1. Strictly sippin’
Obviously, the easiest way to enjoy your kombucha is just to drink it! Kombucha is a tea first and foremost, so cans or bottles of the stuff are super accessible to purchase and sip on all day long.
Kombucha is best enjoyed cold, so make sure you chill your concoctions before indulging! Although kombucha is perfectly delicious on its own thanks to its unique sweet and tangy notes, it can also be mixed with fruit, ginger or other flavours to shake things up…just be mindful of how much sugar you’re adding! Cheers!
2. Freeze some fruity lollies
On warmer days, a drink might not be enough to cool you down…but a frozen lolly might be! Kombucha’s unique flavour profile makes the BEST frozen lolly mixtures for parties and picnics. All you need is this probiotic drink and some lolly molds.
Kombucha can be frozen by itself, or it can be blended with other fruits and juices to add extra sweetness. Experiment by adding different flavours and even chunks of fruit together and prove our hypothesis that frozen ‘booch is the most delightful summer treat. You might even add a little alcohol to the mix…ya’ know, for science.
3. Mix up a salad dressing
Kombucha isn’t only good for sweet treats. Well-fermented kombucha tends to have a stronger acidic taste like vinegar. This flavour might not be everyone’s cup of tea to drink, but it can be great for condiments and salad dressings!
If you like to dabble in the kitchen, swap the white vinegar out for kombucha in your favorite Italian dressing recipe or whip up a kombucha-vinaigrette with kombucha, herbs, olive oil and lemon or orange juice. Paired with a mix of fresh greens, your kombucha dressing will give you a healthy double whammy!
4. Marinate meats
Over-fermented kombucha can even be acidic and sour enough to marinate meats for a delicious dinner. Pick your fav entrees—whether it’s chicken, steak, pork, shrimp, fish or tofu—and use kombucha as a base for the brine. Marinading veggies also works!
Experiment with flavours, spices and olive oil to create a totally unique and tasty dish. DE-LISH!
5. Apply as facial toner
One of the most unexpected kombucha health benefits is its clarifying effects on the skin. Because of its mixture of B vitamins, antioxidants, acids and probiotics, kombucha can help get rid of acne and bring out your natural glow! So, kombucha can actually make an awesome, all-natural toner.
To add kombucha to your skincare routine, use natural kombucha without added juices or flavours or over-fermented kombucha that has a higher acetic acid content. Just pour some ‘booch on a reusable cotton pad and swipe over your face right after you wash!
6. Create a kombucha face mask
The liquid part of kombucha isn’t the only part with benefits, either. The SCOBY—that squishy, mushroom-looking culture of bacteria and yeast that floats on top of homemade ‘boocha brews—can also be useful.
Now, we know what you’re thinking. Put that thing on your face?! Trust us when we say the SCOBY makes an awesome face mask. The probiotics and acids go to work on your skin cells, leaving them nourished and ready to fight off the bad bacteria that causes acne.
Rinse off your kombucha brew’s SCOBY with water and stretch it over your face while you lie down and relax. Let it hang out for 10-15 minutes, then discard it and enjoy your all-natural glow!
7. Boost your smoothie
Most smoothies use fruit juices and milks to make their creamy bases, so why not kombucha? Instead of adding a ton of sugar to your smoothie, mixing kombucha with your fruits and veggies adds extra vitamins with a bonus of probiotics!
You can’t go wrong by adding even a little kombucha to your morning or post-workout smoothie for the immunity boost.
8. Rinse your hair and scalp
You’ve probably heard that apple cider vinegar rinses are good for your hair and scalp, but kombucha rinses are, too! Kombucha contains acetic acid, just like apple cider vinegar. Over-fermented kombucha contains even more acetic acid than the standard kombucha drink, but both should work!
Rinsing your hair and scalp with kombucha once a month can clarify hair, remove build-up from products and dirt, help control frizziness and soothe scalp itchiness and dryness. Dilute your kombucha with water (use 1-2 parts kombucha with 3 parts water). After you wash your hair, pour on the kombucha mixture and let it sit for a few minutes. Rinse with water and voila!
9. Clean your house
Conventional cleaners are full of harsh chemicals. Instead, kombucha that’s been fermented longer than usual can be used similarly to vinegar as an all-natural, all-purpose cleaner around your house. Make sure you use original kombucha without added sugars or flavours and allow the mixture to ferment extra-long, so the bacteria eat up all the sugar from the tea. (Otherwise, this is how you get ants!!) Then, fight off dirt and bacteria with kombucha in a spray bottle. Consider it your lean, mean, grime-fighting machine!
Kombucha is also useful for getting rid of those pesky fruit flies that might settle into your kitchen in the summer. Mix some kombucha with a dash of dishwashing liquid in a shallow dish and watch as fruit flies buzz in and buzz off.
10. Get buzzed on ‘booch
Last but certainly not least, kombucha is the perfect base for a healthier, tastier mixed drink. Although kombucha contains an itty-bitty amount of alcohol naturally, it’s not nearly enough to get you buzzed. Fermenting kombucha longer increases the alcohol content. Or, you can save time by mixing your ‘booch with an alcohol of your choice!
Some bevvies like Boozy Boocha come pre-mixed with kombucha, vodka and fruity flavours for the perfect combo of taste and kombucha health benefits. Compared to beer or other mixed drinks, kombucha is low-calorie (only 92 calories per can), low in sugar, gluten-free and super-duper tasty!
Health nuts and ‘boocha lovers, rejoice! Kombucha is so much more than a popular drink, and its range of uses is awesome on all accounts. Go get your ‘booch on!