kombucha has changed our families life! My son, at 18 months, had chronic constipation. the doctors brushed it off saying it was normal and wanted to put him on mirlax daily. I couldn't bring myself to do that so after researching, i opted to have try some kombucha. after the 2nd day of him drinking 1/4 cup in his juice once a day he was pooping regularly. It has now been 9 months since then and in that time frame he has been pooping normal, only had a cold once and noticed a behavior change. This stuff is so powerful.
that's incredible!! I've heard from others in the comments here that kombucha also helped them tremendously in passing stool. That was brave of you to look for a more holistic option than mirlax, but you probably saved him from a number of potential future side effects... very well done 🙏👏 Thank you for sharing! Dylan
@@wumountaintea I’ve also noticed neither my son or I have any seasonal allergies thus far. When last year I had the worst of everyone, While on the other hand my husband still has his typical allergies. (He doesn’t drink kombucha) Might just be just a coincidence but I wonder if kombucha helps with that.
That's awesome! I also make kombucha and coconut milk yogurt - and have less problem with seasonal allergies than my daughter's family (who live next door!)
Fermented foods can improve greatly your gut biome which improves digestion , circulation , immune system etc etc - it makes your engine far more efficient , modern diets , too many antibiotics, over use of medicines , alcohol etc damage the digestive system which in turns prevents maximum extraction of nutrients in anything you eat . None of this is rocket science , just eat a diet that’s as natural as possible and closer to what humans ate during evolution - modern western diets are terrible .
Bacteria, not fungi. Non the less, Kombucha is bacteria poop. So, I have been calling my Scobie, Scooby and Kombucha, Scooby Doo since my introduction to it this past Spring by my sister. Ginger and black cherry are my favs, still looking for more. I have a feeling I'll like this next batch that'll be of apple.
Awesome analysis! I’m a small commercial brewer in CT and many of my customers said drinking local small batch kombucha is so much better than the store bought. Several customers shared that drinking our local kombucha has really helped heal their gut issues. It’s a tremendous testimonial for locally made and smaller regional brands. I really think kombucha made by local small producers is better. Well done and thank you!
Small producers tend to focus WAY more on quality. One main point that I tried to emphasize in the video is that changes in quality components of the ingredients of Kombucha have a massive impact on its final bioactivity and ultimate effects on health. So a well-made high-quality kombucha can truly have medicinal properties, while another product by the same name but different production standards might have little to no effect. What’s the name of your brewery in case I or others here wanna try out your booch?? Dylan
I wish you had mentioned the length of fermentation as it relates to the amount of sugar left in kombucha. I feel that commercial kombucha is way too sweet and therefore negates any benefits you may derive from drinking kombucha. Thoughts?
There are so many recipes of how long the first ferment should be. I was taught 6 weeks but I've seen less than 2 weeks. Any evidence of the health benefits based on how long you ferment? I have 6 gallons going at one time spaced 1 week apart then 2nd ferment one gallon at a time.
As a home brewer, I sometimes try store bought Kombuchas as a comparison. The latter are awful, no matter their supposed quality claims. I gave a friend one of the commercials as a trial compared to my home, and he had to spit it out.
I completely agree!! That seems like an obvious candidate for a healthy and flavorful kombucha... I'll keep my eyes peeled for future research on honey-brewed kombucha and report on it when I get some details. Best, Dylan
One of the reasons honey was not used is it is more highly variable than either cane or coconut sugars. Additionally, these two sugars are relatively similar chemical, which makes for less variables in a complex micro and molecule biological systems.
Honey is a natural antibacterial so won’t work with a normal scobi and will kill it and also it’s traditional used with green tea and is the champagne of kombucha and it ferments a lot faster than your normal kombucha DO SOME READING
i used to be sick from chemo for a week after i did it(every 2 weeks) . once i started drinking kombucha i was sick for one day maybe. my experience with the fermented at home drink the gooey stuff . that was 15 years ago
Mild IBS sufferer here. Over the years I became vegan, bumped up my fiber, bumped up my water, and began to eat kimchi, sauerkraut, and sourdough bread. The only thing that has significantly lessened my symptoms is kombucha. This is why I watched your video, because I wanted to figure out why. For context, my dysbiosis makes sense, since I was born from a C-section, and when I was a child my mom used to treat every illness I had with antibiotics. I’m surprised by IBS isn’t worse. Hopefully these things I’m doing now are restoring my gut flora.
@@wumountaintea yeah, I think in my case is probably a dose thing, it’s easier to get more servings of the probiotics I need with some kombucha, it probably puts me over the hump (I also added some vegan yogurt to my breakfast). I get the Simple Truth kombucha, which has helped me, but I heard that it may not be natural, and that they may add the probiotic after they killed the natural ones, since the strain is basillus coagulans. Is that the case?
@@hugomarquez3189 you need to take akkermansia and kimchi you should also take a "broad spectrum" probiotic take them with a low carb high fiber diet for 3 months. your problems will be completely gone.
Have you tried fasting to address your IBS? It made a world of difference for me. I just practice a 12 hour fast everyday bc it manageable. I started with a greater period of fasting but found the 12 hours was best for long term practice. I make komboucha and yogurt at home for years now and the fasting had the greatest impact.
@@juchinchou IF is the first thing I ever did when I started to change my diet, before I went vegan and before I started eating fermented foods, and it does work for me to an extent. So I do about 15 hours every day, there are days I do 18 or 20. Fasting and being vegan helped me for about a year, year and a half, and then I had a flare up that stayed, so both on their own don’t help any more. What I do now is IF, vegan, fermented foods AND psyllium husk. Psyllium husk has made the most difference, and I’ve been doing it for a few months. No more gas and bloating at night. I still go many times in the morning, between 3 and 5, but all the stools are well formed. I go less if I don’t eat in the morning. With all the fiber and fermented foods I eat, I obviously have more to pass, but I do it a lot easier now, and nothing remains after I’m done.
This video was quite informative and well researched. The fact that you took the time to document all your research and compile it into one easy to listen and understand video is incredible. Thank you for using correctly applied research and scientific method data to compile this while also pointing out the limitations, variations, and misconceptions of said data. Well done!
I have been using black tea for 3 years and decided I would try green tea also, so I am combining the two. I use cane sugar but am going to combine cane and coconut sugars too. Thank you so much for this video! I haven't found much clinical data until now. ❤ I knew kombucha was good for you but couldn't back it up. Many, many thanks!
Oh you’re welcome! Thank you for watching and commenting :) I like your idea of combining sugar types! A combined black/green tea coconut/cane booch? You’re quite the chemist, I like it! And I’m curious to hear how it turns out 😛🌱) It really is an interesting field because the beverage itself is complex, and our ways of studying it’s health effects are equally complex. There’s more and more data coming out all the time, so I’ll try to keep on top of it to keep ya in the loop !🤗🌱 Thanks again for the kind comment, Dylan from Wu
Hey just wanted to thank you for your very informative videos! I used to live very unhealthy only eating packaged ramen and pizza and only drinking monster energy instead of water (I think I was close to overdosing on caffeine a couple of times) and for the last few years I've decided to live a healthier life. Channels like yours really help me to get a better understanding of how the food I eat influences everything in life basically.
i have never had store bought kombucha. i bought a starter kit, and made my first tea then fermented it. i immediately went and bought more starter kits. i brew and consume (with my wife) 4 gallons a week. i use lipton yellow tea to keep it standardized. i ferment red grape juice and some pineapple. i do not consume store bought alcohol and stopped drinking soda drinks. my gut flora has improved vastly. the only downside to brewing is an occasional bottle explosion, has only happened 6 times in over a year, but when it does, wow. i use glass jugs for the 1 st stage so they are kept properly ventilated out of sunlight, and amber reusable bottles for the 2nd stage fermentation. since regularly consuming home brewed kombucha i have not had as much as a cold, flu that lasted more than 24 hrs. regular proper stools, and noticed my skin has better color. i read how FDA cautions people brewing their own, i just ordered more brewing jars and fermentation bottles, because my friends and neighbors drink too much of my stash. i try to push store bought drinks and alcohol and as much as i appreciate to compliments, i prefer the kombucha, once you brew it right, you will enjoy the health benefits and the alcohol content. sometimes gets up to 26% according to my meter. Has anyone else notice pd a trend, whatever the FDA says to do… DO THE OPPOSITE and you will live a lot longer, or live a more quality life, i have motorcycles that try to kill me every time i ride them, well could be my driving or both. at least enjoy the quality of your health with the amount of life you have left.
Right on brother re the FDA. Food fear porn is their default mode. Canning fear is another example yet CAFO farming is promoted by their industry corrupted policies. There are supposed doctors on this thread denouncing kombucha as unsafe. It has saved me from several health problems I had stemming from the standard western toxic diet which I am pleased to say I've departed from some years ago. Kombucha = health. Try making some Jun, the health effects of honey are a massive bonus
@@paulofrostIt wont be that high, experienced home brewers struggle to get to higher than 20% (15% is good). It is possible but not easy and requires a special yeast to achieve.
Minor tech correction: the mineral content does not change. The minerals are not "created" but become more readily bioavailable as a result of being "released" during the fermentation process. The vitamins in contrast are created from scratch.
Yes! Thank you for that. I caught some flak in another comment for that and tried to explain that what I meant to communicate was the concept of increased mineral bioavailability through microbial mineralization processes, which is of course is not the same as "minerals being made from scratch" which was my quote in the video. Vitamins, on the other hand, are formed through microbial biosynthesis, like you said. Still trying to hone the craft of informal scientific communication. You want to be technically accurate while not using too much jargon, which can be difficult. Anyway, thank you for the correction and clarification Dylan
@@wumountaintea I buy bottled water to drink because the tap water smells like chlorine. I know that bottled water is depleted from minerals. Should I buy mineral water or some other kind of water to make kombucha?
As a homebrewer I found a 2 to 1 ratio of black to green to be ideal. Whole leaf. And equally displace that ratio with puerh tea in whatever quantity you can afford.
I had diverticulitis, two surgeries. Kombucha is the only thing i can count on to help maintain my digestive track 100%. Helped me stop drinking alcohol because it has similar properties. Fermented and carbonated.
That's awesome!!! I'm actually trying to cut out alcohol about 100% from my life right now, so that's a really good idea to have some cold kombucha suds laying around for when I feel like reaching for a beer. Thanks for sharing Rob Dylan
@@ChopperChad There's plenty of PLAIN yogurt in the stores (you can even add your own raw honey) which is actually good for our bodies... Kombucha is sweet in my opinion.
Another great video! I make my own kombucha, often using my own home grown tea. If i need a new Scoby, i get some local live strain kombucha, and use ~ 1/3 cup (if there isn't a visible scoby) I let it ferment longer if i need vinegar. I also make L-reuteri yogurt using tinned coconut milk, sugar and green banana 'flour' for the prebiotic (1 Tbsp of each to a can of coconut milk)
I love black tea!~ Love raw turbino, cane sugar! And I love to ferment at least 10 days! My husband's gut issues have improved significantly! Truly worth the time and effort to make Kombucha. I am still shocked how many people have no idea what it is! Thanks for all the science geeky stuff! I love it!
Once again you drop another incredible video on us! Thank you for taking the time to research this topic in depth and deliver us another wildly informational video. Keep up the good work, Dylan!
Great information for this newbie…my first taste was yesterday and I loved it…so ready to make my own I see no negative effects ..so on with research thank you so much for your time energy and knowledge about this powerhouse food…stay blessed
Have been fermenting Kombucha for over two years now. I use a combination of green and black tea and cane sugar. Have had good flavourful ferments. I have had excellent results in second ferment with hibiscus(sorrel)tea. Best ginger beer with the addition of fresh ginger. Thank you for the educational presentation.
@Wu Mountain Tea I just grate a 2inch piece of fresh ginger extract the juice add a spoon full of sugar, stir till dissolved before adding to brewed Kombucha as for 2nd fermentation.
Your analysis of the subject matter kombucha was more thorough than any other I’ve seen, thank you! I’m a registered dietitian-nutritionist and have been making kombucha for 10+ years using various types of sugar, honey being my favorite source. My recent concern has been “is kombucha contributing to yeast infections related to its sugar content.” Although I didn’t see this specifically addressed, it appears that the variety of ways that kombucha is beneficial outweighs the possible detriment of sugar consumption. This being said, it is understandable that different fermentation times will result in higher or lower sugar content.
I think there’s much more to learn. I started drinking Kombucha and within three months I had exceeded my body’s ability to break down the histamine content, and developed serious histamine intolerance that I am still dealing with nine years later. I’m sure there were other factors at play, too, but this is still something that is going to impact a percentage of people who start drinking Kombucha, and no one talks about it.
For over 5 years I’ve been making my own, thanks to a amazing scobis given to me by a local master bucha maker. I use only organic black tea (Newman’s Own) and organic sugar; 2nd bottle with fresh/frozen organic organic fruits & herbs. Folks love & prefer it to purchased. I don’t make it for others, but pay it forward by giving away healthy scobis & coaching. It’s just fun. Thanks for this video on the science of this amazing drink that anyone can make.
I have known about and have been drinking kombucha tea for about a year. Since I really enjoy drinking it, I decided to learn about it and the benefits. Thanks for this good information and for making it understandable.
My first SCOBY & batch of kombucha was made from a drizzle of store bought and I now have a hotel. So...is it safe to conclude, even though I used the store bought to seed, that I can still get a much better kombucha batch by using a high grade leaf? Thank you also for all the great info. Was so interesting. 🌺
Somewhat of an issue is that not all kombucha is created equal. The sugar is supposed to ferment out, which means it is meant for the culture to consume and not you. If you don't let your kombucha brew long enough, you will be getting more sugar. Good kombucha usually takes quite a few weeks and most folks are not patient enough to wait that long if doing home brews. Most companies add sugar after the brewing process because they feel people wont like the vinegary taste that can be acidic and overpowering, which would not make their sales go up.
That's an excellent point. In fact, the thing I worry most about with Kombucha is the sugar content, particularly in store-bought kombucha, for the reasons you mentioned. This is a point I should have emphasized more in the video I think. Controlling sugar content is another very important reason to brew your own kombucha. Thanks for the comment Dylan
Continuous brewing shortens batch maturity dramatically. I'm about 10 days in summer on the porch. 2 weeks + in winter above a radiator. I'm keto & insulin dep diabetic so I can track sugar content & correlate it to flavor. I've come to like it strong, I 2nd brew for my wife with org grape juice
Wow. A very comprehensive and research-backed discussion on kombucha. Waiting for my SCOBY to arrive. I'll be fermenting my kombucha soon. Thanks for this lecture.
I had to watch the video twice. The first time I was distracted by your tea setup, and I was like "This doesn't add up, unless ... Is he doublefisting his tea? Naah ...?" Until about halfway in you confirmed that you were, in fact, doing that. Seriously great content though! I learned a ton of new information, which is very much par for course with your content.
Yep - Don't mind me DOUBLE FISTING lol 😂👊🍵🤘 Cool, man! Glad you liked it, and thanks for watching and commenting 💚 I realize it's a slightly different avenue than pure tea-based content, but I felt it was close enough to still be true to the heart of the channel. More videos on the way! - Dylan 🌱
Im curious what the optimal time of fermentation is. Sometimes o left it go well past 14 days to around 28 and the brew tastes a lot stronger. Is this better? Also i live in NZ where the days can be cooler so felt it maybe needed longer to ferment?
You need to (somewhat) bring under control the temperature and brew time, then you can tweak to get what seems the best outcomes. Otherwise, there can be no such thing as optimal.
cooler temperatures typically require longer fermentation time, and 28 days is not necessarily better than 14. The general rule is that once the sugar is gone then you're done. Take sample sips and once you taste the sweetness (like the sugary sweetness, not the sweetness from tea) plateau at zero sweetness then you're good. if you found a test kit online for testing sugar concentration that would help you find the actual "optimum." Good luck! Dylan
I will add one more comment. 28 days brewing time is too long. It means the brewing temperatures are low. The extended time may allow the sugar to be consumed, but the vitality of the elixir will be subpar. There is no point asking for an optimal time. Rather, incrementally increase the brewing temperature and reduce the brewing time accordingly, and continue to refine over time. It took me 5 years to have a brew that knocks the socks off the best commercial products. This is a living product and you need to develop finesse and think less along the lines of a recipe. (25 years of home brewing experience).
Definitely worth clarifying “herbal tea” beyond merely “not from camelia sinensis”. Tea made from dried coffee cherry (aka “cascara”), for example, would by this definition be “herbal”, but it is also very high in antioxidants.
Hi DL, After reading your comment, I looked into some studies about Cascara tea - it seems like an interesting tea that I am curious to try someday. I found a couple of studies measuring the antioxidant capacity of Cascara tea. I did not read every one, but rather chose one that was recent and published in a very reputable journal. The study found an antioxidant capacity of 11.27% for a Cascara tea infusion of 8 minutes at 70 Celcius, and 8.94% for an infusion of 90 Celsius (the antioxidant power decreased with increasing infusion time, which surprised me). For Camellia sinensis, the antioxidant capacity ranges from 27.24% for the most antioxidant-poor cultivars to 49.98% for relatively antioxidant-rich cultivars. Comparing these two studies, which both used the DPPH antioxidant assay methodology, the antioxidant power of Cascara tea was within the range of most other herbal teas, including the Roiboos Tea that I referenced in the video. Agreeing with what you said, it is fair to say that Cascara tea is high in antioxidants, and almost certainly a healthy thing to incorporate into the diet. At the same time, the research I reviewed suggests that Camellia sinensis leaves produce a considerably more powerful antioxidant beverage. I would encourage you, if you so please, to check out some of the Cascara tea research articles that I did not get to, and see if you find any studies that found Cascara tea antioxidant power to be within the range of Camellia sinensis, and please share them with me if you do! Thank you for the comment, - Dylan Cascara Tea Antioxidant Study: reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S2772753X23000035?token=BABCB40B4CD517933E0E3AB1E807BDF79151A9D74F3BD68B07D53CD29189FB41A17FCAE2F19324ED3ADB5458910D708C&originRegion=us-east-1&originCreation=20230315185612 Camellia sinensis Tea Antioxidant Study: www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/2/249
@@wumountaintea thanks for the response and the research leads! I’d be interested to know more about the specific coffee varietal of the cascara they tested, as that is also a factor to consider (same as for tea itself, I guess!). Really enjoyed this video in its own right, but also for being a rarity in the kombucha world of being so strongly driven by actual research.
@@dl4608 Sure! Thanks for the comment :) I went back to the article and looked for the specific coffee varietal of the cascara that they tested, but they did not include this detail in the study. I do think that you're right about the effect of varietal on antioxidant capacity. At least in Camellia sinensis tea, you can see 2X or more variation in antioxidant power due to varietal alone (that was the result of the study I linked in my last comment), then if you add in different growing conditions and processing styles, the variations in antioxidant activity across tea samples can be up to 10X, which was the finding of a study I referenced in the video @23:16 (citation #70 in the Works Cited). Anyway, thanks again for watching and being curious about the science! 🤓🙏🌱🍵 Best, -Dylan
It’s helping me with joint pain. I originally took this for better gut health but my knees don’t hurt as bad as they used to. I’ve been drinking 1 bottle a day no more than 16oz for two weeks now. I poop regularly now too. I don’t drink nothing but this stuff and water. I’m also sticking to my diet.
Sweet! Thanks Google!! 😂😁 Glad you liked the video :) Are you a big kombucha drinker yourself or just thinking about getting into it? Best, Dylan from Wu
Kombucha fermentation works great with honey, too - and yes it's called Jun then - but you got to slowly train your scoby to be able to survive the antimicrobial properties of honey, So very slowly, brew by brew you can give it a bit more honey each time. Also, only mix the honey in when the tea has cooled down to at least 40 Celsius (slightly higher than body temperature - just stick a clean finger in to test). And defintely: make your own! It's so easy and much cheaper.
I switched to wild honey without any issues. Flavor changed a bit over time but no transition required for me. Never thought about antibacterial nature of honey on the mother but I also do continuous brewing, that may have helped the batch resilience
That's fantastic!! Quite a few people here in the comments have also shared stories about how Kombucha was able to reverse their ailments... For me, it's one thing to read the research, but another thing entirely to hear first hand from the individuals that really experienced these effects... very cool stuff. Thank you for sharing! Dylan
Glad to see some of my intended questions have already been asked & addressed..(smart folks from the general popuplation- kinda refreshing) lol I've used slightly diluted honey sometimes in the F2 & only use minimal process cane sugar in the F1. Honey DOES have a neat adjustment to the F2s flavor and just a hunch that honey's properties does affect the culture, and thusly the flavor in the end product. seems to take longer to get fully ripe, has a few flavor-points difference, & also seems to last longer in the fridge; like development is slowed a bit.
Hmm I make kombucha and Jun tea, and the Jun tea always matures almost twice as fast as the kombucha, it also requires a lower operating temperature though, by around 2-3 degrees Celsius.
Good stuff. An interesting topic. There’s so much that the general public is in the dark about when it comes to popular foods and their health effects. Also, those microbe selfies are some nasty work.
New subscriber here! This was such an informative and well orchestrated video. Thank you for making such a clear picture of all the evidence--I'm a scientist so that's the kind of information I like to see. I love making kombucha, JUN, and all types of lactic-acid ferments.
Great video! Been making my own kombucha for the last 5 years. Started drinking kombucha for acid reflux and have relatively no more gut problems unless I don't drink any for a couple of days.
@@aaronspurlin4469 Probably better to get a recipe from Google or find a serious YTer who making kombacha and use their recipe. My recipe is pretty basic. First ferment: in a 4 gallon glass crock make very strong tea (6-8 tea bags or equivalent loose tea in 4 cups of water), dissolve 4 cups of sugar in 4 cups of boiling water add the both to the crock then add your favorite fruit. Doesn't have to be fresh just don't use if its gone moldy. Fill the remaining space with filtered water (no chlorine from city water) to about 1-3 inches from the top. Add your starter, either powder or kombacha from the store and give everthing a good stir. I 've used kombacha from the store , it just has to be the kombacha from the cooler not the stuff that's pasturized. Put the crock in a cool dry space like a closet and leave it for a couple of weeks. I find it really doesn't make any difference if you stir it or not, but stir away if it make you happy you can't really hurt anything. You will end up with a slightly sweet tea with a white layer on top which is scooby which is comprised of the and Acidopholis bacteria. You can drink this, but it is much better to do a second ferement. Second ferment. You will need about 14-16 old fashioned glass flip top bottles. You can buy them online or specialty kitchen stores or IKEA used to have them. Make sure the bottles are clean before you start - just run them through the dishwasher. Its during the second ferment you can go crazy with adding fruit (or sirops) if you want. Just pick fruit that will compliment the type of tea you used. I use both black tea and green teas. For the black teas I use darker fruits and lighter fruit for the green tea. I also really like ginger and tumeric in my kombacha (tumeric has a very strong taste, but I find it quite mellow in kombacha as it gives it more body). You will also need a very high sugar fruit because you are fermenting it again (you can add more sugar, but I just use fruit). Pineapple works well as does mango, but go easy on the mango as it can make you kombacha very explosive. Cut everything into very long slivers that will easily fit into you bottles. Remember you want this to come out easily when you drink it. I put 2-3 x 2" x 1/16-1/8" slivers of ginger, tumeric and pineapple into the bottle. I usually also add the same size slice of orange peal as this gives it a little extra kick. Add your kombacha to the bottles, I use a ladle and a funnel. Stir the kombacha before filling every bottle as I find this gives the best results and take from the bottom of the crock. You probably will make a mess the first couple of times, but your having fun - right.. Close the bottles and put in a dry dark space for a week. You should check you bouch after a week. Be very careful when you open the first bottle and do it in the sink. If everything goes right it should be nice and fizzy. However, for whatever reason, sometimes you get VERY FIZZY bouch and I've painted my kitchen on more than one occasion. Okay, that is not fun! If it is very fizzy you will have to "burp" the bottles numerous times to release the CO2 pressure. Don't worry it will still be fizzy when you want to drink it. Taste: homemade bouch is usually more vinegary than the stuff from the store, but after I made a couple of batches I find I would much rather have my homemade stuff than anything from the store! Good luck if you try making some.
Could you possibly use both sugars in 1 brew? And I would love to find a tutorial on creating a scoby from scratch, Not creating a scoby from store bought kombucha, but from scratch! Do you know how to make one?
Hi Stephanie, You could absolutely combine sugar types in one brew - that's an interesting idea that could possibly nurture more SCOBY than just one sugar type. I've never made a SCOBY from scratch, but I also wondered about how that might be done. One option might be to choose several individual strains of bacteria and yeast (maybe selected from screenshots in this video when I showed common SCOBY strains) then see if you can buy those strains from a lab near you, then introduce them directly into the sweet tea, or grow them on a petri dish first. Interesting idea... I may have to try this. Thanks for your curiosity! Best, Dylan from Wu
@@wumountaintea There is a comment here (4th comment down) from someone in Thailand who states that in Thailand they make their own scoby from pineapple or from other sour fruit - she gives instructions on how to make the scoby for Kombucha.
Hi, I’m new to your channel and just subscribed. Thanks for a great presentation. Being a visual learner, I really enjoyed your graphics, which are far more artistic and creative than most other You Tubers I have watched! My question is: Do you know how much sugar or sweetener is consumed by the microbes in the finished, homemade product and how much is left behind? Looking recently at commercial brands, I was astonished at how high the carb and sugar counts are. They did all have fruit juice as a base and it looked like green tea was just an additive, or perhaps it is the other way around. Anyway, I am inspired to make my own but am wondering how to ensure that the carb/sugar content is as close to zero as possible. Thanks!
Hi Florence, thank you for the comment and welcome to the channel!! I'm glad the graphics were helpful in teaching the information👌😊 It's a great question about the residual sugar content. In theory, there is a bit of a balancing act here; the sugar is keeping the microbes alive, so when the sugar content hits zero then you may see some beneficial probiotic communities beginning to die off. The ideal point would be to bring the sugar down as close to zero as possible without letting the brew sit with zero sugar for too long. For store-bought kombucha, this poses a problem because you have to factor in transport time. Also, home-brewing this is not an easy task because most people don't instrumentation in their homes to measure sugar concentrations. Also, the time is takes for a SCOBY to dissolve exactly 10 grams of sugar might vary from one brew to the next due to small variations in SCOBY and/or tea composition. For all of these reasons, zero sugar kombucha is truly a bit difficult. I do feel your pain though, because I really try to keep my sugar intake as close to literally zero as possible and I look at these store-bought kombucha bottles and I'm like yikes 15g of refined sugar in this thing... I think the only way to do it would be to brew at home, stick to one recipe (so you get a feel for the approximate time until complete sugar consumption by SCOBY for that specific recipe), and then just play the fermentation time more on the zero sugar side than the probiotic preservation side... if that makes sense. Anyway, thanks for the comment and welcome again to the channel! 🌱🍵🤗 (also feel free to comment back with other questions or thoughts on this zero sugar kombucha topic, and share anything else you learn with me! I'm in the same boat as you trying to figure out how to enjoy kombucha with as little sugar as possible. Best, Dylan
Hi Florence - I've been brewing my own for 14 years. I find that the longer you let the kombucha ferment, the less sweet it will be (I usually do a taste test after 8 days). My scoby is currently over a year old and about 2" thick so it tends to use the sugar faster. Temperature is another thing that will affect how long it takes to ferment. I will likely clean out my container and trim the scoby in a couple more months. With a smaller scoby, the ferment will take longer. Don't be afraid to experiment! Good luck.
@@wumountaintea Thank you so much for your detailed reply - it helps a lot! Another question occurs to me. I culture lots of specific microbes in dairy, using different prebiotics, depending on the microbes’ tastes😊. Is it possible that the kombucha scoby would be happy devouring inulin or acacia or some other less glucose/sucrose intense prebiotic? There are lots of different prebiotics to choose from. I realize this would vary from the traditional recipe and perhaps would alter the taste in an unpleasant way or even be risky in some way. Just wondering…Thanks again!
@@i11am Thanks so much for your kindly reply! This is tricky, balancing the benefits of kombucha with the negatives. Because of health issues, we are just really careful with carbs and sugars, keeping them as low as possible. I am currently culturing lots of specific probiotics in dairy and am about to start on fermenting vegetables. I am hoping to find a safe drink that would work too and kombucha is so refreshing! I really appreciate your answering my question and helpful suggestions! Thanks again😊
@@MsSweetlandofliberty You're welcome! I am low carb too. I've fermented veggies in the past, but now eat them only occasionally. I make coconut yogurt as I don't tolerate too much dairy. Look into coconut water kefir - it uses only coconut water and kefir grains (different ones from the dairy kefir) and no sugar. It doesn't taste sweet at all and is easy to make. Also doesn't take as long as kombucha to ferment.
I wonder... would it be possible to use both sugar types (or even more), in order to end up with an OP kombucha being able to fight all pathogens? As a teahead, I love and appreciate your content. So informative!
Cool!! Glad you're likin the content! 😊🌱 Interesting question... I would be curious to compare sugar type 1, type 2, and mixed, to see if the mixed group would equal the sum of the two types, equal slightly less than the sum of the two, or perhaps equal something greater than the sum of the two in a synergistic effect. Will be keeping an eye out for this experiment :) Anyway, thanks for watching and commenting! More vids of the way 🌱🍵🤘
@@wumountaintea That would be an awesome experiment! Very curious about what would be the result, especially since I'm interested in diving into homemade kombucha. :)
I'm always use three sweet, 1. unrefined cane sugar 2. Brown Sugar 3. Honey, with my kombucha. Other than that I use 2 type of tea leaf, green tea and Oolong tea.
Interesting. I was reading a lot of other research articles on SCOPUS about tea, and I was confused by the distinction between black tea and red tea and dark tea in the data sets. The little note at 3:47 made it all click.
Oh nice! Good - yeah I had to read into the methodology of that one to find out what the heck they meant by 'red tea', since red tea can also mean black tea, but then they also had a seperate black tea group... anyway it said Pu'erh right there in the methodology luckily 😂 The tea terms can definitely be confusing sometimes! Feel free to DM or email me if you want my take on other tea questions you may have in the future 🌱 Glad you found the video interesting! Thanks for watching and commenting 🤗🍵
What uf you used half cane sugar half coconut sugar? Get both benefits? Same goes with the yeast? Or would they fight each other and one hinder the other?
Hi, I'm brewing Kombucha for me and my family, but we all want to avoid caffeine. Does brewing Kombucha remove the affeine from Green, Pu er and Black tea? We've been using Red Rooibos Tea without any issues, i think, but I'd really ilke to try a combination of teas. I hope you'll know the answer to this. Thanks!!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Hi Joseph, I went and did some reading about the changes in caffeine concentration during Kombucha fermentation. It seems that caffeine content declines with Kombucha fermentation relative to unfermented tea, however the caffeine concentration may not reduce to zero. In other words, if you are 100% intolerant to caffeine, then Green and Black Tea Kombuchas might not be good options. Alternatively, you could try brewing Kombucha with decaf tea, or just stick with the herbal tea options. Hope this helps. Best, Dylan from Wu
I was told the caffeine is gone once the fermentation process is adequately complete (about 10-14 days). Also, I learned from several health experts that Black tea should be used to make Kombucha because it produces the highest levels of Glucoronic acid during the fermentation process over any other tea, including Green tea and White tea.
Great video, love the meta-analysis. You could probably release your own study of the studies (meta-study). A couple of things: you talked about the "slimy hat" as being the SCOBY. It is not. Now, is it a very easy way to transfer the SCOBY from one batch to the next? Certainly. But it itself is not the SCOBY. It is the "pellicle." And that bacterial cellulose you were to? THAT'S the pellicle. The cellulose that the bacteria are so quickly creating? Yep, that slimy hat IS the cellulose in a continuous form.
The sad truth is most of the kombuchas at the store are terrible. Even if they're using good tea and doing full fermentations and the stuff is still alive by the time it makes it to your fridge, they almost all have TONS of sugar added to them. Luckily there's a place down the street from me that has fresh in house kombucha made from honey and green tea with no sugar added, and it's a very different experience than the store bought stuff. Would definitely recommend trying to find something local or making it yourself, or at least being really careful to pick kombuchas at the store that are low in sugar. Unfortunately, the stores don't like to carry them because the sugary ones sell better, whereas the tangy tart ones don't, for obvious reasons. The reality is that most retail customers are looking for a soda pop that they can pretend is beneficial to their health.
Kombucha that uses honey isn’t kombucha. It’s jun. kombucha is made with sugar. The biggest reason why store bought kombucha is really sugary and less vinegary is that the longer brewed kombuchas(longer the brew the more sugar that’s consumed) have higher alcohol content which can’t be sold as a non alcoholic drink in some countries. Home brewed kombuchas typically have an abv of 1-3. Home brewed is higher in acetic acid and lower in sugar but would be illegal to sell in the US without an alcohol license. Kombucha companies had to rework the recipes a few years ago after it was found that all of the kombucha on the market had an alcohol content that was higher than the legal limit. Thus when the recipes were changed the product became more mild and sweet.
One time I made kombucha with only green tea and raw organic honey that I buy from a farmer locally. It turn out really delicious. Now I have all my scobys made from honey and green tea in a separate glass container, and I have another container from the regular scobys that I make with black tea.
Very interesting!! In researching the video I never came across research on honey kombuchas and I’m not sure why! Sounds delicious and really healthful, especially when you can source it locally and organically. Thanks for sharing! Dylan
Thanks! Great question... In theory the sugar SHOULD be close to zero after the microbes metabolize it all during fermentation... but often times residual sugar remains. Store-bought kombucha will often have some sugar remaining, but if you brewed your own you could monitor and control the sugar content more closely. In general, I agree that too much sugar in the kombucha would make it no longer healthy to drink, so it is an important question. There is another comment here in the thread talking about sugar content that you could take a look at if you have time. Dylan
Brewing time cant be standardized because of varying temperature. Hotter is faster, thats why u fridge it when finished, to slow fermentation. I go by taste & smell. I like SOME store bought but its overly sweet for me. Continuous fermentation is safer than individual batches as it maintains its extreme acidity throughout but the alleged risks of kombucha are drastically overblown bigtime. Food safety fear is how govt & corporations control us & destroy old school knowledge, canning is another great example. I use a 1 gallon jar. I remove & replace half the volume about every 10 days in summer, 2 weeks in winter & I store the active brew over a radiator to speed it up when its colder. I had serious digestive problems after a long antibiotic course(lyme) for 2+ years & doc told me more ABs was my only choice. A friend suggested kombucha for unrelated general health & 4 weeks later a miracle took place! All digestive issues disappeared & havnt returned in 12 yrs. I drink 6-8 ounces/day & use a 50/50 mix of green & stinging nettles tea to increase polyphenol variety & reduce caffeine. I scoff at the naysayers cause i know they r either foolishly ignorant or actively deceitful. Kombucha is health in a bottle. Stop being afraid & just do it
Thank you Robin!! 🙏🌱 I'm still learning how to walk the line of discussing science in an approachable way, so the feedback helps :) Let me know if you have any recommendations for future videos! Best, Dylan
@@wumountaintea I personally didn't. But chatGPT had this idea and I found it brilliant. Title: A World of Tea Traditions: Exploring Tea Pairings and Culture Across the Globe Description: Embark on a tea-infused journey around the world, discovering unique tea traditions and pairing practices from various cultures. In this video, we'll explore the art of tea and food pairings, showcasing how different countries, like Persia, China, India, and Japan, enjoy their tea with specific dishes. Gain a deeper understanding of the role tea plays in different culinary landscapes and learn how to create culturally inspired pairings that will delight your palate and expand your tea horizons. Get ready to be a global tea connoisseur!
@@ChannelCtrlAltDefeat very cool! I tried Chat GPT for script writing, and it wasn't quite good enough, but i really like this use of it - just brainstorming ideas for cool videos :) I think the foodies would go nuts for a tea-food pairings around the world video 😄🙌🌱
I made kombucha for years, a very light, pure tasting champagne-like flavour, using high-quality green tea leaves from Japan, sugar, and a starter culture that conveniently grows on an elderberry tree in my garden. I wonder if elderberry trees might be the original source of kombucha culture.
That sounds fantastic! I would guess that some microbial communities that inhabit elderberries might also be those that can metabolize sweet tea in a kombucha culture. Interesting thought. Thanks for the comment :) Dylan
Sorry, but that's nonsense! I've no Idea what you are making, but it's definitely NOT kombucha, which comes from a scoby or a previous batch of unflavoured kombucha that has been allowed to get vinegary, NOT from any starter culture growing in a tree. What does that even mean?!! 😂😂😂
I've homemade kombucha for years. I used to have such bad seasonal allergies and I was also allergic to dust at our home. I would sneeze multiple times a day, everyday for about 15 years. Since I started making kombucha and fell in love with it, I noticed my allergies disappear. After a few years of drinking kombucha consistently atleast mothly if not weekly, I had a busy period and didn't have the energy to make it. After around 3 months without kombucha my allergies came back! So I decided to start brewing again. Now my allergies are gone again. We also have had a dog for the past 3 years now, (which I thought would be impossible when I was younger.) I know this is just my anecdotal experience, but I thought it might be interesting to someone. Also, everytime I feel like I have a sore throat, I just drink kombucha and I'm okay the next day. It's amazing. And during that break from kombucha, I got a flu after a long break of not having to deal with sicknessess.
There's also a few (I honestly only know of one, I just assume it isn't the only one 🤷♂) other ways besides tea to fuel kombucha. I've been using powdered cacao instead of tea, for almost a year now, for my kombucha and it's interesting. I know cacao also has a lot of antioxidants and after watching this, checked and apparently it has polyphenols, too. I guess it makes sense it would work... It makes the process happen quite fast, though. I have a few bottles right now I've been using for vinegar cause I let it ferment a few too many days >.> Real tangy twang!
Cacao, pomegranate molasses & sour cherries just finished here.. super active & lasting co2 production, I surmise it keeps metabolising cacao in the fridge from a variety of carbs.. I called it a Black Forest booch but it wasn’t sweet really. I’m mixing good green teas with assam black for F1, and just bought an extra fridge for my burgeoning fermented products. Love kimchi, but kombucha seems to have almost instant clinical benefits. Next up, figs blueberries & ginger.. 🤤
Thank you for this video! Started learning how to make my own kombucha from scratch. I have mild psoriasis and read that kombucha may help alleviate the symptoms.
It has not alleviated mine in 12 yrs but maybe for u. I've tried everything on the market but nothing has worked. Dr. Bonners lemon castille soap has reduced the itching to more manageable levels & eliminated open sores 100%. Zinc soap was also mildly helpful but much more expensive. All of the tars, tea tree, medicated, etc did nothing, zero. I can find the Dr. Bonner on sale sometimes & I stock up when I do. Some websites will give you a discount for new subscriber so I'd order 2 dozen bats.
Many people drink it everyday with no problems at all. I would suggest trying to slowly increase your intake to your desired amount, but just listen to your body and if something feels off then drink less. But, daily consumption is typically fine and in fact beneficial for most people. Hope this helps 🤗🌱 Dylan
Nice video about kombucha but I guess kombucha fermented ripe puerh is too new to include. The only two sources I've seen for it were from Mei Leaf and Path of Cha. Mei Leaf in London was the first I am aware of with "Playground Rendezvous". Path of Cha out of Brooklyn NY was next with "Kombu Pu-erh".
Yeah... I read through quite a few articles and I didn't see anything about the Kombucha-inoculated Pu-erh processing style specifically. I will keep my eyes peeled though because I'm also curious about it. Thanks for watching 😊🙏🍵
@amy rorris Thanks for thought but really asking about the opposite. Ripe puerh being made using kombucha instead of spring water. Kombucha being used to make ripe tea. It's a very new process.
@@OldTeaHead Dang, love to try that. Love my pu'erh! I have a camellia japonica I also want to try to make some tea leaves from; maybe I'll try that process!
Considering Kombucha stories begin around 221 BCE, I wouldn't say there are 'no human trials' Anecdotes are still evidence, albeit non-standardized. But, the evidence is standardized in that whatever happened to that person, is what happens to that person. So far, no kombucha deaths. Phew.
true! I just meant a small number of the modern standardized trials, but of course if you include anecdotal evidence the data is overwhelming! otherwise it would not have been passed down for so many generations. Yes, phew to no deaths recorded (pun intended) 🙏🌱🍵😜
Awesome video. More stuff for me to read lolol, I'm still busy with that other paper🤣 Seriously though....lots to think about here. I've been wanting to make my own but I don't drink it that often....mostly because my options aren't very good and I always had a feeling the benefits of store bought kombucha weren't very high.
Thanks Jeanette I'm glad you liked it! 😊🌱🙏 There's ALWAYS more out there to read than what we have time for - it's one of the bitter-sweet truths of life 😭 I'm also still in the learning/experimenting/courage-gaining phase of Kombucha-brewing too 🌱 Thanks for the comment! 🍵🙏, Dylan
Super interesting! I really like the way you laid out the research, it was clear and fairly concise, but also having cited sources is such a huge thing for "health miracles" like Kombucha. I brew my own in a continuous batch with a mix of black and green tea purely for flavor, but I'd be curious if mixing the types provides benefits of both or if the microbial populations just end up different and thus have their own unique properties. It would be interesting to see the comparison between 50/50 during the brew or a mix of separately brewed teas, but obviously this research is just starting to take off. I was also interested in the findings about Mg, Ca, and K being produced, but unfortunately you didn't show (or I didn't catch) a table showing the exact numbers. In my organic gardening research I've come across concepts such as Bokashi, KNF (Korean Natural Farming) and Compost Teas, which sometimes can incorporate LAB with weeds/kitchen scraps/finished composted to break them down into those nutrients as well as Nitrogen and Phosphorous. My indoor garden was low on exactly Mg, Ca, and K and I wonder if I could add some kombucha to the water to pump those numbers a bit, or use it as a starter for Weed/Compost Teas. I really like scientific studies of natural health products such as Kombucha. I feel like the simple fact it's survived the test of time points to it having some benefit, but without any real research these effects get amplified by marketers and hucksters making any one with a skeptical eye dubious, myself included. But so many studies are on this new drug some pharma company invented to make billions instead of putting scientific backing to (or credibly debunking) the natural remedies humans have been using for thousands of years. I don't buy into most of it because there's no evidence to back it up, but then you find out well there's no evidence because there's been basically no research and that really makes you wonder.
Thank you for this comment! You made a lot of great points about time-tested natural remedies, both for humans and for soil. The Mg, Ca, and K levels in kombucha would likely be lower than what you would find in a decent compost, compost tea, or good organic fertilizer, so I would just stick to those for managing soil. The "antimicrobial" or "bad pathogen-fighting" properties of tea leaf polyphenols present in the kombucha may actually create trouble for certain beneficial soil communities. You see this effect quite often in tea field soils that apply tea hedge trimmings as organic amendments; the tea polyphenols can lock up certain biological activity a bit. As far as your 50/50 mix, I would also guess that the combination provides a more unique profile of bioactive compounds in the final kombucha brew than either black or green would in isolation. This would not always be the case. A single high-grade green tea might be better than a combination of two or three low-grade tea types. But, like you said, the research is still young, so we may have to wait and see about this one. Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts! Feel free to reply with follow-up comments/questions. Dylan
Useful links: Complete list of research cited throughout the video (bottom of blog article): wumountaintea.com/2023/02/22/kombucha-tea-the-ultimate-guide-to-its-health-effects/ Great loose-leaf tea for home-brewing Kombucha (Dancong Oolong): wumountaintea.com/product/ducksht-oolong/ Brew your own 'Booch with Fermentaholics SCOBY & GEAR: USDA Certified Organic Kombucha Scoby: tinyurl.com/Organic-Kombucha-Scoby USDA Organic Kombucha Scoby Starter Culture: tinyurl.com/Organic-Starter-Culture Silicone Fermentation Stretch Lids: tinyurl.com/Fermentation-Stretch-Lids Chapter 1 of our MASTERCLASS ON TEA that explores the WORLD of the 6 Major Tea Types and their awesome sub-types: ruclips.net/video/lAYRZeDJ4Pc/видео.html
Every year the local farmers markets bring out their kombucha and I drink three or four over the course of the summer. By the end of the summer I would end up with a systemic yeast infection and I couldn't figure out why. I would take a few doses of fluconazole and the blood infection would clear up. This year, my immune system was much weaker and I got the symptoms of the infection immediately after drinking two bottles two days in a row. I've had to stop drinking kombucha because it literally causes me blood infections. Just thought I would share in the case people may not know where their yeast overgrowth is coming from.
kombucha has changed our families life! My son, at 18 months, had chronic constipation. the doctors brushed it off saying it was normal and wanted to put him on mirlax daily. I couldn't bring myself to do that so after researching, i opted to have try some kombucha. after the 2nd day of him drinking 1/4 cup in his juice once a day he was pooping regularly. It has now been 9 months since then and in that time frame he has been pooping normal, only had a cold once and noticed a behavior change. This stuff is so powerful.
that's incredible!! I've heard from others in the comments here that kombucha also helped them tremendously in passing stool.
That was brave of you to look for a more holistic option than mirlax, but you probably saved him from a number of potential future side effects... very well done 🙏👏
Thank you for sharing!
Dylan
@@wumountaintea I’ve also noticed neither my son or I have any seasonal allergies thus far. When last year I had the worst of everyone, While on the other hand my husband still has his typical allergies. (He doesn’t drink kombucha) Might just be just a coincidence but I wonder if kombucha helps with that.
That's awesome! I also make kombucha and coconut milk yogurt - and have less problem with seasonal allergies than my daughter's family (who live next door!)
Fermented foods can improve greatly your gut biome which improves digestion , circulation , immune system etc etc - it makes your engine far more efficient , modern diets , too many antibiotics, over use of medicines , alcohol etc damage the digestive system which in turns prevents maximum extraction of nutrients in anything you eat . None of this is rocket science , just eat a diet that’s as natural as possible and closer to what humans ate during evolution - modern western diets are terrible .
Woww.... I may try this in my fam😊
Scoby isn’t ugly. I named mine Scoby Dobby Doo. He’s a Fun Guy. Get it ? Fungi? I’ll see myself out.
Probably found way too much humor in this 😂
😀😄😁
Oh poop, I thought I was being original doing the same! Great minds think alike and I think you’re hilarious, obviously. 😂
Bacteria, not fungi. Non the less, Kombucha is bacteria poop. So, I have been calling my Scobie, Scooby and Kombucha, Scooby Doo since my introduction to it this past Spring by my sister. Ginger and black cherry are my favs, still looking for more. I have a feeling I'll like this next batch that'll be of apple.
Lol
Awesome analysis! I’m a small commercial brewer in CT and many of my customers said drinking local small batch kombucha is so much better than the store bought. Several customers shared that drinking our local kombucha has really helped heal their gut issues. It’s a tremendous testimonial for locally made and smaller regional brands. I really think kombucha made by local small producers is better. Well done and thank you!
Small producers tend to focus WAY more on quality. One main point that I tried to emphasize in the video is that changes in quality components of the ingredients of Kombucha have a massive impact on its final bioactivity and ultimate effects on health. So a well-made high-quality kombucha can truly have medicinal properties, while another product by the same name but different production standards might have little to no effect. What’s the name of your brewery in case I or others here wanna try out your booch??
Dylan
I wish you had mentioned the length of fermentation as it relates to the amount of sugar left in kombucha. I feel that commercial kombucha is way too sweet and therefore negates any benefits you may derive from drinking kombucha. Thoughts?
There are so many recipes of how long the first ferment should be. I was taught 6 weeks but I've seen less than 2 weeks. Any evidence of the health benefits based on how long you ferment? I have 6 gallons going at one time spaced 1 week apart then 2nd ferment one gallon at a time.
As a home brewer, I sometimes try store bought Kombuchas as a comparison. The latter are awful, no matter their supposed quality claims. I gave a friend one of the commercials as a trial compared to my home, and he had to spit it out.
where are you in CT? where do you seel your products? I'm in Willimantic and my husband loves kombucha. I'm curious about buying!
It's a shame the study looking into the benefits of different sugar sources didn't also include honey.
I completely agree!! That seems like an obvious candidate for a healthy and flavorful kombucha...
I'll keep my eyes peeled for future research on honey-brewed kombucha and report on it when I get some details.
Best,
Dylan
@@wumountaintea Cane sugar produces the best Kombucha. Black tea fermented with honey produces a fermented drink called Jun.
@@jeanninegodwin2285 I see. Maybe this is why I didn't say any literature about honey-fermented kombucha - it's technically a different beverage...
One of the reasons honey was not used is it is more highly variable than either cane or coconut sugars. Additionally, these two sugars are relatively similar chemical, which makes for less variables in a complex micro and molecule biological systems.
Honey is a natural antibacterial so won’t work with a normal scobi and will kill it and also it’s traditional used with green tea and is the champagne of kombucha and it ferments a lot faster than your normal kombucha DO SOME READING
i used to be sick from chemo for a week after i did it(every 2 weeks) . once i started drinking kombucha i was sick for one day maybe. my experience with the fermented at home drink the gooey stuff . that was 15 years ago
that's incredible! I haven't heard a story about chemo symptom relief yet, so that's really interesting.
@ "that was 15 years ago" 👏👏👏👏 💪💪💪
Mild IBS sufferer here. Over the years I became vegan, bumped up my fiber, bumped up my water, and began to eat kimchi, sauerkraut, and sourdough bread. The only thing that has significantly lessened my symptoms is kombucha. This is why I watched your video, because I wanted to figure out why. For context, my dysbiosis makes sense, since I was born from a C-section, and when I was a child my mom used to treat every illness I had with antibiotics. I’m surprised by IBS isn’t worse. Hopefully these things I’m doing now are restoring my gut flora.
that's great that Kombucha has been able to help!! Did the video help answer your questions about how kombucha is interacting with gut health?
@@wumountaintea yeah, I think in my case is probably a dose thing, it’s easier to get more servings of the probiotics I need with some kombucha, it probably puts me over the hump (I also added some vegan yogurt to my breakfast). I get the Simple Truth kombucha, which has helped me, but I heard that it may not be natural, and that they may add the probiotic after they killed the natural ones, since the strain is basillus coagulans. Is that the case?
@@hugomarquez3189 you need to take akkermansia and kimchi
you should also take a "broad spectrum" probiotic
take them with a low carb high fiber diet for 3 months. your problems will be completely gone.
Have you tried fasting to address your IBS? It made a world of difference for me. I just practice a 12 hour fast everyday bc it manageable. I started with a greater period of fasting but found the 12 hours was best for long term practice. I make komboucha and yogurt at home for years now and the fasting had the greatest impact.
@@juchinchou IF is the first thing I ever did when I started to change my diet, before I went vegan and before I started eating fermented foods, and it does work for me to an extent. So I do about 15 hours every day, there are days I do 18 or 20. Fasting and being vegan helped me for about a year, year and a half, and then I had a flare up that stayed, so both on their own don’t help any more. What I do now is IF, vegan, fermented foods AND psyllium husk. Psyllium husk has made the most difference, and I’ve been doing it for a few months. No more gas and bloating at night. I still go many times in the morning, between 3 and 5, but all the stools are well formed. I go less if I don’t eat in the morning. With all the fiber and fermented foods I eat, I obviously have more to pass, but I do it a lot easier now, and nothing remains after I’m done.
This video was quite informative and well researched. The fact that you took the time to document all your research and compile it into one easy to listen and understand video is incredible. Thank you for using correctly applied research and scientific method data to compile this while also pointing out the limitations, variations, and misconceptions of said data. Well done!
I have been using black tea for 3 years and decided I would try green tea also, so I am combining the two. I use cane sugar but am going to combine cane and coconut sugars too. Thank you so much for this video! I haven't found much clinical data until now. ❤ I knew kombucha was good for you but couldn't back it up. Many, many thanks!
Oh you’re welcome! Thank you for watching and commenting :)
I like your idea of combining sugar types! A combined black/green tea coconut/cane booch? You’re quite the chemist, I like it! And I’m curious to hear how it turns out 😛🌱)
It really is an interesting field because the beverage itself is complex, and our ways of studying it’s health effects are equally complex. There’s more and more data coming out all the time, so I’ll try to keep on top of it to keep ya in the loop !🤗🌱
Thanks again for the kind comment,
Dylan from Wu
I want to know how it went
i use green tea all the time, and instead of sugar i use honey. its sooo good:)
@@tl102 I do the same. I find my Jun is much fizzier than the kombucha.
All sugar sources are the same, empty calories, replace with artificial sweeteners to make it millions times healthier or just drink unsweetened tea.
Hey just wanted to thank you for your very informative videos! I used to live very unhealthy only eating packaged ramen and pizza and only drinking monster energy instead of water (I think I was close to overdosing on caffeine a couple of times) and for the last few years I've decided to live a healthier life. Channels like yours really help me to get a better understanding of how the food I eat influences everything in life basically.
i have never had store bought kombucha. i bought a starter kit, and made my first tea then fermented it. i immediately went and bought more starter kits. i brew and consume (with my wife) 4 gallons a week. i use lipton yellow tea to keep it standardized. i ferment red grape juice and some pineapple. i do not consume store bought alcohol and stopped drinking soda drinks. my gut flora has improved vastly. the only downside to brewing is an occasional bottle explosion, has only happened 6 times in over a year, but when it does, wow. i use glass jugs for the 1 st stage so they are kept properly ventilated out of sunlight, and amber reusable bottles for the 2nd stage fermentation. since regularly consuming home brewed kombucha i have not had as much as a cold, flu that lasted more than 24 hrs. regular proper stools, and noticed my skin has better color. i read how FDA cautions people brewing their own, i just ordered more brewing jars and fermentation bottles, because my friends and neighbors drink too much of my stash. i try to push store bought drinks and alcohol and as much as i appreciate to compliments, i prefer the kombucha, once you brew it right, you will enjoy the health benefits and the alcohol content. sometimes gets up to 26% according to my meter. Has anyone else notice pd a trend, whatever the FDA says to do… DO THE OPPOSITE and you will live a lot longer, or live a more quality life, i have motorcycles that try to kill me every time i ride them, well could be my driving or both. at least enjoy the quality of your health with the amount of life you have left.
Right on brother re the FDA. Food fear porn is their default mode. Canning fear is another example yet CAFO farming is promoted by their industry corrupted policies. There are supposed doctors on this thread denouncing kombucha as unsafe. It has saved me from several health problems I had stemming from the standard western toxic diet which I am pleased to say I've departed from some years ago. Kombucha = health. Try making some Jun, the health effects of honey are a massive bonus
Yes, and don’t get vaccinated with that toxic covid bullshit. The WHO and the FDA are trying to kill everyone
23%? How long of a ferment?
I can only suggest using an airlock with the special lid to prevent explosions
@@paulofrostIt wont be that high, experienced home brewers struggle to get to higher than 20% (15% is good). It is possible but not easy and requires a special yeast to achieve.
Minor tech correction: the mineral content does not change. The minerals are not "created" but become more readily bioavailable as a result of being "released" during the fermentation process.
The vitamins in contrast are created from scratch.
Yes! Thank you for that.
I caught some flak in another comment for that and tried to explain that what I meant to communicate was the concept of increased mineral bioavailability through microbial mineralization processes, which is of course is not the same as "minerals being made from scratch" which was my quote in the video. Vitamins, on the other hand, are formed through microbial biosynthesis, like you said.
Still trying to hone the craft of informal scientific communication. You want to be technically accurate while not using too much jargon, which can be difficult.
Anyway, thank you for the correction and clarification
Dylan
@@wumountaintea BTW, I'm in Shenzhen. 😜
@@wumountaintea I buy bottled water to drink because the tap water smells like chlorine. I know that bottled water is depleted from minerals. Should I buy mineral water or some other kind of water to make kombucha?
@@alphacentauri1757 boiling the water, or filtering it through a simple carbon filter (Brita?) Takes the chlorine out.
@@evasmith9970 it also takes the minerals out.
As a homebrewer I found a 2 to 1 ratio of black to green to be ideal. Whole leaf. And equally displace that ratio with puerh tea in whatever quantity you can afford.
I had diverticulitis, two surgeries. Kombucha is the only thing i can count on to help maintain my digestive track 100%. Helped me stop drinking alcohol because it has similar properties. Fermented and carbonated.
That's awesome!!! I'm actually trying to cut out alcohol about 100% from my life right now, so that's a really good idea to have some cold kombucha suds laying around for when I feel like reaching for a beer. Thanks for sharing Rob
Dylan
Yogurt and Kefir are also effective natural remedies for digestive issues.
@@kellikelli4413 depends on the yogurt. Most yogurt in grocery stores has a lot, I mean a lot, of sugar and sugar is one of the worst things we eat.
@@ChopperChad You can make your own. It's a simple process.
@@ChopperChad
There's plenty of PLAIN yogurt in the stores (you can even add your own raw honey) which is actually good for our bodies... Kombucha is sweet in my opinion.
Danke!
Another great video!
I make my own kombucha, often using my own home grown tea. If i need a new Scoby, i get some local live strain kombucha, and use ~ 1/3 cup (if there isn't a visible scoby)
I let it ferment longer if i need vinegar.
I also make L-reuteri yogurt using tinned coconut milk, sugar and green banana 'flour' for the prebiotic (1 Tbsp of each to a can of coconut milk)
Thanks!
I love black tea!~ Love raw turbino, cane sugar! And I love to ferment at least 10 days! My husband's gut issues have improved significantly! Truly worth the time and effort to make Kombucha. I am still shocked how many people have no idea what it is!
Thanks for all the science geeky stuff! I love it!
Do you have a recepy I could follow? Or a video to one. I have a lactose issue and slight IBS and would love to get into making Kombucha.
Do you have a recipe I could follow? Or a video to one. I have a lactose issue and slight IBS and would love to get into making Kombucha.
Once again you drop another incredible video on us! Thank you for taking the time to research this topic in depth and deliver us another wildly informational video. Keep up the good work, Dylan!
You the man Ryan! Thanks for watching and commenting as always 🌱🍵🤘 More vids on the way
This is great! Thank you. Has anyone tried using cane and coconut sugar together?
Hi, this was sooo well researched and excellent presentation. Well Done!!!
Great information for this newbie…my first taste was yesterday and I loved it…so ready to make my own I see no negative effects ..so on with research thank you so much for your time energy and knowledge about this powerhouse food…stay blessed
Have been fermenting Kombucha for over two years now. I use a combination of green and black tea and cane sugar. Have had good flavourful ferments. I have had excellent results in second ferment with hibiscus(sorrel)tea. Best ginger beer with the addition of fresh ginger.
Thank you for the educational presentation.
Wowwwwww ginger beer with the fresh ginger 😍😋 sounds incredible.
Where can I find that recipe?!
Best,
Dylan from Wu
@Wu Mountain Tea I just grate a 2inch piece of fresh ginger extract the juice add a spoon full of sugar, stir till dissolved before adding to brewed Kombucha as for 2nd fermentation.
@@JaM-si6nb oooo you add it in for the second fermentation! I see. K I'm gonna try that :)
100% organic grape juice for 2nd ferment, yum!
I add ginger to some second fermentations, my daughter has just made a delicious batches with litchis, berries or mango.
Köszönjük!
Your analysis of the subject matter kombucha was more thorough than any other I’ve seen, thank you! I’m a registered dietitian-nutritionist and have been making kombucha for 10+ years using various types of sugar, honey being my favorite source. My recent concern has been “is kombucha contributing to yeast infections related to its sugar content.” Although I didn’t see this specifically addressed, it appears that the variety of ways that kombucha is beneficial outweighs the possible detriment of sugar consumption. This being said, it is understandable that different fermentation times will result in higher or lower sugar content.
I think there’s much more to learn. I started drinking Kombucha and within three months I had exceeded my body’s ability to break down the histamine content, and developed serious histamine intolerance that I am still dealing with nine years later. I’m sure there were other factors at play, too, but this is still something that is going to impact a percentage of people who start drinking Kombucha, and no one talks about it.
Focusing on gut health was not the wrong choice. The digestive system is the beginning of all health.
well said! heal the gut heal the body 👌🌱
So, what's best tea for fermenting? Matcha?
For over 5 years I’ve been making my own, thanks to a amazing scobis given to me by a local master bucha maker. I use only organic black tea (Newman’s Own) and organic sugar; 2nd bottle with fresh/frozen organic organic fruits & herbs. Folks love & prefer it to purchased. I don’t make it for others, but pay it forward by giving away healthy scobis & coaching. It’s just fun. Thanks for this video on the science of this amazing drink that anyone can make.
Can you share scoby with me
Great job putting all this info together!
I have known about and have been drinking kombucha tea for about a year. Since I really enjoy drinking it, I decided to learn about it and the benefits. Thanks for this good information and for making it understandable.
You're welcome Calli! I'm glad you enjoyed the video and took away some useful info 🤗🌱
Thank you for watching and commenting 🙏🌱🍵
- Dylan from Wu
Thanks for watching
Thank you so much for the wealth of information shared. Do you have a standardized recipe when making kombucha?
Wonderful video with evidence based information. Am a home brewer of kombucha. Shall now be more selective in the tea leaves that I use.
Great! That makes me happy to hear 🤗🌱
Thanks for watching and commenting 🙏🍵
Wishing you many flavorful Boocha brews to come 🌱🤌
Dylan
My first SCOBY & batch of kombucha was made from a drizzle of store bought and I now have a hotel. So...is it safe to conclude, even though I used the store bought to seed, that I can still get a much better kombucha batch by using a high grade leaf? Thank you also for all the great info. Was so interesting. 🌺
Somewhat of an issue is that not all kombucha is created equal. The sugar is supposed to ferment out, which means it is meant for the culture to consume and not you. If you don't let your kombucha brew long enough, you will be getting more sugar. Good kombucha usually takes quite a few weeks and most folks are not patient enough to wait that long if doing home brews. Most companies add sugar after the brewing process because they feel people wont like the vinegary taste that can be acidic and overpowering, which would not make their sales go up.
That's an excellent point. In fact, the thing I worry most about with Kombucha is the sugar content, particularly in store-bought kombucha, for the reasons you mentioned. This is a point I should have emphasized more in the video I think. Controlling sugar content is another very important reason to brew your own kombucha.
Thanks for the comment
Dylan
Continuous brewing shortens batch maturity dramatically. I'm about 10 days in summer on the porch. 2 weeks + in winter above a radiator. I'm keto & insulin dep diabetic so I can track sugar content & correlate it to flavor. I've come to like it strong, I 2nd brew for my wife with org grape juice
Wow. A very comprehensive and research-backed discussion on kombucha. Waiting for my SCOBY to arrive. I'll be fermenting my kombucha soon. Thanks for this lecture.
I had to watch the video twice. The first time I was distracted by your tea setup, and I was like "This doesn't add up, unless ... Is he doublefisting his tea? Naah ...?" Until about halfway in you confirmed that you were, in fact, doing that.
Seriously great content though! I learned a ton of new information, which is very much par for course with your content.
Yep - Don't mind me DOUBLE FISTING lol 😂👊🍵🤘
Cool, man! Glad you liked it, and thanks for watching and commenting 💚
I realize it's a slightly different avenue than pure tea-based content, but I felt it was close enough to still be true to the heart of the channel.
More videos on the way!
- Dylan 🌱
Yup
Im curious what the optimal time of fermentation is. Sometimes o left it go well past 14 days to around 28 and the brew tastes a lot stronger. Is this better? Also i live in NZ where the days can be cooler so felt it maybe needed longer to ferment?
Yes, more beneficial bacteria.
You need to (somewhat) bring under control the temperature and brew time, then you can tweak to get what seems the best outcomes. Otherwise, there can be no such thing as optimal.
cooler temperatures typically require longer fermentation time, and 28 days is not necessarily better than 14. The general rule is that once the sugar is gone then you're done. Take sample sips and once you taste the sweetness (like the sugary sweetness, not the sweetness from tea) plateau at zero sweetness then you're good. if you found a test kit online for testing sugar concentration that would help you find the actual "optimum."
Good luck!
Dylan
I will add one more comment.
28 days brewing time is too long. It means the brewing temperatures are low. The extended time may allow the sugar to be consumed, but the vitality of the elixir will be subpar.
There is no point asking for an optimal time. Rather, incrementally increase the brewing temperature and reduce the brewing time accordingly, and continue to refine over time.
It took me 5 years to have a brew that knocks the socks off the best commercial products. This is a living product and you need to develop finesse and think less along the lines of a recipe. (25 years of home brewing experience).
Fascinating stuff! Lovely delivery as well. Thank you!
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!! I appreciate the comment 🤗🌱🍵
Wow! What an incredibly great presentation!
Definitely worth clarifying “herbal tea” beyond merely “not from camelia sinensis”. Tea made from dried coffee cherry (aka “cascara”), for example, would by this definition be “herbal”, but it is also very high in antioxidants.
Hi DL,
After reading your comment, I looked into some studies about Cascara tea - it seems like an interesting tea that I am curious to try someday.
I found a couple of studies measuring the antioxidant capacity of Cascara tea. I did not read every one, but rather chose one that was recent and published in a very reputable journal. The study found an antioxidant capacity of 11.27% for a Cascara tea infusion of 8 minutes at 70 Celcius, and 8.94% for an infusion of 90 Celsius (the antioxidant power decreased with increasing infusion time, which surprised me). For Camellia sinensis, the antioxidant capacity ranges from 27.24% for the most antioxidant-poor cultivars to 49.98% for relatively antioxidant-rich cultivars. Comparing these two studies, which both used the DPPH antioxidant assay methodology, the antioxidant power of Cascara tea was within the range of most other herbal teas, including the Roiboos Tea that I referenced in the video.
Agreeing with what you said, it is fair to say that Cascara tea is high in antioxidants, and almost certainly a healthy thing to incorporate into the diet. At the same time, the research I reviewed suggests that Camellia sinensis leaves produce a considerably more powerful antioxidant beverage.
I would encourage you, if you so please, to check out some of the Cascara tea research articles that I did not get to, and see if you find any studies that found Cascara tea antioxidant power to be within the range of Camellia sinensis, and please share them with me if you do!
Thank you for the comment,
- Dylan
Cascara Tea Antioxidant Study: reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S2772753X23000035?token=BABCB40B4CD517933E0E3AB1E807BDF79151A9D74F3BD68B07D53CD29189FB41A17FCAE2F19324ED3ADB5458910D708C&originRegion=us-east-1&originCreation=20230315185612
Camellia sinensis Tea Antioxidant Study: www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/2/249
@@wumountaintea thanks for the response and the research leads! I’d be interested to know more about the specific coffee varietal of the cascara they tested, as that is also a factor to consider (same as for tea itself, I guess!).
Really enjoyed this video in its own right, but also for being a rarity in the kombucha world of being so strongly driven by actual research.
@@dl4608 Sure! Thanks for the comment :)
I went back to the article and looked for the specific coffee varietal of the cascara that they tested, but they did not include this detail in the study. I do think that you're right about the effect of varietal on antioxidant capacity. At least in Camellia sinensis tea, you can see 2X or more variation in antioxidant power due to varietal alone (that was the result of the study I linked in my last comment), then if you add in different growing conditions and processing styles, the variations in antioxidant activity across tea samples can be up to 10X, which was the finding of a study I referenced in the video @23:16 (citation #70 in the Works Cited).
Anyway, thanks again for watching and being curious about the science! 🤓🙏🌱🍵
Best,
-Dylan
It’s helping me with joint pain. I originally took this for better gut health but my knees don’t hurt as bad as they used to. I’ve been drinking 1 bottle a day no more than 16oz for two weeks now. I poop regularly now too. I don’t drink nothing but this stuff and water. I’m also sticking to my diet.
Great breakdown of the science. FYI this video was one of the first to pop up when I searched kombucha in google!
Sweet! Thanks Google!! 😂😁
Glad you liked the video :) Are you a big kombucha drinker yourself or just thinking about getting into it?
Best,
Dylan from Wu
@@wumountaintea Been brewing my own for a few months! Best of luck with the channel. You're very informative!
THANK YOU FOR BEING SO VERY EDUCATIONAL!!!!!!!!!
Many thanks for the valuable information you've provided.
You're welcome!
Thanks for watching and commenting 🤗🌱🍵🙏
Dylan
Great video! I am a newbie brewer. Thanks for all the information on Kombucha. 😊
Kombucha fermentation works great with honey, too - and yes it's called Jun then - but you got to slowly train your scoby to be able to survive the antimicrobial properties of honey, So very slowly, brew by brew you can give it a bit more honey each time. Also, only mix the honey in when the tea has cooled down to at least 40 Celsius (slightly higher than body temperature - just stick a clean finger in to test).
And defintely: make your own! It's so easy and much cheaper.
Great tip about training the SCOBY on honey over time! That makes a lot of sense 🌱🍵
Don't the bacteria and yeasts in kombucha fight the microbes in the honey?
I switched to wild honey without any issues. Flavor changed a bit over time but no transition required for me. Never thought about antibacterial nature of honey on the mother but I also do continuous brewing, that may have helped the batch resilience
Thanks love you gave me a quick overview for my assignments
Love these literature driven videos! Keep up the good work 😀
How long can you leave it out in room temperature and what tea do you use.
I've had a great improvement in my dystonia since I started drinking kombucha. It's the only chance I made in my diet.
That's fantastic!! Quite a few people here in the comments have also shared stories about how Kombucha was able to reverse their ailments... For me, it's one thing to read the research, but another thing entirely to hear first hand from the individuals that really experienced these effects... very cool stuff.
Thank you for sharing!
Dylan
Well done meta-analysis my friend. Thank you.
Glad to see some of my intended questions have already been asked & addressed..(smart folks from the general popuplation- kinda refreshing) lol
I've used slightly diluted honey sometimes in the F2 & only use minimal process cane sugar in the F1. Honey DOES have a neat adjustment to the F2s flavor and just a hunch that honey's properties does affect the culture, and thusly the flavor in the end product. seems to take longer to get fully ripe, has a few flavor-points difference, & also seems to last longer in the fridge; like development is slowed a bit.
hm, yeah I could see the microbes not being able to consume and metabolize the honey as rapidly as something like a cane sugar.
Hmm I make kombucha and Jun tea, and the Jun tea always matures almost twice as fast as the kombucha, it also requires a lower operating temperature though, by around 2-3 degrees Celsius.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for this thorough investigation on kombucha!!!
Good stuff. An interesting topic. There’s so much that the general public is in the dark about when it comes to popular foods and their health effects.
Also, those microbe selfies are some nasty work.
the microbe selfies are somethin else!!
Thanks for watchin cuz 💚🌱🍵
New subscriber here! This was such an informative and well orchestrated video. Thank you for making such a clear picture of all the evidence--I'm a scientist so that's the kind of information I like to see. I love making kombucha, JUN, and all types of lactic-acid ferments.
Great video! Been making my own kombucha for the last 5 years. Started drinking kombucha for acid reflux and have relatively no more gut problems unless I don't drink any for a couple of days.
That's awesome!!! I've heard that story from several people now in this comment thread... pretty incredible 😃🙏
Thanks for sharing,
Dylan from Wu
Do you have a recipe I could follow? Or a video to one. I have a lactose issue and slight IBS and would love to get into making Kombucha.
@@aaronspurlin4469 Probably better to get a recipe from Google or find a serious YTer who making kombacha and use their recipe.
My recipe is pretty basic. First ferment: in a 4 gallon glass crock make very strong tea (6-8 tea bags or equivalent loose tea in 4 cups of water), dissolve 4 cups of sugar in 4 cups of boiling water add the both to the crock then add your favorite fruit. Doesn't have to be fresh just don't use if its gone moldy. Fill the remaining space with filtered water (no chlorine from city water) to about 1-3 inches from the top. Add your starter, either powder or kombacha from the store and give everthing a good stir. I 've used kombacha from the store , it just has to be the kombacha from the cooler not the stuff that's pasturized. Put the crock in a cool dry space like a closet and leave it for a couple of weeks. I find it really doesn't make any difference if you stir it or not, but stir away if it make you happy you can't really hurt anything. You will end up with a slightly sweet tea with a white layer on top which is scooby which is comprised of the and Acidopholis bacteria. You can drink this, but it is much better to do a second ferement.
Second ferment. You will need about 14-16 old fashioned glass flip top bottles. You can buy them online or specialty kitchen stores or IKEA used to have them. Make sure the bottles are clean before you start - just run them through the dishwasher.
Its during the second ferment you can go crazy with adding fruit (or sirops) if you want. Just pick fruit that will compliment the type of tea you used. I use both black tea and green teas. For the black teas I use darker fruits and lighter fruit for the green tea. I also really like ginger and tumeric in my kombacha (tumeric has a very strong taste, but I find it quite mellow in kombacha as it gives it more body). You will also need a very high sugar fruit because you are fermenting it again (you can add more sugar, but I just use fruit). Pineapple works well as does mango, but go easy on the mango as it can make you kombacha very explosive.
Cut everything into very long slivers that will easily fit into you bottles. Remember you want this to come out easily when you drink it. I put 2-3 x 2" x 1/16-1/8" slivers of ginger, tumeric and pineapple into the bottle. I usually also add the same size slice of orange peal as this gives it a little extra kick. Add your kombacha to the bottles, I use a ladle and a funnel. Stir the kombacha before filling every bottle as I find this gives the best results and take from the bottom of the crock. You probably will make a mess the first couple of times, but your having fun - right..
Close the bottles and put in a dry dark space for a week. You should check you bouch after a week. Be very careful when you open the first bottle and do it in the sink. If everything goes right it should be nice and fizzy. However, for whatever reason, sometimes you get VERY FIZZY bouch and I've painted my kitchen on more than one occasion. Okay, that is not fun! If it is very fizzy you will have to "burp" the bottles numerous times to release the CO2 pressure. Don't worry it will still be fizzy when you want to drink it.
Taste: homemade bouch is usually more vinegary than the stuff from the store, but after I made a couple of batches I find I would much rather have my homemade stuff than anything from the store! Good luck if you try making some.
Thank you so much for the deep dive, I’m glad your video popped up in my feed 😊🙏💯
Could you possibly use both sugars in 1 brew? And I would love to find a tutorial on creating a scoby from scratch, Not creating a scoby from store bought kombucha, but from scratch! Do you know how to make one?
Hi Stephanie,
You could absolutely combine sugar types in one brew - that's an interesting idea that could possibly nurture more SCOBY than just one sugar type.
I've never made a SCOBY from scratch, but I also wondered about how that might be done. One option might be to choose several individual strains of bacteria and yeast (maybe selected from screenshots in this video when I showed common SCOBY strains) then see if you can buy those strains from a lab near you, then introduce them directly into the sweet tea, or grow them on a petri dish first. Interesting idea... I may have to try this.
Thanks for your curiosity!
Best,
Dylan from Wu
@@wumountaintea There is a comment here (4th comment down) from someone in Thailand who states that in Thailand they make their own scoby from pineapple or from other sour fruit - she gives instructions on how to make the scoby for Kombucha.
The quality of your research, graphics and presentations, and comments in your presentations is EXCELLENT. Thank you.
Hi, I’m new to your channel and just subscribed. Thanks for a great presentation. Being a visual learner, I really enjoyed your graphics, which are far more artistic and creative than most other You Tubers I have watched!
My question is: Do you know how much sugar or sweetener is consumed by the microbes in the finished, homemade product and how much is left behind?
Looking recently at commercial brands, I was astonished at how high the carb and sugar counts are. They did all have fruit juice as a base and it looked like green tea was just an additive, or perhaps it is the other way around. Anyway, I am inspired to make my own but am wondering how to ensure that the carb/sugar content is as close to zero as possible. Thanks!
Hi Florence, thank you for the comment and welcome to the channel!! I'm glad the graphics were helpful in teaching the information👌😊
It's a great question about the residual sugar content. In theory, there is a bit of a balancing act here; the sugar is keeping the microbes alive, so when the sugar content hits zero then you may see some beneficial probiotic communities beginning to die off. The ideal point would be to bring the sugar down as close to zero as possible without letting the brew sit with zero sugar for too long. For store-bought kombucha, this poses a problem because you have to factor in transport time. Also, home-brewing this is not an easy task because most people don't instrumentation in their homes to measure sugar concentrations. Also, the time is takes for a SCOBY to dissolve exactly 10 grams of sugar might vary from one brew to the next due to small variations in SCOBY and/or tea composition.
For all of these reasons, zero sugar kombucha is truly a bit difficult. I do feel your pain though, because I really try to keep my sugar intake as close to literally zero as possible and I look at these store-bought kombucha bottles and I'm like yikes 15g of refined sugar in this thing...
I think the only way to do it would be to brew at home, stick to one recipe (so you get a feel for the approximate time until complete sugar consumption by SCOBY for that specific recipe), and then just play the fermentation time more on the zero sugar side than the probiotic preservation side... if that makes sense.
Anyway, thanks for the comment and welcome again to the channel! 🌱🍵🤗 (also feel free to comment back with other questions or thoughts on this zero sugar kombucha topic, and share anything else you learn with me! I'm in the same boat as you trying to figure out how to enjoy kombucha with as little sugar as possible.
Best,
Dylan
Hi Florence - I've been brewing my own for 14 years. I find that the longer you let the kombucha ferment, the less sweet it will be (I usually do a taste test after 8 days). My scoby is currently over a year old and about 2" thick so it tends to use the sugar faster. Temperature is another thing that will affect how long it takes to ferment. I will likely clean out my container and trim the scoby in a couple more months. With a smaller scoby, the ferment will take longer. Don't be afraid to experiment! Good luck.
@@wumountaintea Thank you so much for your detailed reply - it helps a lot!
Another question occurs to me. I culture lots of specific microbes in dairy, using different prebiotics, depending on the microbes’ tastes😊. Is it possible that the kombucha scoby would be happy devouring inulin or acacia or some other less glucose/sucrose intense prebiotic? There are lots of different prebiotics to choose from. I realize this would vary from the traditional recipe and perhaps would alter the taste in an unpleasant way or even be risky in some way. Just wondering…Thanks again!
@@i11am Thanks so much for your kindly reply! This is tricky, balancing the benefits of kombucha with the negatives. Because of health issues, we are just really careful with carbs and sugars, keeping them as low as possible. I am currently culturing lots of specific probiotics in dairy and am about to start on fermenting vegetables. I am hoping to find a safe drink that would work too and kombucha is so refreshing!
I really appreciate your answering my question and helpful suggestions! Thanks again😊
@@MsSweetlandofliberty You're welcome! I am low carb too. I've fermented veggies in the past, but now eat them only occasionally. I make coconut yogurt as I don't tolerate too much dairy. Look into coconut water kefir - it uses only coconut water and kefir grains (different ones from the dairy kefir) and no sugar. It doesn't taste sweet at all and is easy to make. Also doesn't take as long as kombucha to ferment.
Great video! I was looking for a comprehensive guide to the current research around Kombucha, and you nailed it!
I wonder... would it be possible to use both sugar types (or even more), in order to end up with an OP kombucha being able to fight all pathogens?
As a teahead, I love and appreciate your content. So informative!
Cool!! Glad you're likin the content! 😊🌱
Interesting question... I would be curious to compare sugar type 1, type 2, and mixed, to see if the mixed group would equal the sum of the two types, equal slightly less than the sum of the two, or perhaps equal something greater than the sum of the two in a synergistic effect.
Will be keeping an eye out for this experiment :)
Anyway, thanks for watching and commenting! More vids of the way 🌱🍵🤘
@@wumountaintea That would be an awesome experiment! Very curious about what would be the result, especially since I'm interested in diving into homemade kombucha. :)
I'm always use three sweet, 1. unrefined cane sugar 2. Brown Sugar 3. Honey, with my kombucha. Other than that I use 2 type of tea leaf, green tea and Oolong tea.
@@b.c.8395Agreed, if like to see the difference between 'raw' sugar, with its higher molasses content, and refined white sugar.
@@b.c.8395 Ooooooo I'm a kombucha brewer AND bee keeper and I'd wondered if honey would work.
Excellent video, thank you.
Interesting. I was reading a lot of other research articles on SCOPUS about tea, and I was confused by the distinction between black tea and red tea and dark tea in the data sets. The little note at 3:47 made it all click.
Oh nice! Good - yeah I had to read into the methodology of that one to find out what the heck they meant by 'red tea', since red tea can also mean black tea, but then they also had a seperate black tea group... anyway it said Pu'erh right there in the methodology luckily 😂 The tea terms can definitely be confusing sometimes! Feel free to DM or email me if you want my take on other tea questions you may have in the future 🌱
Glad you found the video interesting! Thanks for watching and commenting 🤗🍵
What uf you used half cane sugar half coconut sugar? Get both benefits? Same goes with the yeast? Or would they fight each other and one hinder the other?
Hi, I'm brewing Kombucha for me and my family, but we all want to avoid caffeine. Does brewing Kombucha remove the affeine from Green, Pu er and Black tea? We've been using Red Rooibos Tea without any issues, i think, but I'd really ilke to try a combination of teas. I hope you'll know the answer to this. Thanks!!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Hi Joseph,
I went and did some reading about the changes in caffeine concentration during Kombucha fermentation. It seems that caffeine content declines with Kombucha fermentation relative to unfermented tea, however the caffeine concentration may not reduce to zero. In other words, if you are 100% intolerant to caffeine, then Green and Black Tea Kombuchas might not be good options. Alternatively, you could try brewing Kombucha with decaf tea, or just stick with the herbal tea options. Hope this helps.
Best,
Dylan from Wu
@@wumountaintea Thank you so much!!!! You're awesome!!!! 👍👍🙏🏻🙏🏻🤙🤙
@@josephcrouch8732 happy to help! 🤗🌱🍵
Roobios is not actual tea. It is a Bush. .
I was told the caffeine is gone once the fermentation process is adequately complete (about 10-14 days). Also, I learned from several health experts that Black tea should be used to make Kombucha because it produces the highest levels of Glucoronic acid during the fermentation process over any other tea, including Green tea and White tea.
Impressive presentation. I hope to find your recommendations on choices to make in home brewing for a new-be.
Great video, love the meta-analysis. You could probably release your own study of the studies (meta-study).
A couple of things: you talked about the "slimy hat" as being the SCOBY. It is not. Now, is it a very easy way to transfer the SCOBY from one batch to the next? Certainly. But it itself is not the SCOBY. It is the "pellicle." And that bacterial cellulose you were to? THAT'S the pellicle. The cellulose that the bacteria are so quickly creating? Yep, that slimy hat IS the cellulose in a continuous form.
Gotcha. Thank you for the clarification!
Cqn you mix sugar and tea types?
Absolutely! Give it a try!!
The sad truth is most of the kombuchas at the store are terrible. Even if they're using good tea and doing full fermentations and the stuff is still alive by the time it makes it to your fridge, they almost all have TONS of sugar added to them. Luckily there's a place down the street from me that has fresh in house kombucha made from honey and green tea with no sugar added, and it's a very different experience than the store bought stuff. Would definitely recommend trying to find something local or making it yourself, or at least being really careful to pick kombuchas at the store that are low in sugar. Unfortunately, the stores don't like to carry them because the sugary ones sell better, whereas the tangy tart ones don't, for obvious reasons. The reality is that most retail customers are looking for a soda pop that they can pretend is beneficial to their health.
Kombucha that uses honey isn’t kombucha. It’s jun. kombucha is made with sugar.
The biggest reason why store bought kombucha is really sugary and less vinegary is that the longer brewed kombuchas(longer the brew the more sugar that’s consumed) have higher alcohol content which can’t be sold as a non alcoholic drink in some countries. Home brewed kombuchas typically have an abv of 1-3. Home brewed is higher in acetic acid and lower in sugar but would be illegal to sell in the US without an alcohol license.
Kombucha companies had to rework the recipes a few years ago after it was found that all of the kombucha on the market had an alcohol content that was higher than the legal limit. Thus when the recipes were changed the product became more mild and sweet.
So cool for learning about health and research design/stats. I make my kombucha (Jun) with green tea and raw honey
One time I made kombucha with only green tea and raw organic honey that I buy from a farmer locally. It turn out really delicious. Now I have all my scobys made from honey and green tea in a separate glass container, and I have another container from the regular scobys that I make with black tea.
Very interesting!! In researching the video I never came across research on honey kombuchas and I’m not sure why! Sounds delicious and really healthful, especially when you can source it locally and organically.
Thanks for sharing!
Dylan
@@wumountaintea it's called Jun.
@@JaM-si6nb Got it Thanks 😎
Jun is delicious. It’s called the champagne of kombucha. I like them but they just ferment way too fast; it didn’t work with my busy schedule.
I will be trying matcha and honey with one my jun and see how it turns out. My kids favorite is jazmin green tea with the Jun. (Made with honey).
Great work! But I wonder whether or not we might intake too much sugar for the Kombucha tea contains too much of it?
Thanks!
Great question... In theory the sugar SHOULD be close to zero after the microbes metabolize it all during fermentation... but often times residual sugar remains. Store-bought kombucha will often have some sugar remaining, but if you brewed your own you could monitor and control the sugar content more closely.
In general, I agree that too much sugar in the kombucha would make it no longer healthy to drink, so it is an important question.
There is another comment here in the thread talking about sugar content that you could take a look at if you have time.
Dylan
Brewing time cant be standardized because of varying temperature. Hotter is faster, thats why u fridge it when finished, to slow fermentation. I go by taste & smell. I like SOME store bought but its overly sweet for me. Continuous fermentation is safer than individual batches as it maintains its extreme acidity throughout but the alleged risks of kombucha are drastically overblown bigtime. Food safety fear is how govt & corporations control us & destroy old school knowledge, canning is another great example. I use a 1 gallon jar. I remove & replace half the volume about every 10 days in summer, 2 weeks in winter & I store the active brew over a radiator to speed it up when its colder. I had serious digestive problems after a long antibiotic course(lyme) for 2+ years & doc told me more ABs was my only choice. A friend suggested kombucha for unrelated general health & 4 weeks later a miracle took place! All digestive issues disappeared & havnt returned in 12 yrs. I drink 6-8 ounces/day & use a 50/50 mix of green & stinging nettles tea to increase polyphenol variety & reduce caffeine. I scoff at the naysayers cause i know they r either foolishly ignorant or actively deceitful. Kombucha is health in a bottle. Stop being afraid & just do it
One of the best videos about Kombucha; if not the best!!
Thank you 😊
Did not expect this video to be so damn good. Youre very pedagogical
Thank you Robin!! 🙏🌱 I'm still learning how to walk the line of discussing science in an approachable way, so the feedback helps :)
Let me know if you have any recommendations for future videos!
Best,
Dylan
@@wumountaintea I personally didn't. But chatGPT had this idea and I found it brilliant.
Title: A World of Tea Traditions: Exploring Tea Pairings and Culture Across the Globe
Description: Embark on a tea-infused journey around the world, discovering unique tea traditions and pairing practices from various cultures. In this video, we'll explore the art of tea and food pairings, showcasing how different countries, like Persia, China, India, and Japan, enjoy their tea with specific dishes. Gain a deeper understanding of the role tea plays in different culinary landscapes and learn how to create culturally inspired pairings that will delight your palate and expand your tea horizons. Get ready to be a global tea connoisseur!
@@ChannelCtrlAltDefeat very cool! I tried Chat GPT for script writing, and it wasn't quite good enough, but i really like this use of it - just brainstorming ideas for cool videos :) I think the foodies would go nuts for a tea-food pairings around the world video 😄🙌🌱
Excellent video!
Thank you!! Thanks for watching 😊🌱
I made kombucha for years, a very light, pure tasting champagne-like flavour, using high-quality green tea leaves from Japan, sugar, and a starter culture that conveniently grows on an elderberry tree in my garden. I wonder if elderberry trees might be the original source of kombucha culture.
That sounds fantastic!
I would guess that some microbial communities that inhabit elderberries might also be those that can metabolize sweet tea in a kombucha culture. Interesting thought.
Thanks for the comment :)
Dylan
Could you use both types of sugar?
Sorry, but that's nonsense! I've no Idea what you are making, but it's definitely NOT kombucha, which comes from a scoby or a previous batch of unflavoured kombucha that has been allowed to get vinegary, NOT from any starter culture growing in a tree. What does that even mean?!! 😂😂😂
this is the most in depth video ive seen of kombucha, awesome work!
I've homemade kombucha for years. I used to have such bad seasonal allergies and I was also allergic to dust at our home. I would sneeze multiple times a day, everyday for about 15 years. Since I started making kombucha and fell in love with it, I noticed my allergies disappear.
After a few years of drinking kombucha consistently atleast mothly if not weekly, I had a busy period and didn't have the energy to make it. After around 3 months without kombucha my allergies came back! So I decided to start brewing again. Now my allergies are gone again. We also have had a dog for the past 3 years now, (which I thought would be impossible when I was younger.) I know this is just my anecdotal experience, but I thought it might be interesting to someone.
Also, everytime I feel like I have a sore throat, I just drink kombucha and I'm okay the next day. It's amazing. And during that break from kombucha, I got a flu after a long break of not having to deal with sicknessess.
Can people with kidney disease drink this?
Well done video. Excellent overview of the health benefits, and yet being truthful about the studies good work.
There's also a few (I honestly only know of one, I just assume it isn't the only one 🤷♂) other ways besides tea to fuel kombucha. I've been using powdered cacao instead of tea, for almost a year now, for my kombucha and it's interesting. I know cacao also has a lot of antioxidants and after watching this, checked and apparently it has polyphenols, too. I guess it makes sense it would work... It makes the process happen quite fast, though. I have a few bottles right now I've been using for vinegar cause I let it ferment a few too many days >.> Real tangy twang!
yes, cacao is also a very healthful and polyphenol rich plant! i bet the flavor is fantastic too. I'll have to give this one a try :)
Yeah, it's worth it. Haven't seen it done anywhere else
Cacao, pomegranate molasses & sour cherries just finished here.. super active & lasting co2 production, I surmise it keeps metabolising cacao in the fridge from a variety of carbs.. I called it a Black Forest booch but it wasn’t sweet really. I’m mixing good green teas with assam black for F1, and just bought an extra fridge for my burgeoning fermented products. Love kimchi, but kombucha seems to have almost instant clinical benefits. Next up, figs blueberries & ginger.. 🤤
I've had some good results with ginger in the finished cacao bottle but if you want something really special, honey and a split vanilla bean! 👌
@@JesusOfTheJungle F1?
Thank you for this video! Started learning how to make my own kombucha from scratch. I have mild psoriasis and read that kombucha may help alleviate the symptoms.
It has not alleviated mine in 12 yrs but maybe for u. I've tried everything on the market but nothing has worked. Dr. Bonners lemon castille soap has reduced the itching to more manageable levels & eliminated open sores 100%. Zinc soap was also mildly helpful but much more expensive. All of the tars, tea tree, medicated, etc did nothing, zero. I can find the Dr. Bonner on sale sometimes & I stock up when I do. Some websites will give you a discount for new subscriber so I'd order 2 dozen bats.
Can I drink it everyday?
Many people drink it everyday with no problems at all. I would suggest trying to slowly increase your intake to your desired amount, but just listen to your body and if something feels off then drink less. But, daily consumption is typically fine and in fact beneficial for most people.
Hope this helps 🤗🌱
Dylan
Great video, unbiased and valid information
Nice video about kombucha but I guess kombucha fermented ripe puerh is too new to include. The only two sources I've seen for it were from Mei Leaf and Path of Cha. Mei Leaf in London was the first I am aware of with "Playground Rendezvous". Path of Cha out of Brooklyn NY was next with "Kombu Pu-erh".
Yeah... I read through quite a few articles and I didn't see anything about the Kombucha-inoculated Pu-erh processing style specifically. I will keep my eyes peeled though because I'm also curious about it.
Thanks for watching 😊🙏🍵
GTs Alive root beer kombucha Is made with pu erh tea.
@amy rorris Thanks for thought but really asking about the opposite. Ripe puerh being made using kombucha instead of spring water. Kombucha being used to make ripe tea. It's a very new process.
@@OldTeaHead Dang, love to try that. Love my pu'erh! I have a camellia japonica I also want to try to make some tea leaves from; maybe I'll try that process!
I like basil,lemon and ginger for second fermentation.
Considering Kombucha stories begin around 221 BCE, I wouldn't say there are 'no human trials'
Anecdotes are still evidence, albeit non-standardized. But, the evidence is standardized in that whatever happened to that person, is what happens to that person.
So far, no kombucha deaths. Phew.
true! I just meant a small number of the modern standardized trials, but of course if you include anecdotal evidence the data is overwhelming! otherwise it would not have been passed down for so many generations.
Yes, phew to no deaths recorded (pun intended) 🙏🌱🍵😜
Subscribed. Thank you for sharing.
Awesome video. More stuff for me to read lolol, I'm still busy with that other paper🤣 Seriously though....lots to think about here. I've been wanting to make my own but I don't drink it that often....mostly because my options aren't very good and I always had a feeling the benefits of store bought kombucha weren't very high.
Thanks Jeanette I'm glad you liked it! 😊🌱🙏
There's ALWAYS more out there to read than what we have time for - it's one of the bitter-sweet truths of life 😭
I'm also still in the learning/experimenting/courage-gaining phase of Kombucha-brewing too 🌱
Thanks for the comment! 🍵🙏,
Dylan
Thanks for posting the info and articles on your website.
No problem! I got your email by the way... responding today :)
Super interesting! I really like the way you laid out the research, it was clear and fairly concise, but also having cited sources is such a huge thing for "health miracles" like Kombucha.
I brew my own in a continuous batch with a mix of black and green tea purely for flavor, but I'd be curious if mixing the types provides benefits of both or if the microbial populations just end up different and thus have their own unique properties. It would be interesting to see the comparison between 50/50 during the brew or a mix of separately brewed teas, but obviously this research is just starting to take off.
I was also interested in the findings about Mg, Ca, and K being produced, but unfortunately you didn't show (or I didn't catch) a table showing the exact numbers. In my organic gardening research I've come across concepts such as Bokashi, KNF (Korean Natural Farming) and Compost Teas, which sometimes can incorporate LAB with weeds/kitchen scraps/finished composted to break them down into those nutrients as well as Nitrogen and Phosphorous. My indoor garden was low on exactly Mg, Ca, and K and I wonder if I could add some kombucha to the water to pump those numbers a bit, or use it as a starter for Weed/Compost Teas.
I really like scientific studies of natural health products such as Kombucha. I feel like the simple fact it's survived the test of time points to it having some benefit, but without any real research these effects get amplified by marketers and hucksters making any one with a skeptical eye dubious, myself included. But so many studies are on this new drug some pharma company invented to make billions instead of putting scientific backing to (or credibly debunking) the natural remedies humans have been using for thousands of years. I don't buy into most of it because there's no evidence to back it up, but then you find out well there's no evidence because there's been basically no research and that really makes you wonder.
I might start putting a bit of diluted Kombucha onto my blueberry plants to acidify the soil.
My mum and Nan always put tea leaves in house plants as well as what was left in the pot. Their plants were amazing. ❤
Thank you for this comment! You made a lot of great points about time-tested natural remedies, both for humans and for soil.
The Mg, Ca, and K levels in kombucha would likely be lower than what you would find in a decent compost, compost tea, or good organic fertilizer, so I would just stick to those for managing soil. The "antimicrobial" or "bad pathogen-fighting" properties of tea leaf polyphenols present in the kombucha may actually create trouble for certain beneficial soil communities. You see this effect quite often in tea field soils that apply tea hedge trimmings as organic amendments; the tea polyphenols can lock up certain biological activity a bit.
As far as your 50/50 mix, I would also guess that the combination provides a more unique profile of bioactive compounds in the final kombucha brew than either black or green would in isolation. This would not always be the case. A single high-grade green tea might be better than a combination of two or three low-grade tea types. But, like you said, the research is still young, so we may have to wait and see about this one.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts! Feel free to reply with follow-up comments/questions.
Dylan
Some different fermenting cultures: Water kefir, milk kefir, probiotic yogurt, kombucha, lacto fermentation. Great video, earned a sub.
Jun should get its own research.
Agreed!
I nearly threw out my scoby bcos I was worried if it was scientifically backed by research. Thank you very much for the information
Useful links: Complete list of research cited throughout the video (bottom of blog article):
wumountaintea.com/2023/02/22/kombucha-tea-the-ultimate-guide-to-its-health-effects/
Great loose-leaf tea for home-brewing Kombucha (Dancong Oolong):
wumountaintea.com/product/ducksht-oolong/
Brew your own 'Booch with Fermentaholics SCOBY & GEAR:
USDA Certified Organic Kombucha Scoby:
tinyurl.com/Organic-Kombucha-Scoby
USDA Organic Kombucha Scoby Starter Culture:
tinyurl.com/Organic-Starter-Culture
Silicone Fermentation Stretch Lids:
tinyurl.com/Fermentation-Stretch-Lids
Chapter 1 of our MASTERCLASS ON TEA that explores the WORLD of the 6 Major Tea Types and their awesome sub-types: ruclips.net/video/lAYRZeDJ4Pc/видео.html
You missed a perfect captain planet reference there when you said, "when these 3 ingredients power combine." all the same damn good video man. New sub
Every year the local farmers markets bring out their kombucha and I drink three or four over the course of the summer. By the end of the summer I would end up with a systemic yeast infection and I couldn't figure out why. I would take a few doses of fluconazole and the blood infection would clear up. This year, my immune system was much weaker and I got the symptoms of the infection immediately after drinking two bottles two days in a row. I've had to stop drinking kombucha because it literally causes me blood infections. Just thought I would share in the case people may not know where their yeast overgrowth is coming from.
Kombucha vs Water Kefir. I’ve made both but much prefer kefir. Any info about the benefits and differences between these two great tasting beverages.