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.
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!
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.
Wrapping Up
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
