By now you wouldve heard of this fizzy, fermented drink called kombucha that has taken the wellness world by storm. Itcarries ample of health benefits and is garnering converts one pour at a time. Kombucha may have arrived on theF&B landscapeas yet another fad (remember turmeric lattes and charcoal everything?) but it has held its sway through the years as a popular diet, much like the avocado.

So what is it about kombucha that made it go fromhipster to hypermarket? With the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal, Lady Gaga, Madonna, and Orlando Bloom swearing by this fermented tea, here is all you need to know about this super drink and where to find it.

Roots as old as 2,000 years, Kombucha is said to have first appeared in China as the Tea of Immortality. Frequently sipped in Korea, Japan, and China. It travelled to Russia, eastern Europe, and Germany during the trade route expansion of the early 1900s. The modern age revival of the fermented tea came about in the 60s, with a Swiss study claiming it possesses the same health benefits as yoghurt. The second wave was in the 80s-90s in the United States when people started drinking Kombucha believing it to help combat diseases such as AIDS and cancer. While such medicinal properties remain unproven for humans, positive health results from lab tests on rats popularised the fizzy tea again at the turn of the millennium. And since then it has battled scepticism and a regulation crisis for its alcohol content a stipulated less than 0.5 percent now to become the much-liked drink it is today.

A base of either green or black tea, Kombucha is made by steeping tea in hot water with sugar. Once cooled, either a bit of white vinegar or leftover Kombucha is added to the sweetened tea. Finally, the SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) is added and the concoction is left to ferment for anywhere between 7-30 days. The final product is a fizzy, pungent drink brimming with probiotics, amino acids, and antioxidants. While the jury is still out on its prowess to counter serious ailments, regular drinkers claim that everyday consumption promises good gut health, better skin, cholesterol regulation, and improvedblood pressure and diabetes.

A plethora of options and exotic flavours at your disposal, its hard to miss Kombucha. Like it or not, believe in its health benefits or not, the beverage is making its impact felt and is here to stay. It is certainly a great alternative to harmful fizzy drinks and now its time to take that sip.

If you find it too tedious to make the kombucha, why not check out the following kombucha makers for your dose of the fermented tea.

1. Wonderbrew Kombucha

2. Chacha Kombucha

3. Wild Kombucha

4. Kefir & Kombucha

5. Belly Good Kombucha

6. Precious Grains

7. Boocha

8. Kefir.lab

9. Scoby Farm

10. Wizards At Tribeca

(Photos: Shutterstock)

This article first appeared onLifestyle Asia India.

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Everything you need to know about kombucha and the 10 places you can get it from - Prestige Online