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What is Kombucha? With Melissa Torio

by Stephanie

What is Kombucha? With Melissa Torio

Recently, I asked my friend Melissa Torio to write a post about Kombucha. If you’ve ever wondered what it is? Then this post is for you!

Melissa is a grad of the Academy of Culinary Nutrition (where I got my certification) and she’s a pro at all things kombucha. She even hosts workshops to show how to make it.

Have a read below to learn more and sign-up for one of her classes to make your own!


kombucha classes

What is kombucha?

Kombucha (“kuhm·boo·chuh”) is a fizzy, probiotic, living, and functional drink that has many health benefits. It has been around for hundreds of years and is known by different names around the world.

How do you make it?

Kombucha is made with black or green tea, water, sugar, a SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast), and a starter.

The SCOBY and some sweet tea ferments together at room temperature in a jar for a week or two. The bacteria and yeast consume the sugar transforming the sweet tea into a fizzy, tart drink.

After that, it’s bottled plain or flavoured with fruit or herbs in a second fermentation. Kombucha is refrigerated to slow down the fermentation process.

Why is it good for us?

This amazing drink contains enzymes, acids, vitamins, and probiotics that help with digestion and detoxification.

It supports gut health and provides immune support. Kombucha is an adaptogenic tonic taken in small amounts to help to balance the body. 

What do I need to look for when buying kombucha?

There are so many commercial brands nowadays.

You want to watch out for any added sugar or stevia.  Kombucha should be in the refrigerated section. Pick raw and unpasteurized. Probiotics or live organisms provide health benefits.

Some brands pasteurize their product to control the level of residual alcohol and just add back probiotics (Totally defeats the purpose, right?).

Get to know the company and brand and ask questions about how their product is made.

I suggest checking out small local companies. Some local stores or cafes even offer kombucha on tap.

Want to learn how to make it at home?

Save money and learn how to make your own ‘booch at home.

Check out the Kombucha Brewing Guide I wrote for the Academy of Culinary Nutrition. Or even better, come and attend one of my in-person kombucha workshops in the Toronto area.

Check out the upcoming schedule of classes here.

About Melissa.

Melissa Torio is a Certified Culinary Nutrition Expert and Certified Instructor of the Academy of Culinary Nutrition.

She is an avid kombucha homebrewer and fermentation enthusiast and aims to help people live healthier and more sustainable lives.

Melissa creates healthy recipes and teaches healthy cooking classes and kombucha workshops in the Toronto area. Connect with her at melissatorio.com.

Website: https://melissatorio.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/melissa.torio

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/melissatorio

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/melissa_torio

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/melissatorio


P.S.: Follow me on Instagram to get weekly tips and tricks!

P.P.S.: Get more lifestyle tips here

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On Mother’s Day weekend, we hosted my family for On Mother’s Day weekend, we hosted my family for brunch. I bought a few quiches to eat for brunch mixed with bacon, croissants, and fruit.⁠
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No need to make everything from scratch friends!⁠
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According to the quiche reheat instructions, the internal temperature was to be 165° so after I baked it for about 18 minutes I checked the temp with my digital meat thermometre.⁠
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My mom’s husband looked over at me and said to her: “Look honey, she uses a thermometre too!” My mom laughed and said that her husband uses one for everything and uses a timer for all of his cooking.⁠
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When we were growing up my mom simply smelled and looked at the food to tell if it was done. ⁠
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“Mom, how do you know the turkey’s done?"⁠
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“Oh, I just know.”⁠
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My mom would smell it first in the kitchen and then she would peek at the food in the oven and decide it was done by how it looked.⁠
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It’s interesting how those experiences help us to establish what we do in our own kitchens when we start to cook for ourselves.⁠
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I use a thermometre and timer for many things, but I still use the smell and look method to help me decide if it’s done.⁠
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A balance of both of these approaches while cooking is important.⁠
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If you’re new to cooking, you might simply use a timer for a recipe, but once the timer is done, it might not be cooked all the way through. ⁠
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A more experienced cook would observe that the dish is not quite browned enough and that it needs more time in the oven.⁠
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Every oven has a different temperature, so it’s important to balance that with the time. This is why I find using a thermometre really helpful. It can also prevent overcooking and drying out the food.⁠
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Chicken is notoriously overcooked because people are afraid to undercook it. ⁠
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A thermometre will tell you exactly when the chicken is finished at 165°. It stays somewhat moist and juicy at that temperature.⁠
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If you wait until it’s browned on the outside, it might be too dry to eat. Alternatively, just using a timer could result in either a dry or under-cooked chicken breast.⁠
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I made this nifty graphic you can keep handy the next time you’re cooking. Use it to cook moist meat, not dry!⁠
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xo
Happy Friday 13th!⁠ ⁠ Do you find eating salad Happy Friday 13th!⁠
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Do you find eating salads scary??? 😱⁠
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According to my highly unscientific research, there are two types of people who don’t like to eat salad:⁠
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1️⃣Those who think eating salad is boring.⁠
2️⃣Those who think that salad isn’t filling enough to be a full meal.⁠
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Ok, one more… those who don’t like eating vegetables!⁠
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If you fall into one of the first two categories, I’m here to tell you that maybe… just maybe… you’ve been making salads wrong.⁠
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I know... People don’t like to be told that what they’ve been doing is wrong (I don’t like to be told that either) but I can guarantee you that salads can be fun and filling and it’s all in how we put them together.⁠
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On the blog, I have all the tips on how to make the perfect salad just for you: ⁠
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>>https://lealoucooks.com/howtobuildasalad/⁠
>>or get the link in my profile here: @lealoucooks
I love the idea of looking into the cupboard and c I love the idea of looking into the cupboard and creating something from what seems like nothing.⁠
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I do this to use up the food I have before bringing more food into the house.⁠
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I'm not sure about you, but when I don't use up the food I have, it gets pushed to the back of the fridge and then lands right into the compost bin. ⁠
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This is one of the ways groceries can get expensive.⁠
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So before you make your next grocery list, look in the cupboards and fridge first. What do you have in there that can be used up?⁠
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Then search for a recipe that uses those ingredients.⁠
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Shop your kitchen first, then make a list.⁠
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If you have food in your house you're not sure what to do with, comment below and I'll think of what to make with it!⁠
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#mealplanning #mealplanningtips #mealhelp #dinnertime #supper #eatleftovers #fridgefood #recipes #savemoney #foodwaste⁠
This weekend is a bit of a doozy - a fun doozy!!⁠
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💛My street is hosting a giant street sale (if you're in Etobicoke you can DM me for the address).⁠
💛It's my anniversary (14 years!)⁠
💛AND it's Mother's Day (on the same day as my anniversary! Sorry hunny).⁠
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I'm hosting my sisters and mom for a brunch and I asked them what their most favourite brunch meal is to eat... I'll make the menu a combination of everything for them!⁠
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My sister asked me the question back and I, of course, thought of eggs.🥚⁠
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(Why are all of my posts about eggs??)⁠
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This photo is of a breakfast I had last week and it was so good!⁠
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💛Sourdough GF bread from @thebreadessentials⁠
💛Topped with hummus⁠
💛Topped with a yellow heirloom tomato (fun!)⁠
💛Topped with eggs (duh)⁠
💛Topped with jalapeno sheep cheese from @blythfarmcheese⁠
💛Topped with Broccoli sprouts from @livingearthtoronto⁠
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That brekky was a favourite hands-down.⁠
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Eat what you love friends! 🌱⁠

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About Stephanie

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Hey! I'm Stephanie. I'm a Writer, Culinary Nutrition Expert and Cooking Instructor helping families cook nourishing meals. Read more about me {here}.

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