You may have heard this strange word in your friends and family circles. But, what is kombucha?

Kombucha is a fermented beverage made from tea, sugar, and a culture called Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY). According to our friends from Michigan State University, Kombucha has hailed from Northeast China from around 220 B.C. The taste of kombucha is slightly sweet, tart, and sometimes fizzy. Kombucha can come in many flavors by adding juices to the prepared kombucha. Although there have been many claims of health benefits, there hasn’t been confirmation of research in them.

However, as a fermented food, kombucha contains probiotics which are beneficial for gut health. The process to make kombucha includes brewing tea, adding sugar, and then adding the kombucha under certain conditions. You can make your own or enjoy commercially made kombuchaalmost anywhere. For information on making kombucha safely, check out Colorado State University Extension’s article on “Understanding and Making Kombucha”.

References: “Kombucha tea: origin, ingredients and precautions” - Michigan State University Extension