HYDERABAD: Homebrewers in Hyderabad are brewing Kombucha and selling it in adorable, Instagram-ready packaging. Available online and in niche cafes dotting the city, this fermented tea drink, usually flavoured with fruit juices or spices is fast-becoming a fad. Not just as a drink on its own, but Kombucha also makes a good mixer for cocktails and mocktails say its fans.Soumya Kuthadi, a city-based dietician says: “Today’s generation has become conscious about what they are putting into their bodies. They have been on a constant lookout for a beverage that is low in sugar and has beneficial properties.”
What is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a bubbly, fermented black or green tea, made by combining brewed tea with a ‘mother’ or Scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) sugar/jaggery, and sometimes with added flavours. Over the course of a couple of weeks, the sugar feeds the bacteria and yeast and the drink ferments into a tangy, slightly fizzy cold beverage.Shahryar Hamza, a golfer and MBA student loves his Kombuchas. However, he says, “It is more of an acquired taste.” He adds, “It is more geared towards people who have a taste for sour or fermented flavours.”
Sangeeta Raju, a nutritionist, who likes the drink for its “quirky, slightly sweet yet vinegary taste,” says that Kombucha improved her digestion; she lost two kgs when she implemented it in her diet, and her skin has improved over time. She adds, “I’m always looking for ways to sprinkle in good bacteria in my body.”
The beverage is known to appeal to health-conscious consumers. Sudeep Kathuri, 23, a digital marketing specialist, drinks it early morning and says it has become the right substitute for his morning green/black tea. Vaishnavi Dupaguntla, 26 recovering from a gut issue was recommended to take probiotic fermented drinks. She says, “I have been drinking Kombucha and so far the results have been good. I have improved energy levels and notice better gut health.”
VS Sivaji Raju, a businessman, first tried this drink on a trip to Greece. He feels it is the best alternative for his soda intake. “Ditto,” says Annapoorna PK, 26, an MSc Biotechnology student. She adds, “I was drinking too many soft drinks and packed juices, and wanted a replacement… Kombucha has been a great substitute.”
Get your hands on one
Rahul and Twinkle, both 22, are school friends from the city and have started Hydra Kombucha in January this year. They say: “One of the main challenges is educating the consumer about Kombucha’s health benefits. We are glad to see this movement slowly yet surely picking up steam.” They first tasted this drink while travelling and mastered brewing it after several attempts at experimentation with flavours and techniques. Priced at Rs 180 per bottle, they have four flavours: Original, Masala Chai, Pineapple Express and Pomegranate Basil.
“We want to make a Kombucha revolution,” declare Divya Vegesna, 30, and Shruti Padala, 31, co-founders Booch, please. They first tasted the drink in Gokarna, Karnataka in 2017. They learned its health benefits, and that it is also a fun drink to go with cocktails and mocktails. They started their brand in June last year after two-and-a-half years of experimentation. Their clientele ranges from 20 to 60-year-olds. They sell in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam and have six flavours priced from Rs 120 to Rs 165.
Goutham Vegesna, 27, started We Brew Kombucha in December last year. He had his first Kombucha at a dry fruit store in the city and found it “different and refreshing.” After brewing different batches and perfecting the recipe, he currently sells eight flavours priced at Rs 100. He sets up stalls at communities apart from selling online.
Health Notes
Fans of Kombucha tout its digestive and weight loss benefits, its positive effect on the immune system, detoxification, and that it boosts energy. “Its popularity as a functional food is driven by its supposed health benefits because of probiotics. The probiotics also help with diarrhoea and irritable bowel syndrome,” says Shanti Priya T, senior dietitian, Gleneagles Global Hospitals.
However, she cautions that too much intake may lead to side effects such as nausea, dizziness, headache, hepatotoxicity and metabolic acidosis. She says, “It is not advisable for pregnant, breastfeeding women or those who have compromised immune system or pre-existing ailments. She adds, “More of anything is bad. It is safe when consumed in the right quantity, avoid excess consumption as direct evidence supporting its health benefits is lacking.”
Kombucha is associated with health benefits
Kombucha contains small amounts of Vitamin C, B and Vitamins - B1, B6 and B12. Shanti Priya T says that claims about health benefits include treating diabetes, constipation, atherosclerosis, and arthritis, cancer propagation, reducing cholesterol levels and blood pressure, improvement of the liver, immune system and gastrointestinal functions.