A lot of people drink it, new brands of this drink appeared on the shelves of the supermarket and, almost everyday, you can bump into somebody talking about it.
Actually, this drink is getting so popular in the US that it is now referred to as “buch”.
So, what this is all about? Is really Kombucha the “elixir of life” or “tea of immortality”?
What is Kombucha?
First of all we have to explore what is Kombucha.
Kombucha is a drink made by fermenting tea and sugar with the kombucha culture. The result is tasty beverage drink that resembles something inbetween sparkling apple cider and champagne, depending on what kind of tea you use.
Often mistaken for a mushroom, the kombucha culture is in fact a colony of yeast and bacteria. The tea is concocted by adding the colony to green or black tea with some sugar, and then allowing the mixture to ferment. The resulting beverage will then contain B vitamins, vinegar, and other chemical compounds.
A Little Bit of History
Kombucha originated in Asia during the Chinese Tsin dynasty in 212BC. It was referred to as the Remedy for Immortality or the Tea of Immortality.
With the extension of trade routes it spread to India and Russia through travelers and traders. Kombucha resurfaced in Japan between the Wars after a Japanese visitor to Kargasok (Russia) found this fermented tea drink responsible for their astonishing health, longevity and well-being
It may have been introduced to Japan by a Korean physician by the name of Kombu around 415 AD. Today the tea - once routinely used by Samurai - is widely used again in Japan. Kombucha appeared in Germany about the turn of the century from Russia. This fermented tea drink became quite popular across Europe until World War II with the shortage of tea and sugar.
For hundreds of years a tea has been made from Chaga (a birch-tree mushroom) by the Russian peasants of the Alexandrove district near Moscow to cure cancer. There is speculation that the Kombucha mushroom is related to the Birch-tree mushroom.
Wherever this tea originated from it is now known throughout the world. Kombucha Mushroom tea has been known by many names in many cultures. In 18th century Russia it was known as Cajnyj Kvas, in China as Cha Gu, in Germany as Heldenpilz.
Over all these years many stories have been told of how this fermented tea beverage, Kombucha has appeared to have performed miracles. Hence names such as miracle fungus, magical fungus, elixir of life and gout tea.
Health benefits
Now that we know that it has been used over the centuries, let’s go more in detail as to Kombucha health benefits.Let’s starts by pointing out that besides some extensive scientific research done on Kombucha in Russia and Germany in the first half of the 20th century (mostly because of a push to find a cure for rising cancer rates) there’s still “lack” of scientific evidence.
However the fact remains that this beverage has 2,000 plus years of tradition behind it and an ardent and addicted following.
First of the health benefits is detoxification, such as healthy livers and cancer prevention.
One of Kombucha’s greatest health benefits is its ability to detox the body. It is rich in many of the enzymes and bacterial acids your body produces and/or uses to detox your system, thus reducing your pancreatic load and easing the burden on your liver. Kombucha is very high in Glucaric acid, and recent studies have shown that glucaric acid helps prevent cancer.Next, there’s all the benefits of the glucosamines it contains, such as preventing or treating all forms of arthritis. Glucosamines increase synovial hyaluronic acid production. Hyaluronic acid functions physiologically to aid preservation of cartilage structure and prevent arthritic pain, with relief comparable to NSAIDs and advantage over glucocorticoids. Hyaluronic acid enables connective tissue to bind moisture thousands of times its weight and maintains tissue structure, moisture, lubrication and flexibility and lessens free radical damage, while associated collagen retards and reduces wrinkles.Then, there’s all the benefits of the fact that it’s a probiotic beverage, such as improved digestion, fighting candida (harmful yeast) overgrowth, and the general health and well-being associated with this. As such, it’s noted for reducing or eliminating the symptoms of fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, etc.
Plus, it’s extraordinarily anti-oxidant rich, and you all know the benefits of anti-oxidants for boosting your immune system and energy levels.
Safety and side effects
As with all foods, care must be taken during preparation and storage to prevent contamination. Keeping the kombucha brew safe and contamination-free is a concern to many home brewers.
Key components of food safety when brewing kombucha include clean environment, proper temperature, and low pH.
If a culture becomes contaminated, it will most likely be identifiable as common mold which is often green, blue, or black in color. Often novice brewers will mistake the brownish root filaments on the underside of the culture as a mold contamination when it is seen through the surface of a thinly formed culture. If mold does grow on the surface of the kombucha culture, or "mushroom," it is best to throw out both culture and tea and start again with a fresh kombucha culture.Kombucha side effects happen when the drink is not made properly. You can be careful to make sure that no bacteria or molds contaminate the drink. Even though the side effects of Kombucha are rare, you should know that they are there and have been reported before.
Kombucha can easily get poisoned by lead. If the drink is made in a container made of lead, people can get affected by lead which is poisonous when consumed.People react to Kombucha tea especially if they are allergic. As with all other food allergies you should be careful if you see/feel any reaction in your body. Some people have reported having jaundice after consuming this drink if you have any allergies. Some cases of rashes were also reported.The American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) has expressly stated that "Since the potential health risks of Kombucha tea are unknown, anyone with an immune deficiency or any other medical condition should consult a physician before drinking the tea. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should not use this tea as it can affect the development of the fetus."
So be careful with Kombucha (especially where it comes from) if you want to enjoy its health benefits.
Conclusion
I have no idea whether after reading this article you’ll be convinced of giving Kombucha a shot, but rest assured that it’s a delicious fizzy drink very low in calories that can be enjoyed anytime of the day!
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