Day 239- Kombucha “elixir of life?"

First of all what is Kombucha?

Kombucha (kom-boo-cha) is a drink made from fermented sweet tea, using a symbiotic colony of bacteria that is called a scoby. You will also hear this bacteria called the "mother," because of it's ability to reproduce, or a mushroom, due to its appearance.

Kombucha has been noted for it's array of health boosting properties; from preventing cancer, detoxifying the the body, improving digestion, to boosting the immune system and increasing energy.

Organic Acids in Kombucha

• Glucuronic acid: It is well considered as one of the most significant detoxifiers present in human body. When any sort of toxins successfully enter to liver, they are flushed out via the kidneys by the assistance of Glucuronic acid. There’s no way out to toxins after once glucuronic acid bound them. As Kombucha includes an adequate amount of glucuronic acid, it’s a wise and beneficial decision to consume Kombucha. In fact, glucuronic acid is one among the few agents, which gain ability to cope with the pollution that are resulted from the petroleum industry’s products, such as plastics, pesticides, resins, and herbicides. It’s highly suggested for the allergy patients to prefer Kombucha consumption.
• Lactic Acid: Its adequate consumption greatly enhances the digestive tracks. Additionally, it helps in blood circulation, assists in preventing bowel decay and constipation, balances acids ideally, and regulates the blood pH levels, which seems to be very beneficial in cancer prevention.
• Acetic Acid: It’s an extremely effective preservative and restrains all the harmful bacteria.
• Usnic Acid: Well known to be a powerful natural antibiotic, which helps in providing protection against several viruses out there.
• Oxalic Acid: It’s also an effective preservative as Acetic acid, but its main function is to encourage the intercellular energy production.
• Malic acid: Assist in detoxifying the liver.
• Gluconic Acid: Bacteria plays a vital role in producing this acid and it’s believed to be an outstanding curing factor to patients suffered with candidiasis and several other yeast infections.
• Butyric acid: Yeast is responsible behind in generation of this acid and it secures the human cellular membranes from the serious yeast infection such as Candida.

"In 2009 Americans bought more than a million bottles of GT’s Kombucha, the leading commercial variety made by Millennium Products. The chief executive, G. T. Dave, started the company as a teenager in his parents’ kitchen in Beverly Hills, Calif., but the drink has grown beyond the mom-and-pop scale. Recently major companies like Red Bull and Honest Tea (of which Coca-Cola owns 40 percent) began distributing their own brands." -NY Times

Kombucha is made by using the scoby, black or green tea, and white sugar. The tea and sugar are what the culture feeds off during the fermentation process. If interested in making your own kombucha at home, visit this link for step-by-step directions. If interested in purchasing a kombucha scoby there are many online websites, I have included a link to one if interested.

Pura Vida!

Alica Ryan, NTP