Fermentation of kombucha without sugar – the right alternatives for your tea mushroom!

Kombucha without white sugar or granulated sugar - is that possible?

Most kombucha lovers swear by feeding their tea mushrooms with regular table sugar, whole cane sugar or raw cane sugar. There are actually a variety of alternatives to these conventional types of sugar. The Scoby needs carbohydrates for metabolism. These carbohydrates are also present, for example, in agave syrup, honey or sugar beet syrup. But he will almost certainly need more time to get used to the sugar alternative. It's also harder to figure out the exact recipe for the perfect taste.

Agave syrup

Agave nectar is a natural sweetener extracted from the agave plant. Agave syrup consists mainly of fructose. The kombucha can therefore become sour more quickly and the fermentation may have to be stopped earlier. It can also produce an interesting caramel flavor.

maple syrup

Maple syrup is the concentrated sap of the maple tree. The syrup contains more zinc and magnesium than regular sugar. The Scoby can also be used to this sweetener. This takes a lot of patience and the kombucha will taste a little unconventional.

Honey

If kombucha is made with honey it is called Jun-Kombucha . It often takes a long time to get the Scoby used to honey. Instead of a cup of regular sugar, you only need ⅞ the amount of honey for the same sweetening power.

molasses

Molasses is a by-product of conventional sugar and is high in iron, calcium and magnesium. The scoby may need a little longer to break down the individual components of the molasses until the sucrose can be metabolized. Fermentation can take 7 to 14 days.
The kombucha becomes sour faster and tastes a bit more bitter and stronger.

Coconut blossom sugar

Coconut blossom sugar also has a lower glycemic index and can be used to make kombucha. It is also important to note that kombucha with coconut blossom sugar becomes sour more quickly and requires a shorter fermentation time.