KOMBUCHA??CHA??

the art of kombucha making

We know there are loads of benefits of eating healthy but how about getting the goodness our bodies need from the liquids we drink too ? Could this sparkling health elixir be the first known fizzy drink ? Did you know that Kombucha has been around for several thousand years originating from the Far East. Although it is being famed as the latest health drink to fix all ills, it is not actually that new and the upside of that is that people have perfected the art of Kombucha making over a long period of time and have learned a thing or two along the way. If it is still being talked about and enjoyed after all this time then it must be a good thing, right ? So if you are thinking to yourself I want in on this magic health elixir but have no idea where to start then read on peeps as I am going to layout a few pointers which I hope may encourage you to give it a go.

What’s so good about drinking Kombucha ?

Kombucha is a delicious and healthy drink which is full of good bugs (probiotics) and these bugs give our gut and digestive tract an extra army of friendly workers to absorb nutrients and fight infection. Kombucha also adds a boost of antioxidants which counteract the free radicals that we may be taking in through bad diet, life style and stress factors. This balance we gain from drinking kombucha helps to reduce inflammation, give our immune system a boost and it aids in detoxification too.

Firstly what the heck is it ?

Despite all the glamorous descriptions we read about in glossy mags, Kombucha is essential a sugary tea which when put together with a Scoby (a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) and then left in the right conditions, ferments into a delicious sparkling drink full of those good bugs that I mentioned ↟ as well as vitamins, minerals, enzymes and beneficial organic acids which are all super good for our bodies.

Why is it worth adding Kombucha in to your diet ?

We are probably all aware that up to 80% of our immune system and a large contributor to our mental health is actually driven from our gut so having good gut health is pretty vital really. It’s that mysterious area of our bodies that we don’t usually focus on eating specifically for, but its a vital part of the engine which drives us every day. We may sometimes think about upping our vitamin C during the cold and flu season, or helping to improve our brain health by eating oily fish packed with omegas etc.. so how about adding in some good bugs to promote great gut health too. These good bugs can be found in lots of our foods e.g. in sauerkraut (I’ll save that cabbage delight for another time ladies !!), cheeses, kefir and kombucha to name but a few. Kombucha is a great way to take in those bugs as it is delicious to drink and you can tailor the flavours too.

Where do I get it from ?

Firstly don’t run out and grab a bottle from your local deli, unless the one you purchase is kept in the fridge, with a short shelf life and is unpasteurised it will not contain any useful bugs and will probably not bring you much more gut friendly benefits than your usual fizzy treat, think of it as a kombucha flavoured drink. Really the best way to gain all the benefits of kombucha is to make it yourself. It is really not that hard and what I love about the process of making Kombucha is that it grounds us in the awareness of where our food and drink comes from, how we need to take notice of the life cycle of the things we consume. By being part of that cycle as you make your own at home you are emotionally investing in all those health benefits which will come your way when you bottle your own golden nectar.

Lets face it, we all strive towards living in the best way we know how so that we feel our best every day don’t we. Well, fresh Kombucha, full of its own unique biome can balance our digestive system, revive our immune system and energise our minds and who’s going to say no to that dynamic trio !!

If you are all fired up and would like to learn more about how to make your own Kombucha, I would love to run a Kombucha and or Fermented Foods workshop again in the summer to give you some tips on how to set yourself up at home. If you are interested, then please send an email to sophie@webofgoodness.com or add a comment at the bottom of this post and I will get back in touch with you. 

P.S. I almost forgot to mention the burning question…, “Is kombucha alcoholic?”
While kombucha probably won’t get you tipsy, it may have a little bit of naturally occurring alcohol that develops during the fermentation process but that will vary batch on batch and depend on how much sugar you use to make your kombucha. I don’t usually drink much alcohol but I do drink my homemade kombucha in the evening when everyone else in my family heads for a glass of wine or a beer, just to be on the safe.

The peaceful alarm clock

Something that keeps coming up in conversation at the moment is the dreaded noise that leaps out of our alarm clocks every morning, I guess it’s that time of year when getting out of bed can be a bit of an effort can’t it. Do you start your day with a flush of cortisol as your heart pounds to the blaring out of your alarm ?. We really rely on them on a daily basis don’t we and aside from being blasted awake, if we hit that snooze button resulting in missing your school run, train, bus or lift share and your day could then be off to a rubbish start. So, I just thought I would share with you what I use as it has been a game changer for me in the mornings particularly in the winter months when I find it harder to get out of bed.

I always use a Lumie Daylight Alarm Clock and it has been a godsend, and as an added bonus by using a proper alarm clock I can leave my phone downstairs over night (no excuse!). Once you get into the habit of using it regularly your body learns to wake up from the light it gives off (which is simulating a natural sunrise) rather than the dreaded sound of the usual alarm noise each morning. Check out the Lumie Body Clock Alarm. It does take a bit of tweaking at first and you can set it for a sunrise and an alarm clock setting too just to be on the safe side until you feel you can trust yourself to wake up purely with the light. I have been using one for about 5 years now and pretty much every day I wake up about 5 minutes before the noise would come on – its much less stressful than the sound of the alarm clock blaring and your day will get off to a calm start. To learn more or to buy one then check out this site for more details on how it works and all the benefits.

Have a gorgeous weekend lovelies. xo