Gut Health, Brain Power: Make Your Own Kombucha for Bulletproof Digestion and Better Memory

Gut health has become an increasingly important topic in recent years. We now know that gut bacteria play a crucial role in both physical and mental wellbeing. Many gut-focused diets recommend the inclusion of probiotic-rich foods, such as sauerkraut, yogurt, and kombucha, to help improve intestinal flora, enhance digestion, and even sharpen cognitive functioning. Kombucha is a fermented tea packed with nutrient-dense vitamins and minerals that have been found to exhibit many gut-healing benefits, including improved digestion and gut-barrier protection.

Kombucha can be found in most grocery stores or obtained through commercial brewers; however, due to its popularity, this carbonated beverage has become increasingly expensive. Fortunately, it’s easy to make your own kombucha for very little money. Making your own kombucha at home allows you to benefit from the gut-boosting goodness without breaking the bank.

Make Your Own

The process of making homemade kombucha involves two main steps: fermentation and flavoring. Fermentation requires a starter culture – commonly known as a ‘mother’ or SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria & Yeast) – which can be purchased online or extracted from a bottle of store-bought kombucha. This mother is placed into some sweetened black tea, and allowed to ferment over a period of time, producing carbonation and gut-healthy probiotics. After fermentation, you can flavor your kombucha with fresh fruit juices.

Making your own kombucha provides gut-health benefits aplenty, beyond digestive support alone. The probiotics present in kombucha are thought to increase production of serotonin (the neurotransmitter associated with happiness) which improves mood and boosts cognitive function. In addition, the antioxidants present inhibit inflammation – another key factor necessary for good gut health – which decreases oxidative stress on the body and brain, which leads to better overall physical and mental performance. 

Make Sure It’s All Good

It’s important to note that not all kombuchas are created equal. While there are many commercial brands available that contain beneficial bacteria, they may also contain added sugar or processed ingredients, which can counteract the benefits they may be providing. When making your own homemade version of this tasty drink, it’s important to stick with natural ingredients such as raw organic sugar or honey to avoid introducing harmful compounds into your brew. The quality of your substrate is equally important, so opt for pure green or black tea leaves instead of tea bags filled with artificial flavors and colors whenever possible. This way, you’ll be deriving maximum benefit from each batch of your homemade elixir.

Now that you know more about how easy it is to make your own probiotic powerhouse drink at home, why not give it a try? With just a few simple steps, you can easily create batches of bubbly bliss that will keep your gut happy and energize both body and mind for improved performance. Better yet, this fizzy favorite also makes for a fantastic gift idea, so why not share some love (and good gut vibes) with friends near or far? We say, go for it!