Then making our kombucha usually forms pieces of SCOBY that can be used to make more crops, but if you are not interested in preparing more kombucha and do not like the idea of just throwing it away or do not have a friend who is interested in receiving SCOBYs at home, or if you simply want to give your kombucha broth a use, We have solutions to help you use kombucha.
Note: In formal terms, the SCOBY corresponds both to the upper layer of cellulose that is formed and also to the broth itself, that is, it is the set of both. However, as it is popularly called SCOBY to the upper layer that is formed, we will talk about the same way to facilitate reading.
The SCOBY has proven to be very versatile, given its microbial and health-enhancing properties are often reused in recipes for breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, whatever you like, as cosmetics, fertilizers and even to make some clothes.
Pets can also enjoy the benefits of SCOBY, even if it is quite appetizing for them.
As long as SCOBY is stored properly, protected from contaminants, you will have a wide variety of options that you can use to improve the results of some tasks at home or for yourself.
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Drink for accompaniment or soft drink
It is undoubtedly the main and most obvious use we have on the list, but it is impossible not to mention it since most of the content we have on this website and that exists throughout the internet is based on this use.
Using it at lunchtime to accompany the meal or taking it previously to help our body digest food is one of its main uses, but it can also be a powerful refreshment after training.
In fact, this topic was previously discussed in the best times to drink kombucha and obviously it has to be controlled at the recommended daily dose of kombucha.
Kombucha as an ingredient in meals?
The SCOBY residues left over after fermentation can still have a second use if you do not want to prepare more kombucha, one of these is as accompaniments or ingredients in the preparation of meals facilitating the good digestion of food.
They are very useful as a substitute for raw fish in the preparation of sushi or homemade ceviche, kombucha SCOBY has a texture similar to raw squid and can be combined chopped with rice, nori and vegetables to make sushi rolls or seafood recipes. In other cases you can make a SCOBY puree with oatmeal, nuts, dried fruits to make cookie dough and chocolate. [1] [2] [3]
Kombucha vinegar is excellent for pickling fish making it more tender and juicier, it gives a peculiar or even slightly salty flavor and aromas to some. It is also a very good seasoning for salads, although in the case of sushi you can omit ingredients such as rice vinegar since the acidity of kombucha is sufficient. [1] [4]
Shakes with SCOBY
If you don’t consider making another kombucha tea with SCOBY, you can give it another culinary use such as making smoothies of your choice, be it strawberries, chocolate, blackberries, vanilla, it can improve its nutritional value and improve your energy by providing you with some of the benefits that kombucha offers.
SCOBY can be added in smoothies as a thickener, you can use it in your favorite drinks, fruit smoothies for exercise or to make fermented milk, SCOBY forms bacterial cellulose, which is used in the food industry as thickeners, food matrices, stabilizers, dietary fibers, and binders. [3] [5]
The application of kombucha in dairy products allows to obtain beverages of high microbiological, sensory, and physicochemical quality, giving organic acids and microorganisms with health benefits, it is possible that they also improve the nutrient content of milk. [6] Therefore, the quality of the dairy product is improved, and the enrichment of the product is facilitated. [7]
Preparation of Sweets or Snacks
The SCOBY can be used as an additive to prepare sweets or turn it into a delicious snack, which will be well received by the whole family, it can be used as a complement in the preparation of cookies, smoothies, or ice cream with fruits. [3]
As a snack you can make fruit hides, these are prepared by mixing the fruit puree with other additives and then dehydrate them under specific conditions, you can cut the SCOBY into cubes and liquefy it and then mix it with the fruit puree and spread it on a tray letting it dry. From this procedure they are cut into strips to have our snack ready. [8] [9]
You can make jerky from SCOBY using your favorite flavorings or spices and dehydrate it, you can eat it as jerky or add it to salads, trail mixes or at any meal of your choice. [3]
It is possible that the bacterial cellulose formed from kombucha can be used for the production of ice cream with peculiar organoleptic characteristics. [10]
SCOBY can also be caramelized into small candies [11] or used as a starter in coconut water to make a Filipino sweet called coconut cream which is cooked in sugar syrup and is similar to gelatin. [12]
Pet food
You can make sweets for your pet with the leftover SCOBY, if you cangive fresh or dehydrate them by making jerky for your pet, both dogs and cats can enjoy this treat and get the antioxidant, probiotic, mineral and vitamin benefits that kombucha can offer.
These treats have health benefits for your pet, help control blood sugar levels, infections, or gastrointestinal imbalances in dogs. They maintain good digestibility, immunity, and control certain systemic conditions of the body.
They should not consume the same doses that humans consume, one or two teaspoons may be recommended as a small serving once a day. Just like people, consuming more than the recommended doses can lead to health problems so you should monitor the amount of SCOBY treats your pet can eat. [13]
Can it be used as a fertilizer for the garden?
Yes, the SCOBY can be made into compost or added whole to a pile of it, it is a very valuable resource for the nutrition of plants or crops, they can also be ground and used directly in the soil of the plants, you can decide how to apply it, but compost is the best proposal. [14] [15]
The SCOBY can be made into an organic and natural fertilizer from the fermentation of food waste, if the SCOBY that is using mold will no longer be able to use it for the aforementioned options, but it can still work as a fertilizer for the garden, and for this, it must be stored in the freezer since the moldy SCOBY can attract flies. [16]
Also the mold-free SCOBY can be given to animals who will return it as compost in manure, functioning as fertilizer for plants. This way of using SCOBY is a viable option to restore and maintain soils, and as a good alternative to chemical fertilizers and pesticides that can pollute the environment. [15] [16]
Other uses of kombucha
If you do not like some of the alternatives already mentioned, you still have many other options in which you can reuse your kombucha SCOBY, some people have chosen to apply them to the skin as a whole or ground facial mask or as a bandage or under it since it is believed the acidity helps healing. [17]
Others use it in the feeding of chickens being very appetizing for these, or you can make crafts by letting the SCOBY dry until it is rigid but flexible, some university students have done tests creating materials that work as a replacement for leather. [17] [18]
Some colleges or fashion companies have tried to create vegan garments that replace the use of animal skins, where kombucha SCOBY is considered an option to synthesize leather-like materials. [19]
It could be used for materials that use leather for their manufacture such as toy drums, wallets, covers of small notebooks, etc., but all this will depend on how the industry evolves, making the necessary tests to verify the feasibility of this practice. [17]
And with that we finish another chapter in the art of kombucha, if you liked the alternative uses you can try one and tell us how it goes, but for now, it would be much better to learn more about kombucha and fermented with these posts we have for you.
