Good Morning! I am up and at it this morning with our Kombucha! But I wanted to take the first part of our tutorial and talk about Kombucha, what it is and what it does!
I headed over to Wikipedia for some “scientific facts” about Kombucha… they are as follows…
This is WHAT Kombucha is…
Kombucha is the Western name for sweetened tea or tisane that has been fermented by a macroscopic solid mass of microorganisms called a “kombucha colony,” usually consisting principally of Bacterium xylinum and yeast cultures. It has gained much popular support within many communities, mentioned by talk show hosts and celebrities. The increase in popularity can be seen by the many commercial brands coming onto the retail market and thousands of web pages about this fermented beverage
This is WHAT the SCOBY, the culture or the Baby is….
The culture contains a symbiosis of yeast species and acetic acid bacteria, mostly Bacterium xylinum. Species of yeast involved vary, and may include: Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Candida stellata, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Torulaspora delbrueckii and Zygosaccharomyces bailii. The culture itself looks somewhat like a large pancake, and though often called a mushroom, or by the acronym SCOBY (for “Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast”), it is clinically known as a zoogleal mat.
This is the History of the Tea…
The recorded history of this drink dates back to the Qin Dynasty in China (around 250 BC). The Chinese called it the “Immortal Health Elixir,” because they believed Kombucha balanced the Middle Qi (Spleen and Stomach) and aided in digestion, allowing the body to focus on healing. [citation needed] Knowledge of kombucha eventually reached Russia and then Eastern Europe around the Early Modern Age, when tea first became affordable by the populace.
The word kombucha, while sounding Japanese to foreign ears, is a misnomer when applied to this beverage. In fact, Kombucha (昆布茶) in Japanese refers to a tea-like infusion (cha) (actually, more of a thin soup) made from kelp (kombu), usually served to patients in convalescence. The Japanese refer to ‘kombucha’ as kÅ�cha-kinoko (紅茶ã‚ノコ), which literally means black tea mushroom.
The Process of making the Tea….
The process of brewing kombucha was introduced in Russia and the Ukraine at the end of the 1800s, and became popular in the early 1900s. The kombucha culture is known locally as chayniy grib, (чайный гриб – ‘tea mushroom’), and the drink itself is referred to as grib (гриб – ‘mushroom’), “tea kvass” or simply “kvass”, although it differs from regular “kvass” which is not made from tea and is generally fermented only with yeast and not the other bacteria which ferment tea to form kombucha.
Health Benefits of Kombucha…
The health benefits of Kombucha tea may also aid the body to alleviate a wide spectrum of ailments and conditions; from the mildest indisposition to the most serious diseases.
These include: Arthritis pains, intestinal problems, digestive disorders, kidney stones, high cholesterol, chronic fatigue, asthma, bronchitis, migraine, eczema, headaches, constipation, diabetes, rheumatism, anxiety, dizziness and insomnia. Problems associated with advancing years, such as high blood pressure, poor eye sight, arteriosclerosis and gout, may also be helped by Kombucha’s anti-aging properties.
Kombucha’s Health Properties
I will be back shortly with Part 2 of Kombucha and How to make the Tea!
Dearest Chas, I have long heard about this tea. Thanks for giving the 411 on what it is. Sounds really healthy for us. God Bless you. Cute worms! By His Grace, Cynthia