Can you eat the Kombucha tea mushroom?

I can answer that with a clear "Yes". What the mushroom does for tea, it can also do for you: provide you with a wealth of nutrients. In this blog post, you'll find out why you should try Scoby, delicious tea mushroom recipes, and the latest Scoby trends.

What Scoby can do

The SCOBY (SYMBIOTIC CULTURE OF BACTERIA AND YEASTS) – botanically speaking, a lichen – has been known for centuries and is an amazing growth: it lives, thrives and gives us the health-promoting, delicious Kombucha.

Those who brew Kombucha at home know that the tea mushroom grows larger over time and eventually you have more Scobys than you need. This raises the question of whether you can do more with the excess tea mushroom.

What does a SCOBY consist of?

• Cellulose
• Bacterial cultures (e.g. lactic acid and acetic acid bacteria)
• Yeast cultures
• Microorganisms
• Interaction in a kind of symbiosis

Why should you eat Kombucha tea mushroom?

The Scoby...

• is the source of beneficial bacteria in Kombucha
• contains insoluble fiber, which is extremely gut-friendly
• helps to regulate blood sugar levels
• has an alkaline effect on our body
• has hardly any calories yet provides a pleasant feeling of fullness
• absorbs excess cholesterol in the bloodstream
• is full of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and trace elements

These are convincing arguments to simply try Scoby. Of course, the tea mushroom can simply be cut into small pieces and eaten. However, there are no limits to creativity if the taste is still a bit unusual for the first try.

What can we use the Kombucha mushroom for?

The edible tea mushroom: A new trend, like jerky or fruit gum? Scoby as a beauty mask, foot bath, pet food, or even as a leather substitute? I would like to give you an overview followed by a recipe section.

1. Alternative to fish in sushi

Especially for vegetarians, the use of Kombucha tea mushroom is a very attractive alternative to fish. When cooked, Scoby's consistency is reminiscent of calamari. Scoby is particularly popular as a substitute for fish in sushi. If you want to preserve all the nutrients of Scoby, it is best to use it raw.

2. Latest trend: Scoby Jerky

Marinate the Scoby in your favorite sauce for 24 hours and then lay it flat on a piece of baking paper. Dry it at 30 to 40 °C until it is dry and has a jerky-like consistency. Tip: All foods processed at up to 42 °C are still considered raw and most of the valuable ingredients are still preserved.

3. Make delicious Kombucha smoothies

Smoothies get a special nutrient boost from a few pieces of Scoby. The tea mushroom goes well with green smoothies, sweet berry smoothies, or in a breakfast bowl.

4. Scoby for your pet

Scoby can also have a beneficial effect on your pets, whether dog, cat, rabbit, or horse, and do good for their metabolism. Try a piece of tea mushroom to see if they like it.

5. Other uses for the tea mushroom

• For your beauty: As a face mask, hair treatment, or foot bath. Your skin and hair will thank you.
• For wounds or sunburn: Apply pureed Scoby to minor wounds or skin infections. Mixed with some aloe vera gel, the tea mushroom is a soothing lotion after sunbathing.
• Humus for your flowers: Simply put the Scoby on the compost instead of in the trash.
• Scoby as a leather substitute: Scoby not only serves as a plastic packaging substitute, but is also professionally produced as so-called "vegan leather".

Exciting Scoby Recipes

Berry Scoby Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 30 g Scoby
• 60 g frozen strawberries
• 100 ml rice milk or other milk substitute
• 100 ml Kombucha Original
• a little honey or maple syrup

Preparation:

Blend everything and your power smoothie is ready!

Applesauce with Scoby

Ingredients:

• 30 g Scoby
• 4 to 6 apples (depending on size)
• 50 ml Kombucha Original

Preparation:

Cut the apples into pieces. Then add them to the Kombucha with Scoby and blend everything until the desired consistency is reached. If desired, cinnamon or a little coconut blossom sugar can also be added. Be sure to store the finished applesauce in the refrigerator.

Tip: If you use a stand mixer, you can just remove the apple stems and leave the cores and core housing. These are valuable fiber that cleanse your intestines, and the pectin in the cores is good for your gut bacteria.

Scoby Energy Balls

These delicious energy balls help you to refuel and get back on your feet quickly after a short slump.

Ingredients:

• 125 g rolled oats
• 40 g dried cherries, dates or figs
• 50 g nut butter
• 3 spoonfuls of honey
• vanilla powder, cinnamon or other spices to taste
• 30 g Scoby

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients well and store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Then use a spoon to separate the dough and form small balls. Afterwards, store the finished Scoby Energy Balls in the refrigerator again.

Strawberry-Scoby Sorbet with Rose Petals

Ingredients (makes approx. 750 ml sorbet):

• 500 g prepared strawberries
• 100 g honey
• 150 ml Kombucha Original
• 2 cl rose essence
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 packet apple pectin
• 2 handfuls of rose petals

Preparation:

1. Wash the strawberries and put them in the blender.
2. Then add honey, lemon juice, Kombucha, and apple pectin. Puree the ingredients and season the sorbet mixture with lemon and rose essence. The strawberry-Kombucha sorbet should now thicken slightly due to the pectin.
3. Pluck the rose petals and sprinkle them into the sorbet mixture.
4. The sorbet mixture is now frozen in an ice cream machine, or you can fill the mixture into ice cream molds and let them freeze in the freezer. The soft sorbet also tastes great unfrozen.

Scoby Jerky

Ingredients:

• 5 to 6 thin Kombucha Scobys
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon diced garlic
• 120 ml soy sauce
• 7 tbsp honey

Preparation:

1. Cut the Scobys into strips.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients to make a marinade and soak the Scoby for 24 hours.
3. Place the Kombucha Scobys in strips on the tray of your dehydrator.
4. Dehydrate the strips until most of the moisture is gone (approx. 8 hours at 40 °C).
5. Store your Scoby jerky at room temperature in an airtight jar and consume within one month.

Notes

The easiest way to get thin Scobys for this recipe is to carefully peel off the top layer of the kombucha tea mushroom. Alternatively, you can try to separate a thick Scoby into layers.

If you don't have a dehydrator, you can prepare your Scoby jerky in the oven. Simply set the oven to the lowest temperature and leave the door ajar with a wooden spoon.

Scoby Fruit Gums

Tools:

• Blender
• Dehydrator
• Baking paper or dehydrator sheets
• Offset spatula
• Pizza cutter or scissors

Ingredients:

• 500 g Scoby
• 125 g fruit puree (strawberry or mixed with raspberry puree)
• 25 g cup organic sugar

Preparation:

1. Puree the fruits, add the sugar to the fruits and set the mixture aside.
2. Puree the Scoby in the blender at medium speed.
3. Add the fruit puree and continue blending until everything is well mixed.
4. Cut the baking paper to fit the dehydrator tray.
5. Pour the Scoby fruit mixture onto the paper on the rack.
6. Spread the mixture with an angled spatula to all edges (about 1/2 cm thick).
7. Follow steps 1 to 5 until all trays are filled.
8. Dehydrate the mixture at 30 °C for 24 to 36 hours or until the mixture is dry and no longer sticky.
9. Remove the dried mixture from the dehydrator and place it on a cutting board.
10. Using a pizza cutter or scissors, cut 1/2 cm wide strips across the entire dried Scoby fruit mass.
11. Leave the dried Scoby fruit gum on the parchment paper and roll up the Scoby fruit.
12. Store in an airtight container.
13. Remove the Scoby fruit gum from the paper before consumption.

ENJOY!