Beverage
Kombucha
Kombucha is sweetened tea fermented by a SCOBY—yeasts and acetic acid bacteria that turn sugar into a tart, faintly yeasty, lightly sparkling drink. Classic batches start on black tea; green tea and honey-based jun are related but not the same cup. A good bottle smells of apple-cider brightness and tea, not of nail-polish solvent or a neglected vinegar crock. Commercial range runs from barely sour and juicy to something close to drinking vinegar. Drink it cold. The acidity can stand in for a light dressing or a ceviche-adjacent splash if the batch is clean and not overloaded with fruit puree. It is not a tea leaf, not kombu seaweed, and not a probiotic powder. Live bottles keep throwing sediment and CO2—burp home ferments, and do not boil a living brew if you wanted the culture intact.
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Breeds & varieties
A sample of named types with their own origin and culinary profiles.
Characteristics
Preparations
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Sources
Traits
Nutrition and pairings
Nutrition
Typical values per 100 g edible portion. Nutrient names open the reference page.
Nutrition Facts
Per 100 g edible portion
Amount per 100 g
- Total Fat 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Sodium 4.67 mg
- Salt 0.01 g
- Total Carbohydrate 9.57 g
- Dietary Fibre 0 g
- Total Sugars 8.14 g
- Complex / starch 0 g
- Protein 0.53 g
- Water 89.8 g
- Energy 38.5 kcal
- Water 89.8 g
- Carbohydrates 9.57 g
- Sugars 8.14 g
- Monosaccharides 5.7 g
- Disaccharides 2.45 g
- Protein 0.53 g
- Fat 0.1 g
- Vitamins 25 mg
- Vitamin A 20 µg
- Vitamin B1 — Thiamine 0.02 mg
- Vitamin B2 — Riboflavin 0.04 mg
- Vitamin B3 — Niacin 0.44 mg
- Vitamin B5 — Pantothenic Acid 0.09 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.02 mg
- Vitamin B7 — Biotin 0.4 µg
- Vitamin B9 — Folate 1.7 µg
- Vitamin C 2 mg
- Vitamin E 0.04 mg
- Vitamin K 0.2 µg
- Minerals 227 mg
- Major Minerals 221 mg
- Trace Minerals 6.7 mg
- Salt 0.01 g
- Sodium Chloride 0.01 g
Vitamins
vitamin-c: 2 · vitamin-a: 20 · vitamin-b1-thiamine: 0.02 · vitamin-b2-riboflavin: 0.04 · vitamin-b3-niacin: 0.44 · vitamin-b5-pantothenic-acid: 0.09 · vitamin-b6: 0.02 · vitamin-b7-biotin: 0.4 · vitamin-b9-folate: 1.7 · vitamin-e: 0.04 · vitamin-k: 0.2 ·
Minerals
Sodium: 4.67 · Potassium: 178 · Calcium: 38 · Iron: 1.3 · Zinc: 0.4 · Iodine: 5 ·
Beverage bases range from near-water teas to sugar-dense cordials; alcohol adds energy when present.
History
East Asian fermented tea drinks related to kombucha appear in early tradition.
Russian and Eastern European households kept tea-mushroom cultures on the sideboard.
Home SCOBY sharing spread kombucha through health-food circles in the West.
Bottled craft kombucha became a commercial fermented grocery drink.