I first started to make Kombucha when I was a naturopathic student in the 1980’s. Kombucha certainly is no health fad, it has been used for thousands of years in China, having only recently become popular in the West the last twenty or thirty years. Kombucha is basically a fermented mixture made from the kombucha (a kind of mushroom) culture added to a black or green tea made with plenty of sugar. Don't worry about the sugar, is consumed (fermented) by bacteria and turned into a lactic acid ferment which is great for the large and small intestine in particular.
I started making kombucha when I was a naturopathic student in the 1980s. Kombucha isn’t a new health fad; it’s been used in China for thousands of years and only recently gained popularity in the West. Kombucha is a fermented mixture made from a kombucha culture added to black or green tea with plenty of sugar. The end result is a sweet, pancake-like structure that floats on top of the container. Don’t worry about the sugar—it’s all consumed by bacteria and turned into lactic acid, which is fantastic for your intestines.
Kombucha is a living tea that’s fun to make, especially with kids. Like many fermented foods, it might become a temporary fad for some because it needs regular care. Your kombucha mushroom is like a live pet, reproducing every two to three weeks. You can give the extra cultures away to friends or family. Kombucha tea costs only a few pennies per glass to make—all you need is quality tea, white sugar, and clean water. Avoid distilled water if possible.
Kombucha tea is a slightly effervescent, tangy drink you can make with basic ingredients:
– Tea: Use black or green tea. Experiment with 2 to 3 tea bags per liter of water.
– Water & Sugar: Use 1 cup of sugar for 4 liters of tea. Plain white sugar works fine.
– Kombucha Culture: This is a round, rubbery “mushroom” that floats on your culture.
Combine the ingredients and ferment at room temperature for about 1-2 weeks.
This time allows the sugar to be consumed.
Always maintain clean conditions when brewing, or stick to mass-produced kombucha if you prefer.
You can buy a kombucha mushroom, which can be reused indefinitely, and get instructions for making your own through health food shops. They might be hard to find, but they’re available if you look.
The amazing thing about the mushroom is that you can dry it out, store it, and revive it later in a tea and sugar solution. I once kept a dried kombucha mushroom for over three years. It revived perfectly well in sweetened tea, though it took weeks to produce the tea.
Kombucha contains natural probiotics, B vitamins, acetic acid, amino acids, glucuronic acid, lactic acid, and more. Here are a few health benefits:
– Detoxification: Kombucha helps detoxify the body. It’s been said to be especially good for older people, HIV patients, and even cure hangovers. Its acidic properties can kill bacteria in the body.
– Immune Booster: Kombucha boosts the immune system, increases energy, stimulates hair growth, and may prevent cancer. Some claims, like restoring hair color and improving skin, need more scientific validation. However, I’ve noticed that patients who drink kombucha have excellent digestive health over time.
– Longevity: Studies on lab mice given kombucha for three years showed they lived longer and had healthier livers and DNA. No clinical trials on humans have been done, likely because kombucha can’t be easily monopolized.
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Hey there,
Before starting your Candida Crusher diet, I noticed that drinking a small glass of Kombucha seemed to irritate my candida and vaginally thrush considerably, whilst at the same time, made my skin amazing. After suffering with acne for 15 years, it seemed to clear up my acne in a few weeks when home brewing it myself, but I had to stop because of this side effect. When would you recommend drinking it again? I’m currently taking your prebiotic, cleanser and multivitamin and on the MEVY diet.