As a nutritionist I hear a lot of misconceptions about Kombucha, so let’s crack them open and do some myth-busting.
MYTH #1 – Kombucha needs sugar to be real
This is true, but kombucha only needs sugar during fermentation
Remedy Kombucha has healthy live cultures in every bottle or can that use sugar as an energy source throughout the long-aged brewing process. Once it has finished brewing, however, all the sugar has been consumed, leaving us with healthy organic acids and live cultures in every bottle or can of Remedy Kombucha.
The process of fermentation is a series of steps:
- Brewing the Tea: Black and green organic tea leaves are steeped in hot water to extract flavour and nutrients. Raw organic sugar is added to provide food for the SCOBY.
- Cooling: After brewing, the sweetened tea is cooled to room temperature.
- SCOBY is added: The cooled tea is transferred to a fermentation vessel such as an open/wide top jar (around 3-4L), and the SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) is added. The SCOBY floats on the surface and initiates fermentation.
- Fermentation: Over a long 30-day process in the Remedy Fermentary, the SCOBY metabolizes the sugars in the tea, producing organic acids, carbon dioxide (which contributes to the fizz), and small amounts of alcohol (less than 0.5%).
- Formation of New SCOBY: During fermentation, a new layer of SCOBY forms on the surface of the kombucha.
- Taste and Testing: The taste of kombucha becomes progressively more acidic and less sweet as fermentation progresses. To determine readiness, taste tests are done to achieve the desired balance of sweet, tart, and fizzy flavors.
- Bottling: Once fermentation is complete, the kombucha’s scoby is removed and the delicious fermented tea is bottled ready for consumption.
MYTH #2 – Real kombuchas have to be kept in the fridge
False – Kombucha only needs to be kept in the fridge if it still contains sugar.
This is because fermentation likes warm environments, so if left with sugar and on a shelf then it can kick start refermentation. Remedy doesn’t risk this, their long fermentation process brews out all the sugar in Remedy Kombucha.
When you flip the pack / can / bottle of Remedy Kombucha and read the nutrition information panel you’ll see:
Carbohydrates – less than 1g
Sugars – 0.0g
Sugars are added sugars to the final product of which there are none, AND none of the sugar added to the original brew remains either. The clever SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) have used all the sugars during fermentation as their energy source, with no sugar remaining. So you can feel confident storing your Remedy Kombucha in your pantry or handbag without concern of re-fermentation.
MYTH #3 – You can only drink a small amount
False – you trust your gut and drink what feels right for you.
I recommend incorporating Remedy Kombucha into your daily diet to experience the benefits. I love it as an evening drink, and pouring it into a bircher muesli mix to soak overnight to give my guts some fermented, natural goodness to start the day as well.
Try this recipe:
KOMBUCHA SOAKED OVERNIGHT OATS
Serves 3-4
1 ½ cups rolled oats
½ cup shredded coconut
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp hemp seeds
½ cup sultanas
1 tbsp linseeds
200g Greek yoghurt
1x 330ml bottle Remedy Raspberry Lemonade Kombucha
1 cup water
Add all ingredients to a large container and mix. Place in the fridge to soak overnight. Enjoy with fresh seasonal fruits the next day. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
MYTH #4 – Kombucha tastes weird
Truth – there is *almost* every flavour under the sun to choose from when it comes to Remedy Kombucha and they all taste INSANE.
Remedy Kombucha has over 14 flavours to choose from, which you can find on remedydrinks.com, although very likely you’ve seen most of them at your supermarket, local convenience stores, pizza shop, burger joint, or basically anywhere that traditional soft drinks have had a place.
Remedy has given a real nudge to the soft drink space with their variety and functionality of gut loving drinks, WITHOUT SUGAR, so you can enjoy them with any and every type of meal.
MYTH #5 – All Kombucha is created equal
False. Many drinks claiming to be kombucha are skirting around the important stuff. The long age brewing process, fermented in small batches with real tea leaves and the descendent of Remedy’s original SCOBY is what makes Remedy Kombucha truly unique.
Remedy Kombucha undergoes rigorous testing to ensure the sugar is brewed out and the live cultures remain. The live cultures and organic acids in Remedy Kombucha are critical components of a kombucha brew that impact our gut health. The science shows that our gut microbes and overall gut health plays a vital role in immune and metabolic health and influences neurobehavioural traits.
It is this commitment to being the highest quality Kombucha out there that sets Remedy Kombucha apart from the rest.
*This is a partnered post with REMEDY DRINKS. All thoughts and opinions expressed are the author’s own*
