Kombucha Taste, Benefits, Side Effects, and How to Make It

Do you like kombucha? In the summer, many people lose their appetite and look for kombucha as part of a diet.

As kombucha has become known for its various health benefits beyond just dieting, more people are trying to take care of their health through kombucha benefits.

Kombucha has many health benefits, but drinking too much is not good.

Today, for those who are curious about kombucha’s taste, we will look at kombucha taste, kombucha benefits, and kombucha side effects.

Kombucha taste: what does it taste like?

People who like kombucha like it enough to make it themselves. So what kind of taste does kombucha have?

The defining characteristics of kombucha taste are a sharp carbonated fizz and a sweet-tart flavor.

Because it is fermented with probiotics, the carbonation produced during fermentation gives it a cool, refreshing feeling.

If you add ice and drink it, the sharp, sweet-tart taste of kombucha can be energizing when your appetite drops in the hot summer.

Kombucha benefits

Kombucha is a traditional fermented beverage. The probiotics and antioxidants contained in kombucha are said to improve gut health and may also help support the health of the liver, heart, nervous system, and more. When consumed appropriately, kombucha benefits can have a positive effect on health. Representative kombucha benefits include the following.

1. Gastrointestinal health

Kombucha may help with gastrointestinal health. This is due to the probiotics produced during fermentation. Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria that serve as food for beneficial gut bacteria, helping them increase and improving the gut environment. It may help ease symptoms in people with inflammatory bowel disease, diarrhea, or irritable bowel syndrome.

2. Detoxification

Kombucha may also help with detoxification. Glucuronic acid in kombucha is said to help detoxify and eliminate toxic substances in the liver and harmful external toxins.

3. Antioxidant action

Kombucha is a beverage made by fermenting green tea or black tea. Therefore, it is rich in catechins and other polyphenols. These help remove reactive oxygen species and suppress cell damage, which may support skin health through antioxidant effects. In addition, it has benefits such as boosting immunity and promoting metabolism.

Be careful of kombucha side effects

Kombucha is good for your health, but does drinking a lot of it help?

Not necessarily.

Kombucha is a beverage made by fermenting green tea or black tea, but a lot of sugar is used in the process, so depending on the sugar content, drinking too much may actually lead to weight gain. In addition, the following kombucha side effects may occur, so you should be careful not to overconsume it.

Heartburn, indigestion

Kombucha contains acidic components such as organic acids and vitamin C that are produced during fermentation. Therefore, drinking a lot of it on an empty stomach may cause symptoms such as heartburn and indigestion.

Weight gain

Because kombucha is fermented with sugar, excessive consumption may lead to weight gain due to the sugar in kombucha. In addition, blood sugar control may become more difficult.

Caution for pregnant women

A small amount of alcohol is produced as a byproduct during kombucha fermentation. Therefore, pregnant women should be cautious when drinking kombucha.

Caution for people sensitive to caffeine

If you are sensitive to caffeine, you should be careful when consuming kombucha. Kombucha contains a small amount of caffeine, so people who are sensitive to caffeine should be cautious.

How to make kombucha

So far, we have briefly looked at kombucha taste, kombucha benefits, and side effects.

If you have the ingredients, you can make kombucha at home and drink it.

If you want to try making kombucha at home, please refer to the kombucha recipe below.

Ingredients

Glass container, cheesecloth, water (1 liter), black tea or green tea bags (6–7), 150–200 g sugar, SCOBY (if you do not have SCOBY, 1 cup of kombucha starter liquid)

How to make kombucha

1. Sterilize the container for the kombucha with boiling water.

2. Boil the water, add the black tea or green tea bags to the boiling water, and steep thoroughly for 10–15 minutes.

3. Remove the tea bags and add sugar.

4. Once the sugar has dissolved, pour it into the container and let it cool.

5. When it has cooled somewhat, add the SCOBY or kombucha starter liquid to the container.

6. Cover the opening of the container with a cloth and store it in a shaded, well-ventilated place above 20°C for about one week.

7. Enjoy the finished kombucha to your taste.

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