Immune Boosting Pineapple, Ginger Kombucha Recipe

Immune Boosting Pineapple, Ginger Kombucha Recipe

Kombucha is undoubtedly gaining popularity as a wellness portion in the health industry. It’s said to contain probiotics, antioxidant, antibacterial, and the ability to reduced cancer risks, among other benefits. Besides, it’s a healthy substitute for soda, and it also comes in a variety of fun flavours that makes you want more.

For that tropical punch, pineapple got you covered. It’s an incredibly flavourful fruit with sufficient amounts of health benefits. Pineapple is rich in fiber, vitamin C and B, manganese, and calcium. It has also proven to aid digestion, enhance weight loss, fight inflammation, boost immunity, and help fight cancer with its antioxidant properties.

On the other hand, ginger is rich in gingerol, a powerful medicinal substance that’s high in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Gingerol is the power behind ginger’s ability to combat colds and flu, alleviate osteoarthritis symptoms, relieve nausea, especially morning sickness in pregnant women and chemotherapy-induced in cancer patients. It also reduces soreness and muscle pain, lowers blood glucose levels, reduces menstrual pain, and helps with chronic indigestion.

Combine these two power boosters with the prebiotic-rich kombucha, and you have an ideal tropical drink with a balance of warmth and sweetness to not only energize you but keep you healthy and thriving as well.

Pineapple, ginger kombucha recipe

Serving:

• 1Gallon

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon unflavoured kombucha from your last batch
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger (peeled)
• 11/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks

Equipment:

• 6, 16 oz airtight glass bottles ( avoid beer bottles or any decorative bottles as they tend to explode easily

Directions:

• In a high-speed blender, blend the ginger and pineapple chunks to form puree ( the larger the surface area exposed the more fizzy and flavourful the kombucha at the end)
• Into your 6 bottles distribute an even amount of ginger-pineapple puree(1/4 cup per bottle)
• Fill the rest of the bottle with kombucha leaving about an inch of headspace (optional)
• Store the bottles at room temperature in a dark place for 4-7 days
• At the end of your preferred duration, transfer your kombucha bottles into the fridge to chill down before opening. (Cold liquids tend to trap the carbonation bubbles in the liquid more than warm, which help prevent messes from happening)
• Taste your kombucha when chilled. If you want it to carbonate more, take out from the fridge and store at room temperature for the next 1-2 days then bring back to the fridge before tasting again.

Refrigeration slows down the fermentation process and allows you to enjoy your kombucha just how you want it.

• Enjoy your refreshing kombucha anytime throughout the day

Pros and Cons for using fresh fruit vs store-bought juice for flavouring and second fermentation process

Pros

• Fruits in season are cheaper than 100% fruit concentrate store-bought juice
• Homemade fruit puree/juice is free of additives and preservatives.
• Fruits allow you to combine the flavours you like. You can even infuse your favourite herbs, something you can’t find in store-bought juices.

My favourites are mint and mango or pineapple with passion and beets.

• Whole fruit puree comes with a whole bunch of health benefits that will help colonize your probiotics even further.

Cons

• You may have to monitor your bottles to prevent explosions. However, this is not solely due to high sugar levels. Most bottle explodes are due to poor bottle quality with a prolonged fermentation period.

To be on the safer side, burp your bottles every evening to release any excess carbonation while allowing fermentation to get to your liking. I’ve never burped mine though because I think it tastes so much better with all that carbonation. I just don’t let my second fermentation run for more than 4 days.

Use good quality bottles to minimize any chances of explosions. Beer bottles, for instance, cannot hold the carbonation for long. Flip bottles work best.

Also, store your kombucha in an enclosed place to avoid messes all over just in case your bottle explodes.

For a flavourful and beneficial kombucha drink, avoid making these mistakes:

• Not using enough starter liquid. Some people recommend one cup starter tea per gallon, but I now prefer 2 cups. This ensures your kombucha has enough of acidic starter culture to bring the ph down for proper fermentation to take place.
• Storing SCOBY and starter tea in the fridge. Even if you’re not actively brewing your kombucha, refrigeration will bring the yeast into a state of dormancy, and your next batch won’t be as good.
• Using the wrong type of tea, such as flavoured ones during the first fermentation. Even if it’s naturally flavoured, flavours could throw off the natural dynamics of the yeast and bacteria that live in your SCOBY.
• Using vinegar as a starter liquid. I know most people recommend this, but you should avoid it. I believe you’ll eventually end up with a vinegar SCOBY and not kombucha.

Kombucha is a potentially beneficial health drink that allows you to top into that with the different nutrient-dense flavourings such as fruits and spices. However, if home brewed, it needs to be carefully done to avoid any contamination and ensure it’s healthy and safe for everyday consumption.