Kombucha Tea - Origin, Health Benefits and Recipe

The consensus around fermented drinks (especially fermented tea) is that they are addictive, alcoholic, and should be had in moderation. But, when a fizzy, fermented beverage can be a tasty probiotic drink with numerous health benefits, it becomes popular and much sought-after. That’s Kombucha tea for you. There are numerous health benefits of Kombucha tea. Let us know more about the Kombucha Tea with the below set of questions.

• What is Kombucha Tea?
• What is the history of Kombucha Tea - its origin and distribution?
• How to prepare kombucha tea?
• What is the Lemon Ginger Kombucha Tea? How is it prepared?
• What is Apple Cinnamon Kombucha Tea? How is it prepared?
• What is Green Tea Kombucha Tea?
• What are the potential health benefits of Kombucha Tea?

What is Kombucha Tea?

Kombucha Tea, also known as Tea Mushroom or fermented tea or Manchurian Mushroom (as the culture is referred to) is a slightly sweet, acidic beverage made from an infusion of black or green tea leaves with sugar and a combination of bacteria & yeast known as “Tea Fungus” or SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria & Yeast). It’s fizzy, sweet-and-sour, and tastes like sparkling apple cider.

What are Kombucha's health benefits, Cleveland Clinic, Google Images, licensed under CC BY 2.0

What is the origin and history of Kombucha Tea?

There are varied views on the actual Kombucha Tea origin, but it is agreed by most that Kombucha Tea recipe is a result of almost two centuries of East Asian tradition that originated from Manchuria, China, where it was valued by the Tsin Dynasty (“Ling Chi”) as far back as 220 B.C. (Source: A review on Kombucha Tea, Wiley Online Library, Retrieved on 1 January 2024)

Back in time, the drink was known for its detoxifying and energizing properties. (Source: Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets, Oxford University Press, Retrieved on 1 January 2024) Owing with time, it spread to Japan when the Korean physician, Kombu, (around 414 A.D.) brought the tea fungus to cure the digestive ailments of Japanese Emperor Inkyo. Not surprisingly, it had magical effects. So impressed was the Emperor on the benefits of the fizzy beverage on his gut, that he decided to call it "Kombu-Cha" or Kombu's Tea, to honour the physician's out-of-the-box thinking. The name, of course, seems to have prevailed!

Trivia: Kombucha Tea was initially confused with ‘Konbu-cha,' a Japanese tea made from powdered konbu (kelp) seaweed. (Reference: Kombucha (Konbu Cha / Kobu Cha), Just one cookbook, Retrieved on 1 January 2024)

Health Benefits of Kombucha Tea, Sound Health Solution, Google Images, licensed under CC BY 2.0

As trade routes expanded across the world, Kombucha Tea, which was then known by the trade name "mo-gu," steadily found its way into East Russia (where it was known colloquially as Caini Grib, Caini kvass, Japonskigrib, Kambucha, Jsa Kvaska).

With time, the tea began to make its presence felt in Germany, where it came to be known as Heldenpilz or Kombucha Schwamm and other Eastern European Areas in the 1900s., just around the turn of the 20th century. In the 1960s, a German doctor claimed (yet unproven clinically!) that the Kombucha brew could fight cancer. (Reference: Dr. Sklenar Kombucha Mushroom Infusion, National Library of Medicine, Retrieved on 1 January 2024)

During the dark times of the Second World War, this tea was widely used in the trenches to alleviate flagging spirits and health. The 1950s saw Kombucha Tea make its way into France and France-dominated North Africa, where it's usage as a popular drink was established irrevocably. The post-war era saw a spike in the popularity of the beverage among the general population as researchers in Switzerland began to claim that drinking Kombucha Tea was as beneficial as eating yoghurt. Kombucha Tea likely made its way into American homes in the 70s, but never quite made its place on the American dining table. Times, however, changed for better with increased health consciousness and the trend of 'going back to the roots.' This shows whatever the Kombucha Tea origin may be, the recipe is here to stay. (Reference: Most Liberal Product in America, Slate, Retrieved on 1 January 2024)

How to prepare Kombucha Tea?

It is no Herculean task to know the Kombucha Tea recipe. Anyone can prepare tasty kombucha tea instead of buying them from the stores at a costlier price. The most important thing required to make kombucha tea is Scoby. You can easily buy it from the market or even borrow some of it from friends who make Kombucha tea all the time. Now that you have managed to get hold of that, here are the steps you need to follow to prepare the Kombucha Tea recipe - 

• Bring the water to boil and add sugar into it after removing it from the heat.
• Add the tea to it and let it steep as the water come down to room temperature.
• Pour the solution into the glass jar and add the Scoby into it.
• Cover the mouth of the jar with a few layers of tightly-woven fabric and secure it with rubber bands.
• Place the jar in a dark room, away from the sun for 6 to 10 days, depending on the level of fermentation you want to prepare your fermented tea.

After this first fermentation, your Kombucha Tea recipe is ready. Now you can also add flavours to your fermented tea using the second fermentation.

What is the Lemon Ginger Kombucha Tea? How is it prepared?

If you are a fan of all things sour, you need to try this recipe at home. This citrusy flavoured tea can be prepare without any significant resources. All you need to do is follow the given steps. But before that, let us know about the necessary ingredients.

• ½ gallon of the Kombucha tea (fermented tea) you have fermented earlier.
• ¼ cup of lemon juice
• 1tbsp freshly chopped or grated ginger
• 2 tbsp of honey

Below are the steps to prepare Lemon Ginger kombucha tea at home.

1. Chop or grate the ginger and mix it with the lemon juice.
2. Put the fermented Kombucha into the fermenting bottles(use glass bottles only) and leave about 2 inches of the gap on the top for the second fermentation. Now pour the lemon and ginger mixture along with the honey into it.
3. Leave the jars in a dark place, away from the sun for around 3 to 10 days, depending on the level of carbonization you prefer. Ensure the temperature of the room is set to standard and not too cold as the fermentation process takes place if the temperature is hotter than to colder temperatures.
4. After the Kombucha is fermented to your liking, you can shift it to different jars and keep them in the refrigerator for several weeks. Remember, Kombucha Tea tastes better when served chilled.

Recipe: Ginger Kombucha, The Kitchn, Google Images, licensed under CC BY 2.0

What is Apple Cinnamon Kombucha Tea? How is it prepared?

Nothing resonates with the vibe of the fall better than apple cider and cinnamon. So, why not bring out that flavour in your Kombucha tea India. This simple recipe can be made from a limited number of ingredients and without any hassle.

The ingredients you will need are as follows:

• ½ gallon of the Kombucha Tea that you’ve fermented earlier.
• 1 apple or ½ cup of apple cider or juice will also do the trick.
• 2 cinnamon sticks or ½ tbsp cinnamon powder.

Let us see the steps now:

1. In case you are using the whole apple, chop it into fine pieces.
2. Put the Kombucha into the fermenting bottles in the same manner as the other recipe. Now, put the apple pieces or juice or cider into them along with the cinnamon sticks or powder.
3. Leave the jars in a dark place, away from the sun for around 3 to 10 days, depending on the level of carbonization you prefer. Make sure the temperature of the room is set to standard and not too cold as the fermentation process takes place if the temperature is hotter than to colder temperatures.
4. After the Kombucha is fermented to your liking, you can shift it to different jars and keep them in the refrigerator for several weeks. Remember, Kombucha Tea tastes better when served chilled.

Apple cinnamon kombucha – a tasty kombucha autumn Drink recipe, Natural-Kefir-Drinks, Google Images, licensed under CC BY 2.0

What is Green Tea Kombucha Tea?

The Kombucha Tea recipe is unique in the way that everyone can make it according to their preferences. As everyone prefers different kinds of tea flavours, one can use a different type of tea leaves as the base. Be it the black tea, red tea, white tea, herbal tea, or Pu-erh tea; the list is a long one. And so, the Kombucha Tea recipe is also flexible to various styles. 

For this article, let us talk about green tea. For someone who's a beginner in preparing the Kombucha Tea, the green tea will be the easiest choice. We all know about the various benefits of green tea, so using it to prepare the recipe will add to its quality. Also, depending on the base tea, the flavour will vary. The green tea will add a more fruity and herbaceous tone to the overall taste of the recipe.

What are the potential health benefits of Kombucha Tea?

Tea has always been known as a great source of benefits for our health. Each type of tea has its list of healthy qualities. There are numerous health benefits of Kombucha tea. Kombucha tea is regarded to be one of the best antioxidants. Also, tea reduces the chances of cardiovascular problems like stroke or heart attack. So find below an extensive list of Kombucha benefits -

• Kombucha Tea is a natural source of probiotics: A 2014 study has confirmed that Kombucha Tea has healthy bacteria owing to the fermentation process. Being probiotic is one of the major Kombucha benefits. These healthy bacteria are beneficial to the gut biome while they are in the system. Probiotic bacteria help in treating diarrhoea and are even known to reduce the intensity of IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome. (Reference: Most Sequence-based Analysis of the Bacterial and Fungal Compositions of Multiple Kombucha (Tea Fungus), National Library of Medicine, Retrieved on 1 January 2024)
• Another study found that Kombucha Tea helps arrest the growth of cancerous cells in the body: There is concrete evidence that Kombucha Tea can reduce the risk of cancer, especially in the Prostate, Breast, and Colon. (Reference: Downregulation of signalling molecules involved in angiogenesis of prostate cancer cell line by kombucha, Science Direct, Retrieved on 1 January 2024)
• Kombucha Tea is microbicidal: Kombucha Tea is acidic due to the presence of Acetic Acid, which is produced during fermentation. A study carried out in 2000 established that Kombucha Tea was able to neutralize a range of bacterias due to its acidic nature. (Reference: Kombucha Fermentation and its Antimicrobial activities, National Library of Medicine, Retrieved on 1 January 2024)
• Kombucha Tea & Mental Health: Science has established a strong correlation between depression and inflammation. Studies conducted have revealed that probiotics play a major role in alleviating depression. Through this, it can be safely inferred that Kombucha, with its probiotic properties, has a high chance of alleviating depressive symptoms in those who use it. (Reference: The effects of probiotics on depressive symptoms in humans - a systematic review, PMC National Library of Medicine, Retrieved on 1 January 2024)
• Kombucha helps boost Metabolism: Kombucha Tea may not be a miracle weight loss drink. Still, some Green Tea kombucha variants have Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which holds the secret to a faster metabolism, crucial to effective weight-loss! A study in 2005 claimed that catechins like EGCG could jumpstart metabolism in humans. (Reference: Ingestion of a tea rich in catechins leads to a reduction in body fat and malondialdehyde - modified LDL in men, Oxford Academic - The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Retrieved on 1 January 2024)

Kombucha or Iced Tea, Healthy Food, Google Images, licensed under CC BY 2.0

A systematic review of the scientific and evidence-based papers suggested that there is amply documented empirical and scientific evidence on the benefits of Green Tea and Black Tea on human health. Since they are both present in Kombucha Tea, it is safe to conclude that it is a beverage with a range of inherited benefits. Teacurry.com hopes that you thoroughly enjoyed the above research we have tried to put together in terms of Kombucha Tea. In case of questions or suggestions please let us know in comments below or write to us at tea@teacurry.com and we would be more than happy to assist you.

References & Sources

• A mug of kombucha for your health?. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
• kombucha | Description, History, & Nutrition. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
•  Alex., LaGory (2016). The Big Book of Kombucha. Storey Publishing.
• Troitino, Christina. Kombucha 101: Demystifying The Past, Present And Future Of The Fermented Tea Drink.
• Kombucha Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Flavor (Original, Flavored), By Distribution Channel (Supermarkets, Health Stores, Online Stores), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027. Grandview Research.
• Bauer, Brent (8 July 2017). What is kombucha tea? Does it have any health benefits?. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
•  Wollan, Malia (24 March 2010). Kombucha Tea Attracts a Following and Doubters. The New York Times. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
•  Ernst E (2003). Kombucha: a systematic review of the clinical evidence. Forschende Komplementärmedizin und Klassische Naturheilkunde.
• Kapp, J. M.; Sumner, W. (2019). Kombucha: a systematic review of the empirical evidence of human health benefit. Annals of Epidemiology. 
• Kombucha. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2015.