Re: Nutritional Content of Kombucha

[Guest guest]

Ken.

I'm surprised none of the " True Gurus " has leapt in on this one.

As, barely an apprentice, I can only guess, but the bulk constituent is

water, since you remove the tea (Loose or bagged) and don't *actually*

eat it I'd have thought the calorific value of those two would be

virtually nil.

As regards the sugar.

Assume, for demonstration purposes, that *none* of it is converted to

*anything* else.

One " British " , common or garden, bog standard, cup seems to contain, for

all practical purposes 1/2pt(English) or about 1/4ltrMetric.

I've just weighed a cup of sugar as 13 " Weightwatchers' " points.

I once calculated *one* point as being (On average) 65 calories

(Dietician's calories NOT Scientists). So! Those 13 points would be

*about* 845 dietician's calories.

Check how many " servings " you get from your 3 quarts, divide 845 by that

number, and I would say that's probably the *absolute maximum " calories

from the sugar.

Since the sugar is, in fact, attacked and devoured by the wee beasties

it ought to be a lot less, dependent upon how far you let it ferment.

Big HOWEVER.

I haven't a clue as to the calorific values of what the sugar turns into.

1. I know it ain't fats ... Most calories per unit weight.

2. Next in the pecking order comes Carbohydrates ... what your sugar

*was* before ferment.

3. I can't *really* see any protein being formed ... Bottom of the

calorie league.

There is a feeling with some Kombuchists(?) that (I can't remember which

way round it is) Taken before a meal aids weight loss, taken after aids

weight gain.

Some-one may correct me on that one.

HTH

(UK)

apprentice, novice, guru

-.-.-.-.-.-.

Ken wrote:

> I know each person's brew is a little different from the rest, but

> there is of course a certain standard content - 1 cup of sugar per 3 quarts of

water, etc. Therefore, it seems to me, there ought to be a fairly accurate

answer to the question: how many calories are there in a cup of kombucha? Since

starting on our regular daily 7 oz of kombucha, we seem to be experiencing a

little trouble keeping our weight in check. Can someone supply data on this

question?

> Ken

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

Ken.

I'm surprised none of the " True Gurus " has leapt in on this one.

As, barely an apprentice, I can only guess, but the bulk constituent is

water, since you remove the tea (Loose or bagged) and don't *actually*

eat it I'd have thought the calorific value of those two would be

virtually nil.

As regards the sugar.

Assume, for demonstration purposes, that *none* of it is converted to

*anything* else.

One " British " , common or garden, bog standard, cup seems to contain, for

all practical purposes 1/2pt(English) or about 1/4ltrMetric.

I've just weighed a cup of sugar as 13 " Weightwatchers' " points.

I once calculated *one* point as being (On average) 65 calories

(Dietician's calories NOT Scientists). So! Those 13 points would be

*about* 845 dietician's calories.

Check how many " servings " you get from your 3 quarts, divide 845 by that

number, and I would say that's probably the *absolute maximum " calories

from the sugar.

Since the sugar is, in fact, attacked and devoured by the wee beasties

it ought to be a lot less, dependent upon how far you let it ferment.

Big HOWEVER.

I haven't a clue as to the calorific values of what the sugar turns into.

1. I know it ain't fats ... Most calories per unit weight.

2. Next in the pecking order comes Carbohydrates ... what your sugar

*was* before ferment.

3. I can't *really* see any protein being formed ... Bottom of the

calorie league.

There is a feeling with some Kombuchists(?) that (I can't remember which

way round it is) Taken before a meal aids weight loss, taken after aids

weight gain.

Some-one may correct me on that one.

HTH

(UK)

apprentice, novice, guru

-.-.-.-.-.-.

Ken wrote:

> I know each person's brew is a little different from the rest, but

> there is of course a certain standard content - 1 cup of sugar per 3 quarts of

water, etc. Therefore, it seems to me, there ought to be a fairly accurate

answer to the question: how many calories are there in a cup of kombucha? Since

starting on our regular daily 7 oz of kombucha, we seem to be experiencing a

little trouble keeping our weight in check. Can someone supply data on this

question?

> Ken

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

My high school physics tell me that a calorie is actually a unit of energy. I

also seem to remember that there is such a thing as the law of the conservation

of energy. On that basis,  while the sugar doesn't stay as sugar, I question

whether the calories can really be lost, except perhaps to grow the scoby.

Otherwise, if they were added at the beginning as sugarSeems to me that, via the

law of the conservation of energy

[Guest guest]

My high school physics tell me that a calorie is actually a unit of energy. I

also seem to remember that there is such a thing as the law of the conservation

of energy. On that basis,  while the sugar doesn't stay as sugar, I question

whether the calories can really be lost, except perhaps to grow the scoby.

Otherwise, if they were added at the beginning as sugarSeems to me that, via the

law of the conservation of energy

[Guest guest]

I'm not that up on physics any more, but, to take it literally ... yes a

calorie is a heat unit and heat *is* energy. But I seriously doubt that

warming a body with 1,000 calories of heat from an electric fire would

cause a great weight increase.

;¬)

I think it'll depend on how said calories are presented to the body.

Some of said calories will, no doubt, be consumed by both the bacteria

and the " yeasticles " in turning your sweet tea into acidic KT and I

doubt there are all that many calories in, for instance acetic acid.

Any Gurus out there with the definitive answer?

*B*

KEN BROOKS wrote:

> My high school physics tell me that a calorie is actually a unit of energy. I

also seem to remember that there is such a thing as the law of the conservation

of energy. On that basis, while the sugar doesn't stay as sugar, I question

whether the calories can really be lost, except perhaps to grow the scoby.

Otherwise, if they were added at the beginning as sugarSeems to me that, via the

law of the conservation of energy

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'm not that up on physics any more, but, to take it literally ... yes a

calorie is a heat unit and heat *is* energy. But I seriously doubt that

warming a body with 1,000 calories of heat from an electric fire would

cause a great weight increase.

;¬)

I think it'll depend on how said calories are presented to the body.

Some of said calories will, no doubt, be consumed by both the bacteria

and the " yeasticles " in turning your sweet tea into acidic KT and I

doubt there are all that many calories in, for instance acetic acid.

Any Gurus out there with the definitive answer?

*B*

KEN BROOKS wrote:

> My high school physics tell me that a calorie is actually a unit of energy. I

also seem to remember that there is such a thing as the law of the conservation

of energy. On that basis, while the sugar doesn't stay as sugar, I question

whether the calories can really be lost, except perhaps to grow the scoby.

Otherwise, if they were added at the beginning as sugarSeems to me that, via the

law of the conservation of energy

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Here is an answer, although it may not be definitive!

Energy may, perhaps, neither be created nor destroyed but its form can

be changed.

Very simple example... we eat daily, those calories are metabolized

and produce the energy we need to go on with our daily lives. Those

calories are being used in the metabolic process, they are not just

sitting in our cells somewhere. It is the same with a Kombucha brew.

Those sugar calories are being metabolized and the calorie content at

the end of the fermentation period is entirely different than at the

beginning. Exactly how much depends on how much of the sugar is

actually left at the end of your individual fermentation.

That said... here is another example. Apple juice has 29 Kcal per

8oz. Apple cider vinegar, according to my google search, has 0, yep,

zero, nada.

Those energetic little sugar calories were given up in the chemical

process that produces vinegar. If you go back to that chem class you

will remember that not only are the molecules changed during

reactions, but each and every reaction has an endothermic or

exothermic factor associated with it. That's were the calories go.

So... in KT the calories are expended in endothermic reactions that

produce the molecular changes that give us not only the acids and the

SCOBY in a brew, but also to support the microscopic life forms that

abound in both the brew and the SCOBY!

Hope this hasn't muddied the Kombucha too much and if there are errors

in my reasoning, please feel free to correct me.... my chem class was

is a good forty years ago. :-)

Gayle

On Dec 2, 2008, at 4:13 AM, Kane wrote:

> I'm not that up on physics any more, but, to take it literally ...

> yes a

> calorie is a heat unit and heat *is* energy. But I seriously doubt

> that

> warming a body with 1,000 calories of heat from an electric fire would

> cause a great weight increase.

> ;¬)

> I think it'll depend on how said calories are presented to the body.

> Some of said calories will, no doubt, be consumed by both the bacteria

> and the " yeasticles " in turning your sweet tea into acidic KT and I

> doubt there are all that many calories in, for instance acetic acid.

> Any Gurus out there with the definitive answer?

> *B*

>

> KEN BROOKS wrote:

>> My high school physics tell me that a calorie is actually a unit of

>> energy. I also seem to remember that there is such a thing as the

>> law of the conservation of energy. On that basis, while the sugar

>> doesn't stay as sugar, I question whether the calories can really

>> be lost, except perhaps to grow the scoby. Otherwise, if they were

>> added at the beginning as sugarSeems to me that, via the law of the

>> conservation of energy

>>

>>

>>

[Guest guest]

Here is an answer, although it may not be definitive!

Energy may, perhaps, neither be created nor destroyed but its form can

be changed.

Very simple example... we eat daily, those calories are metabolized

and produce the energy we need to go on with our daily lives. Those

calories are being used in the metabolic process, they are not just

sitting in our cells somewhere. It is the same with a Kombucha brew.

Those sugar calories are being metabolized and the calorie content at

the end of the fermentation period is entirely different than at the

beginning. Exactly how much depends on how much of the sugar is

actually left at the end of your individual fermentation.

That said... here is another example. Apple juice has 29 Kcal per

8oz. Apple cider vinegar, according to my google search, has 0, yep,

zero, nada.

Those energetic little sugar calories were given up in the chemical

process that produces vinegar. If you go back to that chem class you

will remember that not only are the molecules changed during

reactions, but each and every reaction has an endothermic or

exothermic factor associated with it. That's were the calories go.

So... in KT the calories are expended in endothermic reactions that

produce the molecular changes that give us not only the acids and the

SCOBY in a brew, but also to support the microscopic life forms that

abound in both the brew and the SCOBY!

Hope this hasn't muddied the Kombucha too much and if there are errors

in my reasoning, please feel free to correct me.... my chem class was

is a good forty years ago. :-)

Gayle

On Dec 2, 2008, at 4:13 AM, Kane wrote:

> I'm not that up on physics any more, but, to take it literally ...

> yes a

> calorie is a heat unit and heat *is* energy. But I seriously doubt

> that

> warming a body with 1,000 calories of heat from an electric fire would

> cause a great weight increase.

> ;¬)

> I think it'll depend on how said calories are presented to the body.

> Some of said calories will, no doubt, be consumed by both the bacteria

> and the " yeasticles " in turning your sweet tea into acidic KT and I

> doubt there are all that many calories in, for instance acetic acid.

> Any Gurus out there with the definitive answer?

> *B*

>

> KEN BROOKS wrote:

>> My high school physics tell me that a calorie is actually a unit of

>> energy. I also seem to remember that there is such a thing as the

>> law of the conservation of energy. On that basis, while the sugar

>> doesn't stay as sugar, I question whether the calories can really

>> be lost, except perhaps to grow the scoby. Otherwise, if they were

>> added at the beginning as sugarSeems to me that, via the law of the

>> conservation of energy

>>

>>

>>

[Guest guest]

Gayle Marks wrote:

> Hope this hasn't muddied the Kombucha too much and if there are errors in my

reasoning, please feel free to correct me.... my chem class was a good forty

years ago. :-)

>

> Gayle

>

So were mine.

;¬)

*B*

[Guest guest]

personally, i think that calorie content will vary widely with amount of sugar

added, brew time, strength of KT starter, etc. for a rough estimate, check out

the nutrition facts on a bottle of GTs. per 8 ounce serving (2 per bottle) there

is 7 grams carbs, of 2 of which are listed as sugars, and 30 calories. now this

isnt much different than that found in apple cider vinegar as indicated by this

site  

http://www.nutritionanalyser.com/food_composition/fid=02048 & amount=1 & measures=1 & \

BtnMeasure=change+measure 

though most manufactures list zero calories in a tablespoon of vinegar, it

really isnt zero, just less than one, so our truth in labelling laws let them

list it as zero.

now 30 calories per serving isnt a lot, but if you dont decrease by the same

amount of calories somewhere else in your diet it will add up. i remember

reading somewhere that eating the equivalent of 2 potato chips worth of extra

calories (meaning over what you burn) per day translates into a 10 pound weight

gain per year!

but if you use your KT as part of your overall lifestyle improvement, and use it

to replace one 12 ounce can of soda (140 calories!) then you have actually saved

calories. you would have to drink more than 32 ounces to equal that one soda.

in response to someone's statement that because of energy conservation, the

sugar doesnt get " used up " by the KT and the calories are still in there, you

need to consider that energy can be expressed as heat. so when the beasties eat

sugar, they actually give off heat and use the energy of the sugar in the same

manner we do. one thing i have noted with my KT factory is that a full jar of

brewing KT will show slightly higher on my stick-on thermometer than an empty

jar in the same room. and a large jar of KT is slightly hotter than a small jar

of KT. it is generating a wee bit of heat as it converts that sugar into other

substances.  we take in calories, and our bodies use them to perform " work " and

this creates heat and the calories are " used up " . now that is my very

unscientific interpretation, and if you want the scientific interpretation there

are many sites that cover this in so much detail that your eyes will cross!

i too have heard the drink before meals to lose weight, after to gain, and have

no idea if there is anything to support this, or if its just along the same

lines as eat a cup of broth 20 minutes before eating and you feel less hungry

and therefore eat less (and take in less calories), whereas even on top of a

full belly you can squeeze in a little more liquid (there is always room for

beer!) and thus just add more calories.

dl

________________________________

From: Kane <brainnake@...>

kombucha tea

Sent: Monday, December 1, 2008 11:55:08 AM

Subject: Re: Nutritional Content of Kombucha

Ken.

I'm surprised none of the " True Gurus " has leapt in on this one.

As, barely an apprentice, I can only guess, but the bulk constituent is

water, since you remove the tea (Loose or bagged) and don't *actually*

eat it I'd have thought the calorific value of those two would be

virtually nil.

As regards the sugar.

Assume, for demonstration purposes, that *none* of it is converted to

*anything* else.

One " British " , common or garden, bog standard, cup seems to contain, for

all practical purposes 1/2pt(English) or about 1/4ltrMetric.

I've just weighed a cup of sugar as 13 " Weightwatchers' " points.

I once calculated *one* point as being (On average) 65 calories

(Dietician's calories NOT Scientists). So! Those 13 points would be

*about* 845 dietician's calories.

Check how many " servings " you get from your 3 quarts, divide 845 by that

number, and I would say that's probably the *absolute maximum " calories

from the sugar.

Since the sugar is, in fact, attacked and devoured by the wee beasties

it ought to be a lot less, dependent upon how far you let it ferment.

Big HOWEVER.

I haven't a clue as to the calorific values of what the sugar turns into.

1. I know it ain't fats ... Most calories per unit weight.

2. Next in the pecking order comes Carbohydrates ... what your sugar

*was* before ferment.

3. I can't *really* see any protein being formed ... Bottom of the

calorie league.

There is a feeling with some Kombuchists( ?) that (I can't remember which

way round it is) Taken before a meal aids weight loss, taken after aids

weight gain.

Some-one may correct me on that one.

HTH

(UK)

apprentice, novice, guru

-.-.-.-.-.-.

Ken wrote:

> I know each person's brew is a little different from the rest, but

> there is of course a certain standard content - 1 cup of sugar per 3 quarts of

water, etc. Therefore, it seems to me, there ought to be a fairly accurate

answer to the question: how many calories are there in a cup of kombucha? Since

starting on our regular daily 7 oz of kombucha, we seem to be experiencing a

little trouble keeping our weight in check. Can someone supply data on this

question?

> Ken

>

>

> ------------ --------- --------- ------

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I was thinking of the exact same thing, how that the calories can be converted

into heat energy, by the many strains yeast and bacteria while they're working.

The yeast would also change some sugar into CO2 and the bacteria would work at

making acids and reproducing.

I had to think of a compost pile when you mentioned the heat the " beasties " give

off. Please, don't think of your kombucha as being one with a compost pile...

:-) not trying to turn anybody off, but it really is interesting. I had never

noticed any difference in the temp of my fermentation jars, as I don't have a

stick-on thermometer, but it is not at all hard to believe. In our huge compost

piles here on the farm, the temps from the " wee beasties " working away so hard,

are high enough to burn your hand. When we turn the compost with the skid loader

in the winter time, it makes huge clouds of steam and the heat rolls out.

Actually kind of fun. :-) They will cook and digest almost anything decomposable

in a month or two.

BTW, the 30 calories that are still present in 8oz. of kt are vastly changed

from the sugar form that they had been. Now they are no longer empty calories.

Actually I think much of the 30 calories is in the form of either alive or dead

bacteria and yeast. If that's too gross a thought, then don't think it... but

get real. :-) If your GI track would be sterile, you would die.

Happy brewing!

Rodrick

Re: Nutritional Content of Kombucha

Ken.

I'm surprised none of the " True Gurus " has leapt in on this one.

As, barely an apprentice, I can only guess, but the bulk constituent is

water, since you remove the tea (Loose or bagged) and don't *actually*

eat it I'd have thought the calorific value of those two would be

virtually nil.

As regards the sugar.

Assume, for demonstration purposes, that *none* of it is converted to

*anything* else.

One " British " , common or garden, bog standard, cup seems to contain, for

all practical purposes 1/2pt(English) or about 1/4ltrMetric.

I've just weighed a cup of sugar as 13 " Weightwatchers' " points.

I once calculated *one* point as being (On average) 65 calories

(Dietician's calories NOT Scientists). So! Those 13 points would be

*about* 845 dietician's calories.

Check how many " servings " you get from your 3 quarts, divide 845 by that

number, and I would say that's probably the *absolute maximum " calories

from the sugar.

Since the sugar is, in fact, attacked and devoured by the wee beasties

it ought to be a lot less, dependent upon how far you let it ferment.

Big HOWEVER.

I haven't a clue as to the calorific values of what the sugar turns into.

1. I know it ain't fats ... Most calories per unit weight.

2. Next in the pecking order comes Carbohydrates ... what your sugar

*was* before ferment.

3. I can't *really* see any protein being formed ... Bottom of the

calorie league.

There is a feeling with some Kombuchists( ?) that (I can't remember which

way round it is) Taken before a meal aids weight loss, taken after aids

weight gain.

Some-one may correct me on that one.

HTH

(UK)

apprentice, novice, guru

-.-.-.-.-.-.

Ken wrote:

> I know each person's brew is a little different from the rest, but

> there is of course a certain standard content - 1 cup of sugar per 3 quarts

of water, etc. Therefore, it seems to me, there ought to be a fairly accurate

answer to the question: how many calories are there in a cup of kombucha? Since

starting on our regular daily 7 oz of kombucha, we seem to be experiencing a

little trouble keeping our weight in check. Can someone supply data on this

question?

> Ken

>

>

> ------------ --------- --------- ------

>

>

[Guest guest]

i agree with all you said except this:

That said... here is another example. Apple juice has 29 Kcal per

8oz. Apple cider vinegar, according to my google search, has 0, yep,

zero, nada

a tablespoon can legally said to have zero (when its really less than one) but a

cup actually has about 30

dl

________________________________

From: Gayle Marks <gsmarks@...>

kombucha tea

Sent: Tuesday, December 2, 2008 8:21:40 AM

Subject: Re: Re: Nutritional Content of Kombucha

Here is an answer, although it may not be definitive!

Energy may, perhaps, neither be created nor destroyed but its form can

be changed.

Very simple example... we eat daily, those calories are metabolized

and produce the energy we need to go on with our daily lives. Those

calories are being used in the metabolic process, they are not just

sitting in our cells somewhere. It is the same with a Kombucha brew.

Those sugar calories are being metabolized and the calorie content at

the end of the fermentation period is entirely different than at the

beginning. Exactly how much depends on how much of the sugar is

actually left at the end of your individual fermentation.

That said... here is another example. Apple juice has 29 Kcal per

8oz. Apple cider vinegar, according to my google search, has 0, yep,

zero, nada.

Those energetic little sugar calories were given up in the chemical

process that produces vinegar. If you go back to that chem class you

will remember that not only are the molecules changed during

reactions, but each and every reaction has an endothermic or

exothermic factor associated with it. That's were the calories go.

So... in KT the calories are expended in endothermic reactions that

produce the molecular changes that give us not only the acids and the

SCOBY in a brew, but also to support the microscopic life forms that

abound in both the brew and the SCOBY!

Hope this hasn't muddied the Kombucha too much and if there are errors

in my reasoning, please feel free to correct me.... my chem class was

is a good forty years ago. :-)

Gayle

On Dec 2, 2008, at 4:13 AM, Kane wrote:

> I'm not that up on physics any more, but, to take it literally ...

> yes a

> calorie is a heat unit and heat *is* energy. But I seriously doubt

> that

> warming a body with 1,000 calories of heat from an electric fire would

> cause a great weight increase.

> ;¬)

> I think it'll depend on how said calories are presented to the body.

> Some of said calories will, no doubt, be consumed by both the bacteria

> and the " yeasticles " in turning your sweet tea into acidic KT and I

> doubt there are all that many calories in, for instance acetic acid.

> Any Gurus out there with the definitive answer?

> *B*

>

> KEN BROOKS wrote:

>> My high school physics tell me that a calorie is actually a unit of

>> energy. I also seem to remember that there is such a thing as the

>> law of the conservation of energy. On that basis, while the sugar

>> doesn't stay as sugar, I question whether the calories can really

>> be lost, except perhaps to grow the scoby. Otherwise, if they were

>> added at the beginning as sugarSeems to me that, via the law of the

>> conservation of energy

>>

>>

>>

[Guest guest]

Yep... you're right... here is the info from my college nutritional

text:

apple cider vinegar: 1/2 cup = 14 cal/7 carb grams

Gayle

On Dec 2, 2008, at 1:51 PM, LaGrand wrote:

> i agree with all you said except this:

>

> That said... here is another example. Apple juice has 29 Kcal per

> 8oz. Apple cider vinegar, according to my google search, has 0, yep,

> zero, nada

>

> a tablespoon can legally said to have zero (when its really less

> than one) but a cup actually has about 30

>

> dl

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

> From: Gayle Marks <gsmarks@...>

> kombucha tea

> Sent: Tuesday, December 2, 2008 8:21:40 AM

> Subject: Re: Re: Nutritional Content of Kombucha

>

>

> Here is an answer, although it may not be definitive!

>

> Energy may, perhaps, neither be created nor destroyed but its form can

> be changed.

>

> Very simple example... we eat daily, those calories are metabolized

> and produce the energy we need to go on with our daily lives. Those

> calories are being used in the metabolic process, they are not just

> sitting in our cells somewhere. It is the same with a Kombucha brew.

> Those sugar calories are being metabolized and the calorie content at

> the end of the fermentation period is entirely different than at the

> beginning. Exactly how much depends on how much of the sugar is

> actually left at the end of your individual fermentation.

>

> That said... here is another example. Apple juice has 29 Kcal per

> 8oz. Apple cider vinegar, according to my google search, has 0, yep,

> zero, nada.

>

> Those energetic little sugar calories were given up in the chemical

> process that produces vinegar. If you go back to that chem class you

> will remember that not only are the molecules changed during

> reactions, but each and every reaction has an endothermic or

> exothermic factor associated with it. That's were the calories go.

>

> So... in KT the calories are expended in endothermic reactions that

> produce the molecular changes that give us not only the acids and the

> SCOBY in a brew, but also to support the microscopic life forms that

> abound in both the brew and the SCOBY!

>

> Hope this hasn't muddied the Kombucha too much and if there are errors

> in my reasoning, please feel free to correct me.... my chem class was

> is a good forty years ago. :-)

>

> Gayle

>

> On Dec 2, 2008, at 4:13 AM, Kane wrote:

>

>> I'm not that up on physics any more, but, to take it literally ...

>> yes a

>> calorie is a heat unit and heat *is* energy. But I seriously doubt

>> that

>> warming a body with 1,000 calories of heat from an electric fire

>> would

>> cause a great weight increase.

>> ;¬)

>> I think it'll depend on how said calories are presented to the body.

>> Some of said calories will, no doubt, be consumed by both the

>> bacteria

>> and the " yeasticles " in turning your sweet tea into acidic KT and I

>> doubt there are all that many calories in, for instance acetic acid.

>> Any Gurus out there with the definitive answer?

>> *B*

>>

>> KEN BROOKS wrote:

>>> My high school physics tell me that a calorie is actually a unit of

>>> energy. I also seem to remember that there is such a thing as the

>>> law of the conservation of energy. On that basis, while the sugar

>>> doesn't stay as sugar, I question whether the calories can really

>>> be lost, except perhaps to grow the scoby. Otherwise, if they were

>>> added at the beginning as sugarSeems to me that, via the law of the

>>> conservation of energy

>>>

>>>

>>>

[Guest guest]

Hmm...just looked at the label on a bottle of GT's... it is 15 cal per

1/2 cup.... pretty close to the vinegar.

Gayle

On Dec 2, 2008, at 2:05 PM, Gayle Marks wrote:

> Yep... you're right... here is the info from my college nutritional

> text:

> apple cider vinegar: 1/2 cup = 14 cal/7 carb grams

>

>

> Gayle

>

>

> On Dec 2, 2008, at 1:51 PM, LaGrand wrote:

>

>> i agree with all you said except this:

>>

>> That said... here is another example. Apple juice has 29 Kcal per

>> 8oz. Apple cider vinegar, according to my google search, has 0, yep,

>> zero, nada

>>

>> a tablespoon can legally said to have zero (when its really less

>> than one) but a cup actually has about 30

>>

>> dl

>>

>>

>>

[Guest guest]

i'm pretty hard to gross out, so your reference to the compost pile didnt bother

me a bit. when you think of it, our intestines are just a contained compost bin,

with a myriad of beasties changing the food we eat into a form our bodies to

use. while our stomach begins the digestive process, i think the bulk of

absorption of nutrients comes later down the line in the intestines. so, every

time we drink KT, we add to our resident population of good bacteria, and every

time we eat junk, we kill off good bacteria and let the bad flourish. since i

started drinking KT, i quit taking those very expensive probiotic pills and have

had as good or better result with the KT. i do like mine on the vinegar-sharp

side, so feel i am not getting much unprocessed sugar.

glad to find a like-minded composter (tho mine is turned daily by the chickens,

so i dont get big steam clouds, but the eggs are great!)

dl

 

________________________________

From: Rodrick Shank <rshank@...>

kombucha tea

Sent: Tuesday, December 2, 2008 1:49:42 PM

Subject: Re: Nutritional Content of Kombucha

Hi ,

I was thinking of the exact same thing, how that the calories can be converted

into heat energy, by the many strains yeast and bacteria while they're working.

The yeast would also change some sugar into CO2 and the bacteria would work at

making acids and reproducing.

I had to think of a compost pile when you mentioned the heat the " beasties " give

off. Please, don't think of your kombucha as being one with a compost pile...

:-) not trying to turn anybody off, but it really is interesting. I had never

noticed any difference in the temp of my fermentation jars, as I don't have a

stick-on thermometer, but it is not at all hard to believe. In our huge compost

piles here on the farm, the temps from the " wee beasties " working away so hard,

are high enough to burn your hand. When we turn the compost with the skid loader

in the winter time, it makes huge clouds of steam and the heat rolls out.

Actually kind of fun. :-) They will cook and digest almost anything decomposable

in a month or two.

BTW, the 30 calories that are still present in 8oz. of kt are vastly changed

from the sugar form that they had been. Now they are no longer empty calories.

Actually I think much of the 30 calories is in the form of either alive or dead

bacteria and yeast. If that's too gross a thought, then don't think it... but

get real. :-) If your GI track would be sterile, you would die.

Happy brewing!

Rodrick

Re: Nutritional Content of Kombucha

Ken.

I'm surprised none of the " True Gurus " has leapt in on this one.

As, barely an apprentice, I can only guess, but the bulk constituent is

water, since you remove the tea (Loose or bagged) and don't *actually*

eat it I'd have thought the calorific value of those two would be

virtually nil.

As regards the sugar.

Assume, for demonstration purposes, that *none* of it is converted to

*anything* else.

One " British " , common or garden, bog standard, cup seems to contain, for

all practical purposes 1/2pt(English) or about 1/4ltrMetric.

I've just weighed a cup of sugar as 13 " Weightwatchers' " points.

I once calculated *one* point as being (On average) 65 calories

(Dietician's calories NOT Scientists). So! Those 13 points would be

*about* 845 dietician's calories.

Check how many " servings " you get from your 3 quarts, divide 845 by that

number, and I would say that's probably the *absolute maximum " calories

from the sugar.

Since the sugar is, in fact, attacked and devoured by the wee beasties

it ought to be a lot less, dependent upon how far you let it ferment.

Big HOWEVER.

I haven't a clue as to the calorific values of what the sugar turns into.

1. I know it ain't fats ... Most calories per unit weight.

2. Next in the pecking order comes Carbohydrates ... what your sugar

*was* before ferment.

3. I can't *really* see any protein being formed ... Bottom of the

calorie league.

There is a feeling with some Kombuchists( ?) that (I can't remember which

way round it is) Taken before a meal aids weight loss, taken after aids

weight gain.

Some-one may correct me on that one.

HTH

(UK)

apprentice, novice, guru

-.-.-.-.-.-.

Ken wrote:

> I know each person's brew is a little different from the rest, but

> there is of course a certain standard content - 1 cup of sugar per 3 quarts of

water, etc. Therefore, it seems to me, there ought to be a fairly accurate

answer to the question: how many calories are there in a cup of kombucha? Since

starting on our regular daily 7 oz of kombucha, we seem to be experiencing a

little trouble keeping our weight in check. Can someone supply data on this

question?

> Ken

>

>

> ------------ --------- --------- ------

>

>

[Guest guest]

Exactly right, . The acid in the stomach begins to break down the food, so

in drinking kt and kefir you are aiding the body with acid AND new troops of

bacteria. Anyway, I'm sure your chickens love to dig and scratch in your compost

pile. And they'll give the healthiest meat and eggs that way. Chickens are

naturally omnivores, and we should let them be that way.

One side note: Did you know that if you visit Beethoven's grave you can hear his

music being played backwards?

He is decomposing.

Rodrick

Re: Nutritional Content of Kombucha

i'm pretty hard to gross out, so your reference to the compost pile didnt

bother me a bit. when you think of it, our intestines are just a contained

compost bin, with a myriad of beasties changing the food we eat into a form our

bodies to use. while our stomach begins the digestive process, i think the bulk

of absorption of nutrients comes later down the line in the intestines. so,

every time we drink KT, we add to our resident population of good bacteria, and

every time we eat junk, we kill off good bacteria and let the bad flourish.

since i started drinking KT, i quit taking those very expensive probiotic pills

and have had as good or better result with the KT. i do like mine on the

vinegar-sharp side, so feel i am not getting much unprocessed sugar.

glad to find a like-minded composter (tho mine is turned daily by the

chickens, so i dont get big steam clouds, but the eggs are great!)

dl

________________________________

[Guest guest]

too funny!

dl

 

________________________________

From: Rodrick Shank <rshank@...>

kombucha tea

Sent: Wednesday, December 3, 2008 1:25:06 PM

Subject: Re: Nutritional Content of Kombucha

Exactly right, . The acid in the stomach begins to break down the food, so

in drinking kt and kefir you are aiding the body with acid AND new troops of

bacteria. Anyway, I'm sure your chickens love to dig and scratch in your compost

pile. And they'll give the healthiest meat and eggs that way. Chickens are

naturally omnivores, and we should let them be that way.

One side note: Did you know that if you visit Beethoven's grave you can hear his

music being played backwards?

He is decomposing.

Rodrick

Re: Nutritional Content of Kombucha

i'm pretty hard to gross out, so your reference to the compost pile didnt bother

me a bit. when you think of it, our intestines are just a contained compost bin,

with a myriad of beasties changing the food we eat into a form our bodies to

use. while our stomach begins the digestive process, i think the bulk of

absorption of nutrients comes later down the line in the intestines. so, every

time we drink KT, we add to our resident population of good bacteria, and every

time we eat junk, we kill off good bacteria and let the bad flourish. since i

started drinking KT, i quit taking those very expensive probiotic pills and have

had as good or better result with the KT. i do like mine on the vinegar-sharp

side, so feel i am not getting much unprocessed sugar.

glad to find a like-minded composter (tho mine is turned daily by the chickens,

so i dont get big steam clouds, but the eggs are great!)

dl

____________ _________ _________ __