I was introduced to kombucha several years ago from a woman who had suffered very serious health issues and almost died. She was put on a heavy regimen of drugs which made her feel very fatigued and unable to function well. She learned about making her own kombucha, and noticed when she drank it daily she felt better. In her own words, she believed it was the kombucha that totally restored her health. She had brought several different flavors to a meeting I was attending with her, so I tried them and was curious to learn more.
I had never heard of kombucha before that day, (maybe you don’t know about it either). So I wanted to give an encyclopedia explanation that also lists the pro’s and con’s.
What is it?
Kombucha is any of a variety of fermented, lightly effervescent sweetened black or green tea drinks that are commonly intended as functional beverages for their supposed health benefits. Kombucha is produced by fermenting tea using a “symbiotic ‘colony’ of bacteria and yeast” (SCOBY). Actual contributing microbial populations in SCOBY cultures vary, but the yeast component generally includes Saccharomyces (a probiotic fungus) and other species, and the bacterial component almost always includes Gluconacetobacter xylinus to oxidize yeast-produced alcohols to acetic and other acids.
The geographic origin of kombucha is unknown and its etymology is uncertain. Historically, kombucha has been home-brewed or locally brewed, but in the late 1990s, commercially bottled kombucha became available in North American retail stores. It is known in Chinese as chájūn (茶菌), Japanese as kōcha-kinoko (紅茶キノコ), Korean as hongchabeoseotcha (홍차버섯차) and Russian as chaynyy grib (чайный гриб). These names translate literally to “tea fungus” or “tea mushroom.”
Kombucha has been claimed to have various health benefits, but there is little evidence to support such claims. There are several documented cases of serious adverse effects, including fatalities, related to kombucha drinking, possibly arising from contamination during home preparation. Since the mostly unclear benefits of kombucha drinking do not outweigh the known risks, it is not recommended for therapeutic use.
Growing Popularity
Even with these types of disclaimers, kombucha is growing in popularity and you can now buy it bottled in large varieties of flavors in almost any health food store. The Price Chopper on our small town even carries bottled kombucha.
This may seem a little “faddish”, but this drink has been around for hundreds of years and we seem to be getting back to it if full swing.
Each person needs to do your own research and there is a lot of information out there. I quickly listed a few here.
7 reasons to drink kombucha every day
What is kombucha? 10 facts you need to know
Is kombucha really good for you?
More about kombucha… live science.
How to make Kombucha
If you are still interested in making your own kombucha at home there are several sites to help.
I personally love kombucha. I have bought many bottles of GT brand over time and saved them to use for my own home brew. They are thick and strong and have easy screw on lids. Currently I am making 2 gallons at a time which yields about 12 – 16 ounce bottles. We drink it so quickly, that I am working toward a 5 gallon continuous brew in the future.
Many people around where I live brew their own kombucha so I have a lot of advice to draw from when I have questions. I make sure to use filtered water (I have a Berkey filter that I love).
I have been advised to use oolong tea in the mix which seems to help make it fizzy and I enjoy experimenting with different flavors in the second ferment (right now I am making pineapple flavored). As a former home school mom, it is like having wonderful science experiments running all the time. My scoby hotel is fun to show people. I do notice a positive difference in my digestive system and energy level when I drink it, so for me it really is a plus. (I also use the “vinegar” in the hotel as a toner for my face or conditioner for my hair).
I’ve heard that there were chefs that started cooking with scoby’s , so I did some searching and found some. O my goodness! I even found how to make jerky out of scoby’s! (There are also many video how to’s on you tube).
These posts are given as information and instruction, but ultimately the choice is yours. Do your own research, try some from the store and decide for yourself if this is beneficial for you and your family.
