Hollywood stars like Halle Berry and Reese Witherspoon swear by the benefits of this wonder beverage. Popular supermarkets fill a single shelf with these products to accommodate all the customers who wants to buy this. But what really is kombucha tea, where did it come from, and why is there such a high demand for it? Based on what zealots claim, is this beverage really that good?
Kombuha tea comes from the culture of kombucha mushroom, which is then fermented together with the green and black tea. After the fermentation process, the sac that is formed has the same color and shape of a mushroom which is where the name is derived. Some of the microorganisms in kombucha mushroom include Torula species, Bacterium katogenum, Bacterium xylinoides, Bacterium gluconicum, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Bacterium xylinum, Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Saccharomycodes ludwigii, Pichia fermentans and many more. The time in brewing as well as the yeast and sugar determines the final product but after fermentation, the solution will usually become acidic having 0.5-1.5% alcohol content.
Although kombucha tea has just been in the market for a few years, some have suggested that kombucha tea has been enjoyed and marvelled at from as far back as the Qin Dynasty (although there are no written records to support this claim). In the book “Kombucha, The Miracle Fungus”, the author of the book named Harald W. Tietze claimed that Chinese living during the Qin Dynasty believe that drinking “Godly Tea or Tsche” will give them the power to become immortals.
Then perhaps we can call kombucha mushroom as the “elixir of life” that is if you believe all the benefits that are mentioned above. Supporters say that drinking the kombucha tea promotes health and wellness and is a cure-all for all types of illness such as arthritis, intestinal problems, baldness, insomnia, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Kombucha tea also contains anti-cancer agent that helps prevent cancer cells called glucaric acid. It is also said to be the cure for HIV.
Do you find it hard to believe? I guess so. There are little to no scientific evidence that could prove its wonders, as opposed to what its proponents seem to claim. Contrary to what they claim, there have been many deaths and complications that were blamed on drinking kombucha tea. A lot of contamination can happen and can be a danger to one’s health if brewing is actually done at home. Also, drinking in excessive amounts especially to those who are immunocompromised may lead to serious health complications and even death.
To see more benefits of Kombucha, visit the following:
Kombucha Mushroom Mother Culture