Tag Archives: tea
~ Top 4 Kombucha Tea Brewing Questions & Answers ~
Q. My package is expanded during shipment. Is it still good?
A. Nothing is wrong with the culture starter and this happens normally during shipment. It’s a good sign, meaning the kombucha ‘mushroom’ culture is viable and living. Remember this is live and active cultures of yeast and bacteria your working with.
Best to open the package and place in a clean jar with lid, until use. Make sure to get your first batch going ASAP!
culture has sunk to the bottom while the
other kombucha culture is at the top.
Note that both containers are forming a
new mushroom on top of the tea solution.
Q. Just made the first batch of kombucha tea and the starter mushroom sinks to the bottom. Is it bad?
- Nothing is wrong, if your kombucha culture mushroom sinks when placed in the new tea solution. After a few days and with the build up of CO2, the culture will in most cases rise to the surface. When selecting which cultures to brew your new batch of tea with choosing a mushroom culture that floats will help jump start the brewing process and provide an extra level of protection. If the culture floats then the tea starts culturing from the top down. When a culture does sink, the culture growth works from the bottom up. Even if the mother culture does not start to float, do not worry, as the new culture layer will always form on the top of the tea solution. This is one reason to add ‘starter tea’ when making a new batch to aid in inoculating the tea solution.
Q. My finished Kombucha tea has no effervescence. How can I make it fizzy?
A. People in the USA are custom having fizzy drinks and the finished kombucha or Jun beverage, making little bubbles as it is poured into a glass, is what one desires.
A few things are easy to change yet effect the outcome of the finished product…
Temperature is the number one factor in producing effervescence. If the temperature is to low or high, the amount of carbonation varies. A temperature of 75 to 80 deg F does the trick in most cases.
Yeast change sugars into alcohol, producing carbonation as a side effect. Happy yeast colonies make more fizz! Adding a bit more sugar or trying a different type could help add more fizz. However, just adding more sugar won’t always do the trick. Too much sugar can make the yeast sluggish and slow. Like people after the ‘all you can eat buffet’
Try Changing Tea type of tea you use. Aged or black teas seem to produce more carbonation.
We also find that having more than one mother culture in a jar seems to seal it off better. This holds in more carbonation, which one can see being released as the kombucha culture is removed.
Q. I think I have mold on the tea culture…what do I do?
Mold on the kombucha mushroom culture is a common question we are asked here. What does mold look like compared with the dying yeast cultures that are common during the kombucha or JUN brewing cycle? A simple answer is that most mold or foreign growth will look like mold that occurs on other type of food such as bread or cheese. Most will be fuzzy and brown or green in colour. Any type of mold or fungus growing on top of the kombucha mushroom is cause to discard the whole mushroom culture due to contamination. See our older Blog post for more on kombucha and mold.
What is Not Mold: Sometimes the culture will produce brownish streamers or what is described as a string or web-like in appearance or growth, which hangs down into the tea. This is not mold or contamination and are simply old, dead yeast cells that have completed their life cycle.
These are fine to consume, however, many people like to strain these out before bottling the finished beverage. Sometimes the mushroom itself will form a brown area by the edge of the glass, which may look like mold. This must be examined closely as this, too, may simple be dead kombucha yeast cells. At other times, the mushroom culture will develop whitish coloured bumps on the surface of the liquid. These are sometimes mistaken for mold; however, they are simply small bubbles of carbonic acid just under the newly developing skin. The new culture will continue to fill out and cover these within a few days. But most important, if you are unsure of anything or suspect something is wrong! Do NOT Drink the Tea!
Thanks for checking out the Blog page and Happy Culturing!
Live, Grow, Share Cultured Foods
Checkout our culture specials this weekend at our store page.
We have some free kombucha cultures with certain orders.
See details at the Organic-Cultures Store
Kombucha Tips for the Week 10-26-2013
Using Herbal Teas, Flavored Teas and or Wild-Crafted Plants – A Quick Word
Traditionally, brewing and maintaining kombucha mushroom culture required black tea and a sugar source. There are reasons for using black tea that aid in the longevity of the cultures vitality by working as a nutrient solution.
When using herbal teas or plants to brew kombucha tea mushroom cultures the concern lays is the amount of volatile oils contained within the plant in question. Using herbs, plants, or flavored traditional teas with high amounts of volatile oils may affect the growth of the Kombucha culture. An example of a tea not to use would be peppermint tea. Also, avoid herbal or flavored teas that contain high amount of bitters. The benefits of using medicinal herbs when preparing kombucha tea can greatly enhance the beneficial properties of the kombucha tea tonic.
A great old time Kombucha recipe, from Russia, is an alternative to traditional black tea is dried rose hips, dried elderberries, and a sugar source. This is a very old traditional recipe as both ingredients could be gathered in most areas with very low cost, if any, compared to imported tea, which only the wealthy could afford.
Teas NOT recommended for brewing kombucha tea, include but are not limited to: Sage, peppermint, St. John’s Wort, chamomile flower, ginger root, or plants
within the pepper family.
Herbs Safe to Use for Brewing:
Aniseed, young blackberry or raspberry leaf and berry, chicory root, club moss, dandelion, elder flowers and berries, fennel, hibiscus flower, nettle leaf, oat straw. In addition, Rooibos tea (red bush tea), plantain leaf, rose hips common, yerba maté leaf, and valerian root.
NOTES on Fresh Plant/Herbs: First, use low oil teas, Google herbal sites for complete listing. One draw back to using herbal tea is that they contain more wild yeast spores over green or black tea. This may contaminate the kombucha cultures; on the other hand, the wild yeast may assist in producing a fizzier beverage. This happens by introducing more yeast into the brewing vessel. The draw back is that you have no control over what type of yeast you introduce. In short, there may be a higher chance of contaminating your kombucha mushroom cultures by using herbal teas or plants. Use a backup culture for experiments! To prevent contamination, make sure your pH readings are within the proper range.
Kombucha Tea Question of the Week…
“Hi, I’m new to making Kombucha and I have a concern about bottling KT after the second ferment. I have read on many sites that there’s a chance the bottle can explode from carbonation buildup and that …I should be very careful. So how do I be very careful? Moreover, is that really a concern? I see on your site that you do not mention it when explaining how to bottle KT. Is that only a concern after the second ferment?”
To Answer Your Question…
Bottling is the best way to extend the shelf life of the kombucha beverage. There is a concern with excessive buildup of carbonation when bottling. Below are some steps to follow when doing the secondary fermentation:
1. Do NOT add extra sugar or juice when bottling. This adds raw sugar source which the yeasts will turn into carbonation & alcohol)
2. Use quality bottles such as Grolsch style beer bottle (Grolsch or standard beer bottles are designed to hold extra pressure)
3. Leave a 5% head space when filling each bottle and the pH is below 4.5
(In the beverage industry, this amount is required by the FDA)
4. Just to make sure all is safe, keep your bottles in a cardboard or plastic box to keep glass and liquid from going every where Following these easy steps will assist you in your secondary bottling process. Please comment below with any other questions or a tip you may have to share.
Bottling is the best way to extend the shelf life of the kombucha beverage. There is a concern with excessive buildup of carbonation when bottling. Below are some steps to follow when doing the secondary fermentation:
1. Do NOT add extra sugar or juice when bottling. This adds raw sugar source which the yeasts will turn into carbonation & alcohol)
2. Use quality bottles such as Grolsch style beer bottle (Grolsch or standard beer bottles are designed to hold extra pressure)
3. Leave a 5% head space when filling each bottle and the pH is below 4.5
(In the beverage industry, this amount is required by the FDA)
4. Just to make sure all is safe, keep your bottles in a cardboard or plastic box to keep glass and liquid from going every where Following these easy steps will assist you in your secondary bottling process. Please comment below with any other questions or a tip you may have to share.
Happy Brewing!
Quick Links – http://store.organic-cultures.com/ and http://store.organic-kombucha.com
Kombucha Tip For the Week… & Culture Question of the Week…
Kombucha Tea Tip for the Week…
Kombucha tea fast brew method… Our fast brew method can save a bit of time and the tea/sugar solution is ready to inoculate with the kombucha cultures and start tea.
KT classic recipe is as follows:
– 1 gallon water, bring to boil
– Add 6 teabags or teaspoons per gallon
– Add 1 to 1½ cups of sugar, stir to dissolve
– Allow to cool to room temperature and inoculate with culture
– Brew 7 to 14 days
Kombucha Tea Culture Fast Brew Method:
– ½ gallon of water, bring to boil
– Add 6 teabags or teaspoons per gallon
– Add 1 to 1½ cups of sugar, stir to dissolve
– Add ½ gallon of cold water, mix
– Allow to cool to room temperature and inoculate with culture
– Brew 7 to 14 days
The difference is that the fast brew method will require less time to cool the raw solution, thus, getting the round brewing faster. The basic difference is cutting the water in your recipe by half and then adding the other half of the water (cold) at the very end.
Question of the Week…
My Kombucha Culture is Producing a Flat Beverage, What Can I do to Make More Fizz?
This happens to many KT brewers from time to time. First of all, use best quality ingredients you can afford, we suggest organic ingredients. Are you using city water? Then stop! Try changing the type of tea your using and use no teas high in oil content, like peppermint or Earl Grey.
Some people will tell you to just add more sugar, however, just as in beer and saké making, adding to much sugar can make the yeast even more sluggish.
I believe temperature plays a bigger role in producing fizz in the KT, which is the carbon dioxide (CO2), produced from the yeast breaking down the sugars. My suggestion is to make sure the temp (of the liquid, not the ambient temp) is at least 80 deg F for the first 3 or 4 days, then drop the temp down to 70-75 Deg F for the rest of the brewing cycle. If you feel that you need more sugar then add it by ‘addition’ over the first 3 days of brewing.
Another trick is to make sure the raw tea/sugar solution is aerated. Do this by pouring the cooled tea between two vessels several times. One last tip, the SCOBY culture helps to trap in the CO2 so make sure your culture doesn’t have a lot of holes in it and that the new culture forms and seals the top of the liquid.
Hope this helps, Happy Brewin’, Nirinjan Singh
Kombucha Mushroom – Preventing Mold and Contamination
By following a few simple measures one can keep the culture strong and contamination free. There are many types of unwanted air-born or surface contaminations; however, by keeping the cultures covered as much as possible we can greatly reduce the amount of wild yeasts and unwanted molds. By reducing the amount of foreign and unwanted invaders,
the kombucha strains stay strong, healthy, and viable.
Through either neglect, improper environmental conditions, or the wrong nutrients the mushroom culture can become weak and susceptible to contamination. By following the steps below, your kombucha
culture should last a lifetime and more.
Steps For Preventing Mold and Contamination on Kombucha Mushroom
and Tips For Keeping Your Culture Starter Happy & Healthy !
1. KEEP CULTURES COVERED AT ALL TIMES Keep the culture jars or brewing containers covered with a clean section of cloth or breathable material and secured tightly with rubber bands or string. .
2. NO SMOKING Do NOT smoke cigarettes and tobacco around the kombucha fermenting area or even better not to smoke in the same house. Smoke molecules may kill or weaken the cultures. The constitutes within the tobacco smoke are not to the kombucha bacteria and yeast and will be directly affected by this action.
3. USE QUALITY INGREDIENTS Though at first this may not seem to be a step in preventing mold contamination,
however, by feeding your culture (and yourself) the highest quality ingredients you provide the best range of nutrients
and less chemicals and preservatives.
4. SELECTING A PROPER BREWING SPACE Selecting a proper area for the kombucha tea to sit and brew can make all the difference in the world between a healthy culture and a weak one. The kombucha mushroom requires a nice warm place, out of direct sunlight, to ferment the tea solution. The closer to 80 deg F the better the cultures will grow. The faster the cultures can grow out within the tea/sugar solution the less chance of contamination by mold. Keep the kombucha out of the kitchen area. Although this is the most convenient place for most people to store and brew, it is also the worst! Smoke from cooking, burning fats, and other particles are again not to the liking of the mushroom culture. Out of all areas in your house, including the bathroom, the kitchen area has the most wild yeast, molds, and germs. Not only do dirty surfaces, sink drains, and leftover food particles in the kitchen provide a breeding ground for unwanted molds and bacteria. The kitchen area also provides other abundant sources of molds and wild yeast
through the washing and prepping of fruits and vegetables. Do not worry though, if kept at the p
roper pH, the acidic nature of the kombucha culture mushroom will protect its self from contamination.
5. KEEPING PROPER TEMPERATURE This may not seem to have much to do with contamination, but, by maintaining the proper temperature range of 75 to 85 degrees F the kombucha will ferment the tea solution much faster. The faster the kombucha yeast and bacteria strains can culture out the tea solution the less chance of contamination by invaders.
Finding the correct place within your home can make a big difference on the temperature of the brewing tea.
6. CORRECT pH This, by far, is the most important factor and the key to keeping your kombucha and other traditional food cultures healthy and viable! Why? Because if the pH of any solution ormixture is below 4.5 pH, on the pH scale, it is almost impossible for micro-bacteria to grow. By keeping the pH low, the likely hood of mold ever growing on the surface of your SCOBY is very unlikely. This is also the easiest tip to follow. We keep the pH of kombucha low by adding what is called ‘starter tea’ to every new batch of tea. Keep the pH of the culture below 4.5, as most molds can only grow in a higher pH solution. Do this by using a good amount (about 10%) of fermented ‘starter tea from your last batch to lower the pH of the new batch of fresh tea/sugar solution. Testing a new batch of tea, using pH test strips with a narrow range of 0-6 pH, will tell you the acid content of the tea. It is recommended to keep adding starter tea until the pH is lowered to the correct range. However, do not lower the pH factor to much or the Kombucha culture cannot complete the brewing cycle properly. Purchase pH test strips here.
7. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS AND LAST TIPS Keep the cultures away from plants, as the soil contains millions of spores and microbes in the soil, keep plants in a different room if possible. Do not neglect your culture! Allowing the top of the kombucha SCOBY to dry out is the number one cause of contamination. Lastly, use common sense and good hygiene when brewing your own tea. Clean any glassware and utensils before each use and wash hands before handling the cultures. DO NOT use anti-bacterial soaps. Remember, properly fermented tea always has a slight vinegar smell not a musty or moldy smell.
Of course, if there is mold on the kombucha culture then discard the tea cultures and never try to ‘save’ a culture once it has
been overgrown with something unknown that could be dangerous to your health or life.
By Following a Few Simple Tips Your Kombucha Will be Happy & Mold Free!
Why Drink Kombucha Tea?
- Drinking Kombucha promotes good health and helps millions of people with its excellent detoxifying and immune-enhancing qualities. There are no known negative reactions from drinking kombu tea, except for improper brewing methods. Its origins are lost in history, but in the earliest records two thousand years ago it was known as ‘the elixir of long life’.
- Kombucha is not just a health tonic; it is a complete therapy.
- Kombucha has proved itself to be a quite remarkable therapeutic drink, made from sweetened tea into which a Kombucha culture (a symbiosis of bacteria and yeasts) is placed. It can taste similar to apple cider or a refreshing light wine, depending on the fermentation time and type of tea used.
- There are at least six million Kombucha brewers world-wide.
- Doctors, consultants, and practitioners are now recommending Kombucha to their patients.
The Western World is becoming Malnourished!
It is well recognized that a high percentage of the Western population is getting insufficient nourishment from modern diets and, as a consequence, our health, and that of society as a whole, is suffering. Kombucha is a food rich in vitamins and minerals which are essential to good health. Many doctors believe that supplementary
vitamins and minerals are unnecessary, saying that we get sufficient of these in a balanced diet. While that may be true in theory, who gets a really balanced diet now? Much of the food that we purchase, even so-called fresh food, has been grown with chemicals – herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers. After this, they are sprayed with even more chemicals to preserve their colour and shelf life.
Many of the fast foods that we eat are processed to the point where most of the beneficial nutrients have disappeared altogether, leaving the meal virtually barren. The nitrogen fertilizers used in commercial agriculture stimulate plant growth too rapidly for the uptake of the trace elements and minerals essential for our bodies, resulting in the food lacking nutritional value. British government studies show that our intake of essential minerals and vitamins has fallen greatly since 1936, before the chemical revolution. The truth is that in the Western world we are malnourished!
As Hazel Courtenay tells: “Over 50,000 chemicals are either being sprayed on fruits, vegetables and grains, or added to our food. Many of these chemicals have now entered the food chain and we are reaping a bitter harvest. Our fruits and vegetables contain substantially less vitamins and minerals than they did 50 years ago, sperm counts are dropping, overuse of antibiotics is causing new resistant strains of bacteria which trigger food poisoning. What is happening today, with the tidal wave of illnesses from heart disease, diabetes, Candida and high blood pressure to asthma and arthritis, is that our bodies are telling us they have had enough. It is imperative that we wake up and educate ourselves and others in ways of protecting ourselves and our planet.” Many people, including doctors and scientists, don’t realize how much our immune systems are vulnerable to the effects of sophisticated forms of pollution. Blood – Brings Life to the whole Body
When blood gets too alkaline calcium tends to crystallize out of the blood solution. These crystals are deposited near the joints, causing joint tenderness, arthritis, rheumatism and allergies. Older people’s blood becomes more alkaline, which can affect their circulation, oxygenation and energy. An acidic blood condition can lead to diabetes where fat and protein wastes are not being discharged. Another acidic condition results in adrenal depletion and general exhaustion. Conventionally, blood is thought to be sterile. But through his dark-field microscope research, Professor Gunther Enderlein has shown that it is teeming with microbiological life. Normally these micro-organisms are in a mutually beneficial symbiotic state of balance but, for example, the lowering of the oxygen content of the blood, nutritional deficiency and toxicity may lead to the development of pathogenic microbial flora which can result in disease in other organs of the body. These micro-organisms can travel freely between the blood plasma which surrounds the blood cells, and the interstitial fluid which surrounds the fixed tissue cells of the body.6 Kombucha is known to have a balancing effect of the pH of the blood which is likely to make it less hospitable to pathogenic bacteria.
Contamination and Toxicity
It is important to remember that Kombucha has a home-brewing safety track record of two millennia. Contamination of the culture by moulds is not a problem if normal standards of kitchen hygiene are observed and if the ambient temperature of the fermentation is adequate. If it occurs, the culture and brew are disposed of, just as one would a moldy tomato paste. Kombucha tea has its own protection against pathogens, as it contains an antibiotic and, containing acetic acid (vinegar) it is self-protecting. Those who mention toxicity in connection with Kombucha misunderstand the nature of what is called a ‘healing crisis’ – the discomfort experienced with rapid detoxification of the liver. Kombucha is a powerful detoxifier and we always recommend anyone who begins taking Kombucha starts with a small amount to avoid any discomfort, gradually building up to the normal dose of 150 mls (one wineglass) three times a day.
There are also the chemicals added to our food (both in farming and in food processing) that are supposed to make us enjoy them more. These are not friendly chemicals; they destroy the body’s functioning, cause allergic reactions, digestive disorders and pollute our blood – they are poisoning us! In the worst cases, of the common prescribing of powerful drugs like antibiotics, cortisone and steroids, the homeostatic balance of the body is disrupted. Some people who were suffering from the side effects of these drugs believe that Kombucha therapy was in great measure responsible for restoring their metabolic balance and health.
Encouraging Self-Empowerment
Kombucha has helped with a wide variety of acute and chronic conditions. Some of the most enthusiastic responses we have had to Kombucha have come from those people with difficult long-term illnesses such as arthritis, digestive disorders, high blood pressure, poor circulation, high cholesterol and cancer, and from older people, many of whom doctors have been unable to help. In addition, alarming numbers of young people are developing illnesses resulting from poorly functioning immune systems, such as eczema, acne, allergies, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME), etc.
When Kombucha was widely publicized by the media a few years ago as a trendy new health craze, of the thousands who started to brew many gave up because they were not getting their ‘quick fix’, were not able to make a pleasant tasting drink, or because their culture failed. It is also very helpful to know of the dozens of other applications of Kombucha. For example, Kombucha tea is excellent applied topically, as a compress, or added to the bath, and made into an effective cream that can help to heal leg ulcers and fungal nail infections. Kombucha can also be used in food recipes, with animals, in gardens & around the home. Kombucha tea was known in the East, and found its way across Russia in the 1800s, becoming widely established as an effective folk medicine in many rural communities. In the 1950s, it surfaced dramatically when Soviet doctors discovered whole communities which had apparently been protected from dangerous environmental pollution by a nutritious drink called ‘tea-kwass’ or Kombucha tea. There are some over-sensational claims for Kombucha’s benefits as a panacea for all ills, to is not. It is difficult, in a symptom-based medical system, for
people not to expect a cure for their specific illness, rather than seek an understanding of the underlying causes of that illness or imbalance. The human body constantly seeks health and balance, but when it has been abused for many years, this balance is compromised. Once brought back to strength through detoxification, improved functioning and an enhanced immune system, the body can initiate its own natural mechanisms for healing.
How Does Kombucha Work?
Kombucha is an effective metabolic balancer (helping the various organs work together), probiotic (supporting the beneficial bacteria), adaptogen (balancing processes that get out of kilter) and detoxifier. The probiotic case for Kombucha is that it encourages healthier intestinal flora by introducing lactic acid-producing bacteria. These work in a similar way to acidophilus bacteria, the active ingredient in live yogurt. An old saying, ‘healthy gut, healthy body,’ puts it simply. The acidity level of the gut is all-important, as is the health of its microbial flora which play a crucial role in the functioning of the whole body.
Bacteroides and Bifidobacteria
The bacteria in the intestines can be divided into two main types;1 the less acid-forming bacteroides are responsible for the decaying matter in the colon; elderly people tend to have more gastric disorders; these stem from a low hydrochloric acid production in the stomach, creating more room for fungi and parasites to take hold; bacteroides are encouraged by a diet high in fats and proteins. The more acidic ones, called bifidobacteria, are more beneficial because they produce essential organic acids, such as acetic, lactic and folic acids, which raise the acidity of the intestines, preventing invading pathogens from taking hold. In addition, by keeping down the bacteroides population, they discourage the putrefaction from becoming toxic. The bifidobacteria are favoured by a diet high in carbohydrate, fiber and lactose-vegetarian food and are more common in individuals who were breast-fed as babies. They are also assisted by drinking Kombucha tea.
Kombucha – a Nutritious Food
The Kombucha beverage should be regarded principally as a food unusually rich in nutritive properties, rather than just a health drink. As in yogurt, the bacteria are a great source of nutrition, but in addition Kombucha has a wide range of organic acids, vitamins and enzymes that give it its extraordinary value. It contains the range of B vitamins, particularly B1, B2, B6 and B12, that provide the body with energy, help to
process fats and proteins, and which are vital for the normal functioning of the nervous system. There is also vitamin C which is a potent detoxifier, immune booster and enhancer of vitality.
Tea and Sugar’s Role in Kombucha
Tea (Camilla sinesis) is very nutritious, especially in its unfermented green form. It is high in fluorides and has anti-carcinogenic properties; it provides nitrogen, minerals, vitamins, and other substances essential for nutrition, and promotes the growth of the micro-organisms and the cellular construction of the Kombucha culture. Green tea is also high in vitamin C. Sugar plays an essential part in Kombucha’s brewing process, providing a nutrient solution for the culture, assisting in the feeding and respiration of the micro-organisms, and activating the yeasts. It also gets the fermentation process going. The yeast cells make certain organic acids, vitamins and supplementary yeasts, while the bacteria produce carbonation, ethanol and other organic acids. The bacteria break down the sugars into acetic acid and carbon dioxide.
Kombucha culture has a wide range of organic acids, vitamins and enzymes that give it its extraordinary value. It contains the range of B vitamins, particularly B1, B2, B6 and B12, that provide the body with energy, help to process fats and proteins, and which are vital for the normal functioning of the nervous system. There is also vitamin C which is a potent detoxifier, immune booster and enhancer of vitality Probiotic Organic Acids
There are two organic acids produced by Kombucha culture which encourage the activity of the resident bifidobacteria, thus restoring a healthy
balance with the bacteroides:
Lactic acid which is essential for healthy digestive action (through its derivative lactobacilli) and for energy production by the liver, and is not
found in the tissues of people with cancer.
Acetic acid which is an antiseptic and inhibitor of pathogenic bacteria. Kombucha’s Vital Organic Acids
Other valuable organic acids produced by the Kombucha culture, some of which have a more direct effect on other organs include:
Glucuronic acid, normally produced by a healthy liver, is a powerful detoxifier and can readily be converted into glucosamines,
the foundations of our skeletal system.
Usnic acid has selective antibiotic qualities which can partly deactivate viruses.
Citric acid is an antiascorbic.
Oxalic acid encourages the intercellular production of energy, and is a preservative.
Malic acid also helps the liver to detoxify.
Gluconic acid is a sugar product which can break down to caprylic acid to work symbiotically with —
Butyric acid (produced by the yeast) protects human cellular membranes, and combined with Gluconic acid which is produced bythe bacteria,strengthens the walls of the gut in order to combat yeast infections such as Candida.
Nucleic acids, like RNA and DNA, transmit information to the cells on how to perform correctly and regenerate.
A product of the oxidation process of glucose – glucuronic acid – is one of the more significant constituents of Kombucha culture. As a detoxifying agent, it has come into its own today in our highly polluted world. It is one of the few agents that can cope with the pollutive products of the petroleum industry, including all the plastics, herbicides, pesticides and resins. It ‘kidnaps’ the phenols in the liver which are
then eliminated easily by the kidneys. Another byproduct of glucuronic acid are the glucosamines, the structures associated with cartilage, collagen and the fluids which lubricate the joints. Collagen reduces wrinkles, while arthritis sufferers have their deficient cartilage and joint fluids replenished. Amino acids, which are constituents of proteins, produce important enzymes, such as glutathione a powerful antioxidant which provides protection from alcohol and pollution, and which is depleted by drug regimes.
Sugar, Yeast and Tea
When Kombucha tea is made correctly, all the sugars are fully converted into organic acids during fermentation, enabling Kombucha tea culture to be is safely drunk by diabetics and Candida sufferers. Also the yeasts found in the Kombucha culture do not stimulate the Candida yeasts as they are of a different type; Candida sufferers have therefore often found considerable relief in taking Kombucha. Black or green tea may be used as a nutrient for the culture, but as green tea has anti-carcinogenic properties, is beneficial to the heart and blood circulation and is particularly nutritious, it is preferable to use.
Balancing the Body
Metabolic balancing is perhaps the most important function of Kombucha. This is one reason why it is not symptom specific – why it does not always help a specific immune-related illness, but rather seems to go to a person’s own weakness or personal imbalance. Such a substance which has no specific harmful effect is called an adaptogen. Kombucha’s adaptogen effect is seen mostly through its influence on the liver, the blood and the digestive system, where it normalizes the acidity or pH.
The Acidity Factor
Human metabolism depends on the acid-alkaline balance which is constantly responding to the food that we eat, the air that we breathe, and to our emotional state. The body has a remarkable balancing system that maintains the different organs at the pH level each requires for health. A cell’s pH balance is disturbed by toxins, which create more acidity. The body gets rid of toxic acids by various means. One is through breathing
– that is why deep breathing is so therapeutic – it makes the blood more alkaline. Another is by flushing out – one of Kombucha’s roles is to flush out the toxins through the kidneys.
The Liver Filters Toxins
The liver is vital to life; it has the ability to restore itself and has many functions – to assist digestion, to store important vitamins and minerals, to metabolize proteins, fats and carbohydrates to provide energy for the body, to recycle red blood cells, and remove toxins from the body. Because of its role in pH regulation and of its detoxifying acids, Kombucha is a valuable restorative of liver function.
Research on Kombucha’s Benefits
There is an extensive literature (some 300 books and research papers) dealing with the analysis of Kombucha Tea and its therapeutic effects. The independent medical research has been conducted principally in Russia and in Germany over the whole of the present century. Among early reports were those listing the benefits of Kombucha for stomach, digestive and intestinal disorders. One of the most famous of the later
researchers was Dr. Rudolf Sklenar of Oberhessen who recognized the detoxifying properties of glucuronic acid in Kombucha for removing waste matter such as cholesterol and toxic deposits. He developed a biological cancer therapy based on Kombucha, and it is his recipe which is still generally used today and for the production of the commercially bottled brew. He became a champion for the remedy, which he found helped invigorate the entire glandular system and the metabolism. He successfully treated arthritis, constipation, obesity, arteriosclerosis, impotence, kidney stones, rheumatism, gout and significantly, cancer, especially in its early stages.
The Importance of Polysaccharides in Cancer and Digestive Disorders
Sugars also play a part as polysaccharides, which form the fundamental connective tissue of all human organs. Their ability to cope with metabolic waste products is a crucial part of a healthy body. The Japanese have conducted interesting research with these substances within the area of immune-therapeutics, very much the domain of Kombucha therapy. These tests focus on the role of polysaccharides which are found in Kombucha and their positive effect on macrophages and T-cells. One trial showed that the survival rate in cancer sufferers given polysaccharides was twice that of patients undergoing conventional treatment. A German naturopathic clinic in Gaggenau, Germany, did trials which showed the curative effects of polysaccharides on gastro-intestinal ailments as well as cancers.
By obtaining your own kombucha culture or kombucha tea you can start your own detoxifying program or simply use it as a daily health tonic. Other pro-biotic cultures such as kefir will assist, however, for detox we reconmend kombucha tea culture starter Traditional, kombucha is used for aiding the body in detoxifying the body, maintaining metabolic balance, but it is said to also promote overall wellbeing throughout the body. People from all parts of the world use it as a general daily health tonic. You can order your own kombucha culture at our store and
start making this tea beverage today !
http://store.organic-cultures.com/komustkiorde.html
