Kombucha! : the amazing probiotic tea that cleanses, heals, energizes, and detoxifies

178 Pages·2013·10.61 MB·English

by  Childs

Published by the Penguin Group Penguin Group (USA) LLC
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New York, New York 10014, USA

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A Penguin Random House Company Copyright © 2013 by Eric and Jessica Childs Illustrations copyright © 2013 by Owen Sherwood
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Childs, Eric, author.
Kombucha! : the amazing probiotic tea that cleanses, heals, energizes, and detoxifies / Eric and Jessica Childs.
p. cm
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-10162026-7
1. Kombucha tea. 2. Tea fungus—Therapeutic use. I. Childs, Jessica, author. II. Title.
RM666.T25C45 2013 2013020753
615.3'21—dc23
The recipes contained in this book are to be followed exactly as written. The publisher is not responsible for your specific health or
allergy needs that may require medical supervision. The publisher is not responsible for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained
in this book.
While the authors have made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers, Internet addresses, and other contact information at
the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the authors assume any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur after
publication. Further, the publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party
websites or their content.
This book is dedicated to Brooklyn,
the borough that nourishes our family
so we can nourish yours.
CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Foreword by Brendan Brazier
INTRODUCTION: KOMBUCHA, YOUR NEW HOT ROOMMATE
Eric Childs: The Story of the Kombuchman
Jessica Childs: A Foodie with a Knack for Science
KBBK: Kombucha Done Brooklyn Style!
About This Book
1. WHAT EXACTLY IS KOMBUCHA?
Intro to Fermentation
Essentially, Kombucha Is a Superfood
Kombucha Defined
Wow, ’Buch Sounds Awesome! But What’s in It?
What Will Drinking Kombucha Do for Me?
How Much ’Buch Is Good for Me? Who Should Drink ’Buch?
The History of Kombucha: Where on Earth (or Not Earth) Did It Come
From?
2. THE KOMBUCHMAN’S GRIMOIRE: ESSENTIAL
HARDWARE AND TOOLS
Brewing Hardware
Kombucha Ingredients
3. ’BUCH KAMP I: BREWING AND FERMENTATION
Wait. What’s ’Buch Kamp?
Brewing Instructions
Komplowing into the Future: Your Next Batch
Foreign Invaders: Unwanted Kompany
4. ’BUCH KAMP II: BOTTLING AND SECONDARY
FERMENTATION
Mise en Place
Bottling and Flavoring Instructions
Additional Information About Bottling and Secondary Fermentation
Alcohol in Kombucha
5. ’BUCH KAMP III: A HIGHER LEVEL OF TASTE AND
KNOWLEDGE
Flavoring Considerations
Tea Blending (Primary and Secondary Fermentation)
Adding Flavoring Foodstuffs (Secondary Fermentation Only)
Alcoholic Kombucha Production
Graduation
6. DINING ON KOMBUCHA AND SCOBYS
Kombucha Condiments
Soups Alive!
Scrumptious Sides
Kombucha Entrées
Bread, Sweets, and Treats
7. KOMBUCHA KOCKTAILS
8. KOSMETICS AND KOMBEAUTY

Epilogue
Kombuchtionary
Acknowledgments
Index
FOREWORD
The first time I tried kombucha, I was hooked. Not only is it delicious, but I
quickly realized that it had great health and performance benefits for an
endurance athlete like me.
We’ve all heard, “You are what you eat,” but perhaps it should be, “You are
what you digest.” Digestibility is key to high-net-gain nutrition and helps release
the largest yield of micronutrients, a concept I discuss further in my book Thrive.
If your body can’t break down your food and assimilate it, the nutritional value
cannot be realized. I found that adding kombucha to pre-workout fuel speeds up
digestion. Uncluttered digestion is important for everyone, but its value is
heightened for athletes when they consume their pre-workout fuel. I became
such a fan of kombucha’s ability to increase the net gain of food that I used it in
the formula for my Vega Pre-Workout Energizer.
Another remarkable effect of kombucha is the drastic reduction in
inflammation the kombucha drinker experiences from its alkaline-forming
nature. Inflammation reduction is another essential component to overall health.
If you’re an athlete, it’s exponentially more valuable. Increased flexibility and
increased range of motion, both benefits of lowering inflammation, translate into
better performance while significantly reducing the risk of muscle strain and
tear.
Less inflammation also equals enhanced efficiency. If muscles are able to
move freely with little force being exerted, that’s energy being conserved with
every contraction. The benefit is immediately reaped with improved athletic
performance.
For non-athletes, think of all the muscle contractions you make throughout a
typical day even by just walking across the room. If you aren’t suffering from
inflammation, you don’t work as hard. If you don’t spend energy on movement,
you still have it in your fuel tank. So kombucha will boost your energy by way
of enhanced muscle efficiency, not the short-term stimulation you get from many