in bulk I'm sure not to run out.  Just like some people reach for a beer when they need to relax, I reach for a kombucha and I rarely go anywhere without an emergency bottle.    If I were sent to a desert island for a year and could only bring one thing, I would bring Green Algae Chia Kombucha and I'm pretty sure I would survive.

Benefits of Kombucha

 

-Detoxifer

-1 billion probiotics

-Prevents cancer

-Improves digestion

-Prevents arthritis, fibromylagia, depression and anxiety

-Boosts immune system and energy levels
-Boosts energy
 

Here's an article outlying all the benefits of my favorite drink:  health benefits of Kombucha

 

 



GT's Kombucha - super health elixir

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

For about 3 weeks I've been making an apple cider vinegar (ACV) concoction consisting of water, 1 teaspoon of raw unpasteurized organic ACV) and 1 packet of stevia.  Now, if you over-do this you will get a stomach ache so I'd stick to 1 teaspoon at a time.  It's weird but it makes you feel like you just ate a huge meal - you are just not hungry.  Also, I've noticed it has the same detoxifying affect as the kombucha but with an added bonus - my skin just cleared right up.  I've had these hard white bumps on my face since I was 13 and after about 5 days my skin was the clearest it's ever been - and trust me I've tried everything from chemical peels to retin-A.  At first I hated how it tasted (actually, I hated kombucha at first too), but now I actually crave it.  And the other huge advantage is that the cost is minimal - a bottle of Bragg's (which is what I recommend) is less than $4.00 and will last me two months.  A bottle of kombucha is around $4.00 and lasts me about 5 minutes.

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
-Boosts energy
-Aides in healthy digestion
-Prevents arthritis
-Helps hiccups and a stuff nose
-Prevents cancer
-Helps lower blood sugar
-Prevents diabetes
-lowers cholesterol
-Clears up the skin
**Actually, I have a 200 page book listing all the benefits of ACV but I'm only on page 75.

Wow, that's some powerful stuff!!  Just a few tips:  start with a teaspoon to 8 ounces of water and add enough stevia so you can stand the taste.  Eventually, you'll be able to use less and less stevia.  One morning I drank about a tablespoon because I was feeling so good and I ended up with a stomach ache so take it easy.

Bragg's Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

Now you probably think I'm weird, but I swear by these healthy drinks and I challenge you to at least try a kombucha.  If you can't take the vinegar taste, add some stevia - you will be amazed at how great you feel immediately following into the next day.  What's your secret healthy elixir drink?    What drink would you bring on a desert island?

Thanks for reading,

Kristin