Healthy Swaps Series: Substitute Alcohol For Love Kombucha – A Fermented Green Tea Alcohol Alternative That Tastes Like Cider

Whilst we are in the month of March, making health conscious decisions on what we eat and drink should not only be done at the beginning of the year when we feel incredibly guilty of consuming a vast amount of food and drink after festive Christmas celebrations, it also is a good habit to also make mindful decisions throughout the entire year as part of abiding by a healthy approach to dietary choices the 80/20 rule (this will be covered in a separate article) .

In the first instalment of  my Healthy Swaps series, I will shed a little light on alcohol alternatives by substituting alcohol for the likes of new to market Love Kombucha – A fermented green tea alcohol alternative made with filtered water,  yeast and live bacteria and tastes just like cider!

So What Is Love Kombucha?

Good question! Simply put, Love Kombucha is made by adding live culture (raw living friendly yeast and bacteria to be precise) to organic ingredients. Filtered water is used to make the green tea which is sweetened with organic cane sugar. Knowing the readership of this blog all too well, I can see your raised eyebrows and frown through the screen at the mention of cane sugar, but is worth pointing out that Kombucha can only be made with sugar to successfully ferment the beverage, as it is the primary food for the live culture.

The live culture simply digests cane sugar and turns it into the beneficial acids contained in the kombucha concoction so it is not viable to use any other sugar alternatives such as xylitol, erythritol or stevia to name a few.

Kombucha Fermenting Process

At the very beginning of the brewing process, approximately 45 grams of unrefined organic cane sugar per 100 ml is used (that’s a lot right!) but by the time Love Kombucha are ready to bottle their beverages, there is less than 3 grams of cane sugar left per bottle.

The fermenting process takes place over a period of 10 – 14 days and during this time the temperature, ph levels as well as the taste of the brew are carefully monitored. The kombucha culture will eventually consume the green tea and cane sugar as previously mentioned and this friends is how Kombucha is created! (a firm favourite amongst those who choose a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle)

The live kombucha culture is removed from the beverage before being bottled. Finally, the flavours are added using fresh blueberries, grated ginger and freshly squeezed lime.

Benefits of Drinking Kombucha

Aside from being a great alternative to alcohol and sweet, unhealthy carbonated soft/ frizzy drinks, the fermentation process explained above means that Kombucha is loaded with 100% raw digestive organic enzymes, vitamins, minerals, probiotics and amino acids!

Kombcuha is made with all natural organic ingredients, is low in sugar acts as the perfect boost for metabolism and natural energy. Love Kombucha is also…

• Free from artificial sweeteners, flavours and colourings.
• Free from preservatives.
• Gluten and Dairy Free.
• Vegan and Vegetarian friendly.
• A British Made and British owned business.

Thoughts on Love Kombucha

The only time you will catch me sipping on an alcoholic concoction are one off Wedding, Christening, Birthday or Christmas celebrations so was left pleasantly surprised at just how much all Love Kombucha flavours smell and taste is reminiscent of an alcoholic beverage, cider in particular!

Love Kombucha are available in four refreshing flavours, Ginger, Blueberry, Ginger and Lime and Original. Whilst each flavour is a joy to drink, my personal favourite has to be Ginger and Lime! I am slightly disappointed that the Mango and Lime flavour is no longer available as there is nothing I love more than drinking beverages made with exotic fruit and have from not being available, have drawn inspiration to experiment with the original flavour to create my own mango infused kombucha drink (watch this space for the recipe with a Caribbean twist!).

Love Kombucha are available in 250 ml and 500 ml glass bottles and whilst the 250 ml glass bottles are perfect for drinking on the go, the 500 ml glass bottles are incredibly striking, and wouldn’t look out of place on a dining table accompanied with an array of home-cooked dishes to host a perfect night in with a loved one or a catch up with friends

One thing I must mention, is to not be startled by the white thick froth that sometimes can be found floating in bottles. As Kombucha contains live bacteria, it can sometimes grow. Some people have no problem in drinking this, but if you’re a little bothered by it  like me, you can simply strain this out before consuming.

Love Kombucha Cost

Love Kombucha are currently priced at £2.25 for 250 ml sizes and £3.45 for 500 ml sizes and can be found in most Wholefoods stores and some independent health shops. The price is extremely competitive when comparing the cost to a bottle of wine or other alcoholic beverages.

For more information on Love Kombucha, they can be found online by visiting Love Kombucha website, Love Kombucha Facebook or by simply following them on Twitter.

Disclaimer: PR Samples were kindly sent in exchange for a review. As always thoughts and opinions are honest and entirely my own.