Kambucha

The name Kambucha is a local trade name for Kombucha, known by that name worldover. It is a fermented drink made from sweetened tea, with a history going back a couple of thousand years through Asia.

• SCOBY - Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast
• Probiotics - live microorganisms that are intended to have health benefits when consumed or applied to the body. They can be found in yogurt and other fermented foods, dietary supplements, and beauty products.

Health

Claims

• Make your skin glow.
• Get rid of cholesterol fats.
• Sexual stimulant. A theory among most men is that the drink activates one’s beast mode in bed.

Medical

Kombucha contains probiotic, or friendly, bacteria. These microorganisms are known to boost a person’s health. Because of this, there is some evidence to suggest that kombucha has a range of health benefits, including benefits for gut health, mental health, infection risk, and liver health. That said, more research is necessary to confirm these benefits.

Gut health

Eating a diet that contains probiotics may help improve a person’s overall gut health. Probiotics may work by helping the body maintain a healthy community of microorganisms. There is some evidence to suggest that probiotics could help with the following:

• diarrhea associated with antibiotic use
• inflammatory bowel disease
• irritable bowel syndrome

More research into how kombucha improves gut health is necessary, but the association between the two suggests that it may support the digestive system.

Infection risk

On fermenting kombucha produces acetic acid, as found in vinegar. Other studies suggest that kombucha is an antimicrobial, which means that it may be able to kill microbes and help fight a range of bacteria. However, research has not confirmed this effect in humans.

Mental health

Some sources say there may be a link between probiotics and depression.
There are strong links between depression and inflammation, so the anti-inflammatory effect of kombucha may help alleviate some symptoms of depression. There is strong evidence to suggest that probiotic supplements (pills, not Kombucha) may help relieve depression.

Heart disease

Having elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels may increase the risk of heart disease. A 2015 study suggests that kombucha could help reduce the levels of cholesterol linked to heart disease in rats. It is important to note that effects in rats do not necessarily reflect the effects in humans. More research is necessary to confirm whether or not kombucha can reduce the risk of heart disease in humans.
Diet, exercise, weight, lifestyle habits, and inflammation also influence cholesterol levels and heart disease risk.

Liver health

Kombucha contains antioxidants that help fight molecules in the body that can damage cells. Some research suggests that consuming antioxidant-rich kombucha may help protect against drug-induced liver damage in animals. This suggests that kombucha may play a role in promoting liver health and reducing liver inflammation, however, there is currently no evidence suggesting that drinking kombucha benefits liver health in humans.

Type 2 diabetes management

There is also some evidence to suggest that kombucha may also be helpful in managing type 2 diabetes (adult onset, your body doesn't use insulin properly), though only in animal studies. A 2012 study found that kombucha helped manage blood sugar levels in rats with diabetes. That said, there is currently no evidence to suggest that kombucha is effective for reducing blood sugar levels in humans.
What is more, most kombucha drinks are high in added sugar, which can increase blood sugar levels. Drinking sweetened beverages such as kombucha can worsen blood sugar control in people with diabetes. ^[1]

Make at Home

How to make kombucha at home

People can make their own SCOBY by heating up and mixing together water, sugar, black or green tea, and premade kombucha. Once the SCOBY is ready, let it sit in sweetened tea, at room temperature, for a week or more. Attach a cloth over the top of the jar with elastic, instead of a lid, to allow the SCOBY to breathe. The kombucha will be ready to consume in 6–12 days based on a person’s taste preference; the longer it sits, the less sweet it will become. ^[2] Risks
It is important to be careful when making kombucha at home, as it can ferment for too long. It is also possible for kombucha to become contaminated when a person does not make it in a sterile environment. Overfermentation or contamination can cause health problems.
Most kombuchas contain large amounts of added sugar. Frequently drinking sugar sweetened beverages can negatively impact health in many ways.
When shopping for kombucha, it may be best to choose brands that contain under 4 grams (1 teaspoon) of added sugar per serving.

Brew kambucha with Kitchn

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 quarts water
• 1 cup sugar (regular granulated sugar works best)
• 8 bags black tea, green tea, or a mix (or 2 tablespoons loose tea)
• 2 cups starter tea from last batch of kombucha or store-bought kombucha (unpasteurized, neutral-flavored)
• 1 scoby per fermentation jar, (homemade or purchased online).

Optional flavoring extras for bottling

• 1 to 2 cups chopped fruit
• 2 to 3 cups fruit juice
• 1 to 2 tablespoons flavored tea (like hibiscus or Earl Grey)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 to 4 tablespoons fresh herbs or spices

Equipment:

• Stock pot
• 1-gallon glass jar or two 2-quart glass jars
• Tightly woven cloth (like clean napkins or tea towels), covvee filters, or paper towels, to cover the jar
• Bottles: Six 16-oz glass bottles with plastic lids, swing-top bottles, or clean soda bottles
• Small funnel

Instructions: Note: Avoid prolonged contact between the kombucha and metal both during and after brewing. This can affect the flavor of your kombucha and weaken the scoby over time.

1. Make the tea base: Bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar to dissolve. Drop in the tea and allow it to steep until the water has cooled. Depending on the size of your pot, this will take a few hours. You can speed up the cooling process by placing the pot in an ice bath.
2. Add the starter tea: Once the tea is cool, remove the tea bags or strain out the loose tea. Stir in the starter tea. (The starter tea makes the liquid acidic, which prevents unfriendly bacteria from taking up residence in the first few days of fermentation.)
3. Transfer to jars and add the scoby: Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon glass jar (or divide between two 2-quart jars, in which case you’ll need 2 scobys) and gently slide the scoby into the jar with clean hands. Cover the mouth of the jar with a few layers tightly-woven cloth, coffee filters, or paper towels secured with a rubber band. (If you develop problems with gnats or fruit flies, use a tightly woven cloth or paper towels, which will do a better job keeping the insects out of your brew.)
4. Ferment for 7 to 10 days: Keep the jar at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, and where it won’t get jostled. Ferment for 7 to 10 days, checking the kombucha and the scoby periodically.
5. It’s not unusual for the scoby to float at the top, bottom, or even sideways during fermentation. A new cream-colored layer of scoby should start forming on the surface of the kombucha within a few days. It usually attaches to the old scoby, but it’s ok if they separate. You may also see brown stringy bits floating beneath the scoby, sediment collecting at the bottom, and bubbles collecting around the scoby. This is all normal and signs of healthy fermentation.
6. After 7 days, begin tasting the kombucha daily by pouring a little out of the jar and into a cup. When it reaches a balance of sweetness and tartness that is pleasant to you, the kombucha is ready to bottle.
7. Remove the scoby: Before proceeding, prepare and cool another pot of strong tea for your next batch of kombucha, as outlined above. With clean hands, gently lift the scoby out of the kombucha and set it on a clean plate. As you do, check it over and remove the bottom layer if the scoby is getting very thick.
8. Bottle the finished kombucha: Measure out your starter tea from this batch of kombucha and set it aside for the next batch. Pour the fermented kombucha (straining, if desired) into bottles using the small funnel, along with any juice, herbs, or fruit you may want to use as flavoring. Leave about a half inch of head room in each bottle. (Alternatively, infuse the kombucha with flavorings for a day or two in another covered jar, strain, and then bottle. This makes a cleaner kombucha without “stuff” in it.)
9. Carbonate and refrigerate the finished kombucha: Store the bottled kombucha at room temperature out of direct sunlight and allow 1 to 3 days for the kombucha to carbonate. Until you get a feel for how quickly your kombucha carbonates, it’s helpful to keep it in plastic bottles; the kombucha is carbonated when the bottles feel rock solid. Refrigerate to stop fermentation and carbonation, and then consume your kombucha within a month.
10. Make a fresh batch of kombucha: Clean the jar being used for kombucha fermentation. Combine the starter tea from your last batch of kombucha with the fresh batch of sugary tea, and pour it into the fermentation jar. Slide the scoby on top, cover, and ferment for 7 to 10 days.

Recipe Notes:

• Covering for the jar: Cheesecloth is not ideal because it’s easy for small insects, like fruit flies, to wiggle through the layers. Use a few layers of tightly woven cloth (like clean napkins or tea towels), coffee filters, or paper towels, to cover the jar, and secure it tightly with rubber bands or twine.
• Batch Size: To increase or decrease the amount of kombucha you make, maintain the basic ratio of 1 cup of sugar, 8 bags of tea, and 2 cups starter tea per gallon batch. One scoby will ferment any size batch, though larger batches may take longer.
• Putting Kombucha on Pause: If you’ll be away for 3 weeks or less, just make a fresh batch and leave it on your counter. It will likely be too vinegary to drink by the time you get back, but the scoby will be fine. For longer breaks, store the scoby in a fresh batch of the tea base with starter tea in the fridge. Change out the tea for a fresh batch every 4 to 6 weeks.
• Other Tea Options: Black tea tends to be the easiest and most reliable for the scoby to ferment into kombucha, but once your scoby is going strong, you can try branching out into other kinds. Green tea, white tea, oolong tea, or a even mix of these make especially good kombucha. Herbal teas are okay, but be sure to use at least a few bags of black tea in the mix to make sure the scoby is getting all the nutrients it needs. Avoid any teas that contain oils, like earl grey or flavored teas.
• Avoid Prolonged Contact with Metal

^[3]

Local Manufacturer

Fresh Kambucha Drink Zimbabwe - Produce and market a health drink from natural ingredients consisting of lemon, garlic, and ginger.
Address: 17001 Sande Crescent, Graniteside Harare.
Email: Kumbuchafreshzimbabwe@gmail.com. ^[4]

Drink marketing officer Felo Felo said: The drink has been available in Zimbabwe since 2019 and has been on a gradual rise over the years. ^[5]

Further Reading

Fight against Drug Abuse

In April 2023, Kambucha Fresh Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd, joined the fight against drug abuse. Kambucha said they have covered a lot of ground and are hopeful they will continue until the ill is eradicated. What we are doing is holding peer educator gatherings where we teach youths on the need to lead a clean drugs free life. We have so far concentrated on Mbare and we hope to spread our wings to other ghettos and towns. Chief executive and founder Mr Eric Niyonsaba said the company was sad to note the menace brought on society by drugs, but was happy with the contribution in dissuading others from taking up drugs as well as rehabilitating victims. ^[6]