Invest in Your Health: Kombucha

by Krystal Bickel www.investmentcooking.com

Most Americans have never heard of kombucha (pronounced kom-BOO-cha) but
this beverage has been around for hundreds of years. Kombucha is a healthy,
sparkling beverage that resembles apple cider and is created by adding a
SCOBY to a sweetened tea mixture and then allowed to ferment for 5-10 days.
People all over the world report a wide variety of benefits from drinking
kombucha from easing their arthritis to ending a round with cancer.

The origins of the culture are somewhat uncertain but it seems to have come
from the east. It has been found in Russia, China, Japan, and India. The
earliest mention of kombucha that I've seen is 220 B.C. from China. Some
people refer to a kombucha mushroom but it really isn't a mushroom at all it
is a Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast (a.k.a. SCOBY).

Here is a partial list of benefits people have experienced from drinking
kombucha on a regular basis:

* Acts as a gentle laxative, helping avoid constipation.
* Aids in the relief of arthritis.
* Cleanses the colon and gall bladder.
* Rids in healthy digestion
* Relieves colitis and stomach cramps.
* Returns gray hair to it's natural color.
* Helps stop non-infectious diarrhea.
* Relieves bronchitis and asthma.
* Clears up Candida yeast infections.
* Regulates the appetite and reduces fat.
* Aids with stress and insomnia.
* Improves eyesight, cataracts and floaters.
* Relieves headaches including migraines.
* Put Lupus into remission.
* Helps reduces the alcoholic's craving for alcohol.
* Eliminates menopausal hot flashes.
* Clears acne, psoriasis and other skin problems.
* Thickens hair and strengthens fingernails.
* Enhances the sense of smell.
* Reduces Cholesterol
* Aids weight loss
* Aids diabetics (enabling them to reduce their medication)
* Strengthens immune system

Although this list is impressive most articles I have read have stated that
they believe that kombucha does not cure what ails you but instead helps
your body to repair itself. It fuels your cells with important vitamins,
minerals and enzymes that enable your body to fight off the bad stuff.
Kombucha also helps your body to detoxify your system preventing toxins from
staying in your body.

Making Kombucha is a rather simple task. You make a sugar infused tea. (We
use a combination of black and green teas.) Then you add a SCOBY to the tea
in a glass jar; cover it with cheese cloth secured with a rubber band. Let
it sit for 5-10 days at room temperature without being disturbed. Bottle the
kombucha for 5 days. Then enjoy!

(See below for websites with complete instructions.)

You can obtain a Kombucha SCOBY from many different sources. The best way is
to find a friend who will share with you. The SCOBYs multiple rather quickly
and a regular brewer of kombucha should have extras to share. The Kombucha
group on yahoo has several people who will send you a SCOBY for the cost of
shipping. There are also several sources from which you can buy a Kombucha
SCOBY. See the FAQ website below for those sources.

Kombucha is a wonderful replacement for carbonated beverages. It is bubbly
and yet it contains so many wonderful nutrients unlike pop which depletes
your body of vital nutrients. I encourage you to look into making kombucha
for your family. We certainly enjoy it.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

How To Make Kombucha Manual: http://users.bestweb.net/~om/kmi/manual.html
http://users.bestweb.net/~om/kmi/manual.html

Yahoo Group about Kombucha (This group is also a good source to get your
first SCOBY.): http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/original_kombucha>
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/original_kombucha

Kombucha FAQ: http://w3.trib.com/~kombu/FAQ/