I was originally introduced to kombucha and told of its beneficial properties about 15 years ago by my mother. During one of my visits, she reached into a cabinet and pulled out a glass gallon jar full of brownish tea, and what to me resembled a jellyfish floating on the surface. Not too many things that my mother shows me surprise me anymore, but I was a bit taken aback by this brew. When I asked what it was she replied “mushroom tea”. I was skeptical to say the least but with the trust only a son can have in his mother, I took a drink. I was pleasantly surprised by the tangy yet slightly sweet effervescent tea. I was hooked and have been ever since.
In Part 1 – What, When, Why and How of this 3 part series I explained what kombucha is, told some of the convoluted history, what some of the reasons for drinking it are and touched on how it is made. Today I would like to delve deeper into the health claims associated with this “Elixir of Life”. They range from the subjective feelings some have after consuming the tonic to scientific based properties.
Kombucha falls into the category I like to call Live Foods. Yes, it is a drink and not a “food” but like kefir which is also a drink, it is teeming with live probiotics. Consuming probiotics helps keep the balance of good and bad bacteria in your digestive track in balance. This balance is essential for proper digestion of food and assimilation of the nutrients those foods carry with them. Some of the most common ailments that the consumption of live probiotics can help alleviate are:
As more research is done in regards to a “healthy gut” and the effects that has on other systems of the body, there is more supportive evidence that introducing probiotics into your intestinal track can also help with:
Kombucha also contains Polyphenols (antioxidant micronutrients) and Electrolytes, which help the body regulate hydration and blood pH, and proper muscle and nerve function. As was also shown in Part 1 here is a nutritional label and list of the Probiotics, Polyphenols and Electrolytes that are contained in a commercially produced kombucha – GT’s Organic Raw Kombucha –
In addition to the scientific backed health benefits listed above there is a long list of claims that range from euphoria to treatment for those suffering from radiation exposure. As written in the book - Kombucha Revolution by Stephen Lee and Ken Koopman – “…there’s the tale told about the Russians who lived through the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown in the late 1980s; a common thread among those who survived the radiation exposure was that they regularly consumed kombucha.” There is a detoxification effect from drinking kombucha as it has a similar pH as vinegar, in fact, if allowed to ferment for too long it will turn into vinegar. A quick internet search will provide you with hundreds of claims of all the benefits; are these claims exaggerated or is there more to this "tea of immortality" than our medical community can currently validate?
If you missed Part 1 – What, When, Why and How click on the highlighted title which will bring you to the post. In Part 3 I will provided a step by step picture tutorial of how to make your own kombucha at home. As always - Thank you for reading!
Learn more about me by reading my Introduction Post
