Kombucha.
You won’t find this sweetened tea at McDonald’s but with a little ingenuity you can mix up a batch in your kitchen. Kombucha is made by fermenting tea with yeast, fungi and acetic acid at room temperature for one to two weeks.
There are multiple species of probiotic goodness in a typical drink.
Imbibers swear by the purported health benefits: immune boosters, digestive aids, and some see it as a shield against cancer and heart disease.
One recent study compared antioxidant benefits of kombucha made with green tea, black tea and tea powder. The green tea scavenged free radicals the best. Also, lactic acid bacteria were monitored during storage. Survival rate after one week was less than 1%. Other bacteria fared better.
Read the research here in Food Science and Technology.
Caution is recommended with this concoction: there have been reports of infections and allergic reactions. The Mayo Clinic warns ” Kombucha tea is often brewed in homes under nonsterile conditions, making contamination likely. If ceramic pots are used for brewing, lead poisoning might be a concern — the acids in the tea may leach lead from the ceramic glaze.”
Kombucha is sold in some stores; these are likely to adhere to sterile conditions.
Nevertheless, click here on Kombucha Tea to see a video on kombucha-making in your kitchen.
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