All About Kombucha
October 4, 2008
Books written on the topic of Kombucha state that the first recorded use of Kombucha tea was during the times of the Chinese Empire of the Tsing Dynasty in 220BC. During that period, Kombucha was named “The remedy for immortality”, or “The Elexir Of Life.” There are actually 84 different names for the tea that can be made from it. Kombucha is the Germanized form of the Japanese name for the mushroom, and its now being used internationally. But rather than being a mushroom, it is a colony of yeast and bacteria.
You can make your own Kombucha tea. It’s really simple. If you can boil water, add sugar, and make some tea with it, you can definitely make Kombucha. On the Internet, you will be able to find complete Kombucha making kits with detailed guidelines of what to and what not to do. Depending on the tea used and the temperature it was brewed at, it tastes a bit like fizzy, something between an apple cider vinegar and champagne, although it is non-alcoholic.
It should be pointed out that none of the benefits of Kombucha have been evaluated by the Food And Drug administration, although thousands of people around the world have reported direct benefits from consuming Kombucha. Kombucha provides an effective way to detoxify the body, restoring the normal liver and kidney functions. A lot of people have reported a serious improve of energy levels and a feeling of well-being after drinking Kombucha. There are also folks who use it as a cure for hangovers. After regular use, some people notice an improvement in the quality of their skin or hair. The reasons for all those benefits are different and remain unexplained yet, but most will agree upon the fact that Kombucha does indeed make a difference in the lives of those that drink it regularly. Therefore, my advice to you would be to simply try it for yourself.
When undergoing a therapy with Kombucha, it’s important that you drink the first glass for the day in the morning, on an empty stomach, so that the variety of substances contained in Kombucha can be fully effective. Here is the comment made by German dr. Gunther: “One should drink Kombucha three times a day. Morning before breakfast, noon after food, and evening. It is known in pharmacology that absorption of certain active substances (e.g., certain fungicides) into the bloodstream or lymphstream is reduced if taken before meals. The small amounts of antibiotic substances contained in Kombucha are rendered especially effective when the beverage is taken in the morning on an empty stomach whereas, for example, the organic acids stimulate a better functioning of the digestive processes when the beverage is taken after the more ample midday and evening meals.”
Kombucha and Vinegar Making
October 4, 2008
There are different preparation techniques of the amazing Kombucha beverage. Vinegar is one of the easiest culture-products for home production. It can be prepared from fresh, non-alcoholic juices like a fresh fruit juice or even using cereal grains or honey. Of course, as you probably know, traditional vinegar is made out of fruit juice, most likely apple juice with the addition of a small-amount of non-pasteurized vinegar, because it contains some active substances. What you should definitely keep in mind is that the acetic acid contained in the juice requires a certain amount of oxygen, so that it can covert alcohol into vinegar.
The Kombucha mother culture is known as Scoby and you need it to produce the beverage. Here is one of the most popular Kombucha recipes. First you need a Scoby with 1 cup fresh Kombucha tea, that you should have from a previous batch. Then you will also need 8 cups of Green tea and 1/2 cup sugar, or you can use 2 table spoons of honey instead. A clean glass container is required to mix everything up in it. You start by pouring 8 cups of tea in the glass container. Then add the sweetener of your choice to the tea and let it cool down to room temperature. Now it’s time to add the Kombucha Scoby plus Kombucha tea from the previous batch. Mix things up and place a clean cloth over the mouth of the container and secure things up using a string. This whole mixture has to fermend at room temperature between 7 to 10 days
There is another interesting method of making Kombucha tea and it involves the addition of kefiran. Kefiran is a health-beneficial soluble of milk kefir grains and when it’s added to Kombucha, the resulting brew has a smooth taste. As a matter of fact, you will be amazed by how refershing the beverage will get, when the unique properties of kefiran are added into the mix. The Scoby that forms on the surface of the brew can get really thick in just a couple of days with a somehow different texture compared to the one you will get in the recipe above.
To make good Kombucha, you have to keep some things in mind. If you find any signs of contamination on the surface, get rid of the vinegar of Kombucha and obtain a new culture. You should never culture Kombucha or vinegar with a contaminated Scoby. Never culture vinegar or Kombucha near a rubbish bin to avoid contamination. Put a clean cloth over the mouth of the brewing vessel you use.
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