Written by Chloe Gonzalez
Most people have come across kombucha: a trending health drink for its probiotics, which are important for gut health. Maybe you’ve seen it on the menus of hip cafes, as you’re walking through the aisles of your local supermarket or as you’ve visited your health-obsessed friend and been simultaneously intrigued and repulsed by the bacterial growth on their kitchen bench. But what is it exactly?
Kombucha is a tart, fizzy drink produced as a result of the fermentation of black/green tea with sugar and a scoby (a symbiotic culture of acetic acid, known as vinegar, bacteria and yeast). This fermentation process occurs for one to two weeks. During the fermentation process, the sugar is converted to alcohol which is then converted to organic acids (such as acetic acid).
So what are the health benefits? Kombucha contains acetic acid, which has the ability to kill harmful microorganisms in your gut; polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that help protect or act against cancer; probiotics, which can improve digestion and immune function; and both folic acid and B vitamins, which helps with the production and maintenance of new cells. These components all work together to help you maintain, or gain, a healthy gut microflora.
Here at Paradise One, we pride ourselves on our dedication to sustainability. We translate this mission into the kitchen by making everything from scratch. This includes our kombucha. Our kombucha is particularly tasty due to the fresh mint we add straight from our organic permaculture gardens. So if you stay with us, don’t forget to give it a try. Your taste buds and your gut will thank you!
