I first tried kombucha back in the early 2000s when I found it at my local grocery store. There has been a kombucha boom since then. There are now many different flavors to choose from. My favorite Kombucha is the store bought one with chia seeds added. However, it is really expensive at about $4 for a 12 oz bottle. That’s why I love to make this Chia Seed Kombucha recipe at home.
I save money and also get all the lovely benefits of chia and kombucha together.
Quick History of Kombucha
It is believed that Kombucha was invented some 2,000 years ago in China. Apparently back then, it was cherished for its health benefits. This “elixir of the Gods” drink was introduced to different Asian countries. And then eventually it was introduced to Russia and at some point Europe.
There was a resurgence of Kombucha in the general population in the US in the early 1990s. And in 2010 there was a controversy over the amount of alcohol that was actually present in each bottle. Today it is a 400 million dollar industry in the US alone.
My Chia Seed Kombucha Recipe
Ordinarily, I feel like Kombucha tastes a little too alcohol-y. (I’m allergic to alcohol). But I love Kombucha with chia seeds because the chia seeds dilutes the “kick” quite a bit. And I love the way chia seeds become jelly like.
Anyway, it’s really expensive (especially nowadays-hello inflation) to buy it in the store. As it can cost up to $4 for a small 16 fl oz. bottle. However, the Kirkland Kombucha at Costco costs about $13.99 for 8 bottles. This means it’s about $1.75 per bottle. Sometimes there are sales at Costco so the price can go even lower. The only thing is that Kirkland has only one flavor which is Lemon Ginger. Ginger tends to be spicy but that can be diluted with fruit juice.
Here’s how I make Chia Kombucha:
Ingredients:
- Bottle of Kombucha of your choice (uncapped if you don’t like carbonation)
- Organic Chia Seeds (2 tablespoons)
- 1 cup of filtered water
Optional:
Fruit juice of your choice for sweetener.
Instructions:
- Make chia gel by mixing the 2 tablespoons of chia seeds with cup of water
- Leave the chia mixture covered in the fridge overnight.
- Mix the uncapped bottle of Kombucha with your chia mixture. (I take the cap to release the carbonation for about a day or so in the fridge).
Alcohol Content in Kombucha
Kombucha has quite a kick (at first sip) almost like alcohol.
Kombucha (being a fermented drink) does contain a small amount of alcohol. Generally, most brands are less than .5% Alcohol by Volume (ABV). Some brands can be classified as alcoholic if the contain more than 1.2 % ABV. I would definitely suggest checking the ABV as some brands actually advise against driving if consuming their drink.
Further, there are some types/brands of kombucha that actually need an ID to be purchased. There are really high ABV Kombucha brands that require proof of being legally allowed to drink.
Health Benefits of Kombucha
In the About section of one of the more major brands of Kombucha there is mention of the founders mother being diagnosed with a highly aggressive form of breast cancer. The site purports the mother would drink their Kombucha daily while going through cancer treatment. It doesn’t say it cured her, but it is assumed that it helped.
There are many purported health benefits of drinking Kombucha. I have to mention a disclaimer in terms of health benefits of Kombucha. There are very few actual human studies so its health benefits are mostly theoretical. There are some people who claim and believe it can help and/or cure anything from diabetes and obesity to cancer. These are anecdotal (meaning not scientific studies). Some theorize any “healing” that happens might be psychological in nature.
There are obvious healthy attributes to Kombucha. The health components can be seen just by looking at the ingredients, For one thing, this drink is loaded with good for your gut probiotics. These are live bacteria cultures that help you strengthen your gut biome. Plus, kombucha is made from tea which is packed with antioxidants. Kombucha also has amino acids and B vitamins. So at the very least, you know you are getting probiotics and antioxidants and B vitamins from tea with each sip.
Brewing your Own Kombucha at Home
I once bought a homemade Kombucha kit online and made my own, It ended up being good at first but then a complete disaster.
The process was very interesting:
Basically, you brew tea, add sugar, add a SCOBY (the mother of bacteria/yeast) and let it ferment (covered) at room temperature. You have to check the Ph with a Ph strip. Because (unlike store-bought Kombucha) it is unpasteurized, it makes it slightly more risky to drink.
There have been documented cases of people getting sick from drinking homemade Kombucha, Because of this, home brewed Kombucha is not recommended to give to children, pregnant women or immunocompromised. In general, I wouldn’t advise homemade Kombucha unless you can absolutely verify that all conditions are completely sanitary and the process is done correctly.
Kombucha and Children
When I was pregnant, I asked my obstetrician if it was safe to drink Kombucha. She said she wasn’t sure as she hadn’t seen the research on it.
From my research, it appears that pregnant women are advised not to drink (or at least drink in moderation) due to the possible alcohol content, The same goes for young children as well. Parents are advised to exercise caution if there is a high amount of alcohol in their store bought bottle. Also, they are advised not to give children home brewed kombucha as the alcohol content is harder to measure.
For myself, I like to model drinking Kombucha for my daughter and I don’t mind giving her a small taste (less than 1/2 cup) of diluted Kombucha. I dilute her drinks in general with water (to “un” sweeten her drinks). But I will also use fruit juice to dilute her Kombucha.
I like to always demonstrate healthy living through my actions and it is my hope she will always want to live a healthy lifestyle.
Enjoy and Remember 2 Savor!
