Kombucha is a fermented tea, made by adding a culture known as a "SCOBY" to a sweetened, brewed tea. These ingredients are left to ferment for a period of time resulting in a delicious, refreshing and nutrient rich, lightly sparkling drink.
WHAT IS KOMBUCHA?
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS?
• A rich source of probiotics and vitamin C, B1, B6 and B12
• Reduces risk of heart disease and blood sugar levels
• Reduces occurrences and size of kidney stones
• Help to manage type 2 diabetes
• Destroy free radicals, which are known to cause cell damage/ cancer
• Boost body immune system and metabolism
• Ease constipation and improve bowel movements
• Detoxify and improve liver function
• Rebalance homeostasis in the body
• Enhance nutrients absorption with glucuronic acids
• Reduce cholesterol and blood pressure
• Stabilize moods, improve concentration and release stress
• Rebuilds connective tissue and aids healthy cell regeneration
• Improves eyesight
• Relieves headache and migraine
• Heals eczema
• Prevents arteriosclerosis
• Speeds healing of ulcers
• Helps clear up candidiasis (i.e yeast infections)
• High in antioxidant & anti-inflammatory polyphenols
• Promote healthy bacteria in the digestive system
WHAT IS A SCOBY?
SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) that is a mass of bacteria and yeast, tied together with cellulose nanofibers. The bacteria and yeast in a SCOBY depend on each other, in that the by-products of the yeast fermentation feed the bacteria and the by-products of the bacteria fermentation feed the yeast.
HOW LONG IS THE BREWING PROCESS?
Our original kombucha takes 10-12 days of fermentation. Our flavoured kombucha takes around 14-16 days of fermentation (including the second stage fermentation of 3-4 days with no added sugar).
DOES IT CONTAIN ALCOHOL?
Due to the natural fermentation process, there could be trace amounts of alcohol present (less than 0.5% abv). If you eat bananas then you should have no issues with drinking kombucha. A ripe banana has more naturally occurring alcohol than kombucha.
However, if you are pregnant, have allergies, sensitivities or underlying health challenges, you are strongly advised to consult with your doctor prior to consumption.
WHAT IS THE SUGAR CONTENT IN MY KOMBUCHA?
Normally kombucha sugar levels are about 6-8g per 100ml but our kombucha are as low as 2-2.5g per 100ml. Rest assured the longer you keep the kombucha in the fridge, the sugar contents get reduced tremendously and the kombucha becomes more tart.
WHAT ARE THE STUFF FLOATING IN MY KOMBUCHA?
We filter the SCOBYs and yeast during our bottling process. As days and weeks go by, it continues to form as a sign of living, healthy culture. They are absolutely healthy and fine to consume. Simply swirl the bottle gently before drinking or if you prefer, you may strain the particles out.
WHY DOES MY KOMBUCHA TASTE DIFFERENT FROM THE PREVIOUS BATCHES?
The balance and interplay between the bacteria and yeast in this living culture drives the fermentation process and the production of healthy acids. Not all SCOBYs comprise the same mix of bacteria and yeast, nor are all SCOBYs of equal quality, as such two identically prepared batches of kombucha may taste and look different.
WHO CAN CONSUME KOMBUCHA?
• Anyone age 1 year and above.
• Kombucha fits any diet. No matter what dietary guidelines you follow- raw, vegetarian, vegan, Paleo, real food, kosher and even the standard American diet.
• Pregnant women are STRONGLY ADVISED to consult with their doctor prior to consuming kombucha.
• People with weakened immune systems, underlying health challenges or have any medical dietary requirements are also STRONGLY ADVISED to consult with their doctor prior to consuming kombucha.
HOW TO CONSUME KOMBUCHA?
Anytime, anywhere of the day (however, kombucha does contain mild caffeine – less than 15mg per 250ml serving so if you are very sensitive towards caffeinated drinks that may affect your sleep, we advise you to consume your kombucha before 5pm daily). Starting with 4 ounce/ 120ml first thing in the morning on an empty stomach gives you a chance to more keenly observe its effect on the body.
Tips for first timers- drink just 2 ounce (60ml) to 4 ounce (120ml) (choice to mix with a little bit of water) first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Then wait to see how your body reacts over the next few hours. If your body reacts well, slowly increase consumption but remember, too much too fast can lead to detoxification symptoms. As the saying goes, everything in moderation.
If you feel ravenous for kombucha when you first begin consuming it, it likely indicates that kombucha is supplying some nutrient that your body needs to correct a deficiency.
CAN I CONSUME IT AT NIGHT?
While you may not think of kombucha as a caffeinated beverage, it does, in fact, contain small amounts of caffeine. Our classic kombucha contains less than 20mg of caffeine per 500ml, about the same as a decaf cup of coffee (yes, even decaf coffee has some caffeine). For comparison, a regular cup of coffee has around 95mg of caffeine and a cup of green tea contains about 25mg.
HOW LONG CAN I KEEP THE KOMBUCHA?
There is no scientific shelf life, but from our observations, kombucha can actually be kept for a really long time (up to 6 months). Just note that the longer you keep them, the more tart and vinegary they taste as it contains live cultures which continues to ferment.
For optimum freshness, we recommend consuming it within 2 weeks from the day you receive your kombucha.
WHY DO I NEED TO KEEP IT REFRIGERATED?
Our kombucha is raw and unpasteurized, with no added preservatives to ensure you get all the probiotics enzymes and nutrients that kombucha contains.
This also means the flavour changes over time.
Keeping your kombucha refrigerated significantly slows down these changes and keeps the culture dormant to maintain the optimal flavour of your kombucha.
If left unrefrigerated, the kombucha will continue to ferment and break down any remaining sugars resulting in a more acidic drink. In more extreme cases, extended fermentation will also result in a super carbonated drink.
HOW WILL THE FLAVOURS DEVELOP AND CHANGE OVERTIME?
Some changes to expect:
• Increased tartness (more sour & vinegary)
• Decreased sweetness
• Increased fizziness (so remember to “burp” your bottle every 3 days and do not shake bottle vigorously when opening to avoid fizzy messes)
• Increased strands of live cultures
• A scoby layer might even form
DELIVERY FEES
Delivery is free for orders above $80. For deliveries below $80, a $6 delivery fee will be incurred. We deliver our kombucha island-wide in Singapore however, due to restrictions and limitations placed by selected organisations, we are unable to deliver to the following areas in Singapore:
• Tuas South Industrial Estate,
• Jurong Island,
• Lim Chu Kang Planning Area,
• Western Water Catchment Planning Area (excluding NTU, two-west and Cleantech Park),
• Simpang Planning Area,
• Offshore island,
• Coney Island,
• Pulau Punggol Timor, Pulau Punggol Barat,
• MINDEF/SAF/DSTA/DSO Complexes and Camps,
• MHA/SPF/SCDF/SPS/ICA Complexes and Camps, Police Station, NPC, Police Post, Fire Station,
• Revenue House and Singapore Customs office and complexes
• Supreme Court building, State Courts, Family Justice Court, AGC Chamber, One Upper Pickering Road,
• MOM Building, MOM Service Centre, Environment Building, Novena Square office tower, SLF Building, MSF Building, SEAB, SP Group Building, PA Headquarter (King George's Road), NTUC Trade Union House, The Atrium @ Orchard, MOE Building, MOE HQ (Ghim Moh)
• The Treasury, Old Hill Street Police Station (former MICA Building), Parliament House, One Marina Boulevard, MND Complex, The URA Centre, 79 Robinson Road, MAS Building, Tanjong Pagar Centre, Guoco Tower, College of Medicine Building, NUHS Building
• Public/Restructured Hospital and Hospital wards
• PSA & port areas,
• Changi Airport, ALPS and Seletar Airport,
• Changi East development zone, Tanah Merah Coast Road, Changi Coast Road, Aviation Park Road,
• protected places and protected areas and address without postal code in the official SLA database.
Customers whose shipping address fall into the no-go zone will be requested to change the shipping address or change the shipping carrier where a top-up may apply.
DELIVERY SCHEDULE
We prepare our kombucha as soon as an order is placed to ensure that you receive your kombucha in the freshest form. Therefore we require you to place your order 7 days in advance. If you need a special delivery outside standard timings (Monday to Saturday 9am to 7pm) please direct message us on Instagram @aboocha.sg or send us an email at info@aboocha.com. We will try our best to accommodate any requests.
CHANGE OF DELIVERY ADDRESS/ DATE
Plans change so we make it easy, just direct message us on Instagram @aboocha.sg or send us an email at info@aboocha.com with your order number and new address or delivery date, and we will make it happen. We just ask that you let us know 24 hours before the delivery.
RETURNS / REFUNDS
All Orders of perishable goods such as food and drinks cannot be returned. Cancellations and refunds are not permitted.
However, your request will be reviewed on a case-to-case basis. You must inform the Aboocha team within twenty-four (24) hours after delivery ONLY if the Item(s) is/are incorrect or damaged in the following manner: (a) The item is not the item that you ordered, or there are missing Item(s). (b) The item is found already damaged at time of delivery.
All Orders must meet the following conditions in order to be eligible for return: (a) Item(s) must be in new condition and returned in the original packaging along with all accessories including bottles, bottle labels, bottle caps, bottle innercaps) and free gifts received with it. All packaging must be unopened, unconsumed, unused, unmarked and not defaced in any manner. Item(s) must not have been used. (b) If the Order is eligible for return as described above, the Customer will be eligible for an exchange. However, if there is no stock available to exchange the Item, only then will Aboocha refund the payment amount for the Item to you via bank transfer to the bank account details as provided by you. (c) Upon receipt of the Item(s), we will examine it and we will advise you on the status of the replacement or refund (if any) via email or phone call as soon as practicable. (d) Aboocha may at its discretion refuse to process a replacement/exchange order. However, Aboocha may offer a refund as a substitute remedy.