Tepache Flavors That You Will Have You Craving More
Are you looking for a new sparkling beverage? Are you craving something tropical and refreshing? If so, tepache is the drink for you!
Tepache, a traditional Mexican beverage, is made from fermented pineapples but comes in a wide variety of flavors. This article will dive into what tepache is, its health benefits, and the delicious flavors that will have you craving more!
What Is Tepache?
Tepache is a sparkling, fermented beverage that dates back to pre-Columbian Mexico. Although the exact origins are unknown, either the Nahua or Mayan people likely were the first to make tepache.
Originally, tepache was used for different sacred ceremonies and was primarily made from corn. Unlike other foods and beverages, tepache escaped standardization by the Spanish conquistadors. For this reason, several variations of the recipe were passed down and still exist today.
In Mexico, tepache is traditionally sold on the streets and enjoyed as a refreshing, midday drink along with other street foods like tacos and elote.
Usually, tepache has a light orange or beige color and a sweet, subtle flavor. However, given the variety of recipes and flavors available, there is not one distinct tepache flavor. Traditional tepache is made with pineapples, water, and panela, a form of raw cane sugar commonly used in Latin American cuisine.
Naturally Fermented Goodness
Tepache is made from the fermented rinds and cores of pineapples. Fermentation is a natural process where bacteria turn the sugars in the pineapple into alcohol and acid. In recent years fermented beverages such as kombucha, kefir, and kvass have become wildly popular due to their incredible health benefits.
Sweetness From Pineapples and Turbinado Sugar
Unlike other carbonated beverages like soda and sports drinks, tepache is naturally flavored and therefore does not contain large amounts of added sugar. Given that excessive sugar consumption can lead to weight gain, blood sugar problems, and an increased risk of diseases such as heart disease, swapping tepache for soda is an easy way to improve your diet.
Tepache is also a great substitute for your kids. Since drinks and products marketed toward children usually contain lots of added sugar, you can easily reduce your kid’s sugar intake without sacrificing flavor with tepache.
Fermented beverages like kombucha are known for being bitter and tasting a little bit like vinegar. Since tepache is naturally sweetened and made from pineapples, it has a much more subtle, tropical flavor.
Extra Flavor From Spices and Fruits
Although the base of tepache is always pineapple, there are several different ways to flavor tepache to make it uniquely delicious. Different spices and fruits are added to the tepache before it is fermented to make it even more delicious.
We flavor our tepache with ingredients like watermelon, cinnamon, tamarin, grapefruit, chamoy, mango, chili, and prickly pear.
Is Tepache a Probiotic?
Yes! Tepache is a natural probiotic and prebiotic. Probiotic bacteria are bacteria that you consume in fermented foods. Once in your gut, probiotic bacteria help the “good” bacteria in your gut maintain a healthy bacterial equilibrium.
You might be thinking: Isn’t bacteria the stuff that makes me feel sick and rundown? Yes, sometimes bacteria can cause infection. However, there are beneficial bacteria that live in your body and actually help keep you safe.
Probiotics can help beneficial bacteria fight off bad bacteria that might otherwise make you sick. It’s especially important to incorporate probiotics into your diet while taking antibiotics or recovering from a bacterial infection because both can reduce the natural “good” bacterial population in your gut.
Given that bacteria are living organisms, they need food. Prebiotic fiber is the fuel source for probiotic bacteria. Prebiotic fibers are difficult to digest, so they can pass through your system undigested. Once in your gut, they become food for the bacteria so that they can stay alive and keep you healthy.
Gut-Healthy and Delicious
There’s a strong relationship between your gut health and overall health. So if you take care of your gut, you can give your immune system a boost, too! The probiotic bacteria in tepache can help your immune system fight off illness.
Tepache is also full of vitamins and other nutrients that can improve your overall health.
The Power of Lactic Acid Fermentation
When lactic acid fermentation occurs and tepache is made, bacteria digest simply carbohydrates like sugar and turn them into acids. In other words, lactic acid fermentation turns sweet into sour.
Fermented foods are good for you because they increase the number and diversity of “good” bacteria strains in your gut.
Non-Alcoholic and Ready To Party
Although there are trace amounts of alcohol in tepache due to the fermentation process, it is not an alcoholic beverage in the same way beer, wine, and liquor are. In other words, you will not become intoxicated if you drink tepache.
That said, it does make a delicious addition to cocktails and mocktails. It is also a great beverage to have on hand for kids and friends who don’t drink alcohol.
The Best Tepache Flavors Out There
Given that there are countless tepache recipes out there, it can be hard to know which variety and flavors will be best. For that reason, we’ve compiled a list for you of the best tepache flavors out there (in our opinion, of course). And if you simply can’t decide what flavor sounds best for you, you can always try a variety pack.
Ginger Manzana
The Ginger Manzana flavor brings you traditional tepache sweetness with a warm ginger twist and refreshing apple flavor from freshly picked apples.
Moderno Orange Turmeric
The oranges in our Moderno Orange Tumeric tepache perfectly compliment the tropical pineapple flavor giving this type of tepache a full-bodied flavor profile that still manages to be light and easy to drink.
Picante Mango Chili
If you’re looking for a little kick, try our Picante Mango Chili tepache. The sweet, juicy flavor from the mangos balances out the spice of the chili to make a tasty, unique tepache flavor.
Regional Tamarind Citrus
The Regional Tamardin Citrus tepache is perfect for anyone who likes a balance of salty and sweet. Tamarind, a favorite ingredient all over Mexico, gives this flavor its distinct, tasty flavor.
Tradicional Pineapple Spice
If you’ve never tried tepache and want the most traditional flavor possible, our Tradicional Pineapple Spice is what you’ll want to try. Flavored with turbinado sugar and cinnamon, this subtly delicious tepache is great for a hot summer’s day.
Wrapping Up
Tepache is a delicious, traditional Mexican beverage made from fermented pineapples. The fermentation process gives tepache both prebiotic and probiotic properties. This means that tepache is tasty and healthy! If you’re looking to boost your gut or immune system, tepache is the drink for you.
Our tepache comes in a wide variety of flavors, from Tradicional Pineapple Spice to Picante Mango Chili. We know it can be hard to choose between flavors, so if you want to give them all a try, go ahead and order a variety pack, invite some friends over, and start sipping!
Sources:
Health Benefits of Probiotics: A Review | NCBI
