Astrology  Chat  Cityscape  Classifieds  Entertainment  Health  Matrimonial 
Music  News  Panorama  Search  Shopping  Services  Tours & Travel  Home

Food Style Society Children Science & Environment Chennai Citizen Artscene HR & Education Home Decor Festivals & Religion Columns Mail us your feedback Recommend this page

Download Tamil Fonts

I first heard about Kombucha tea when an aunt came over with it in tow. She and her husband have been drinking it for a while now. They even offer it to guests as it looks and tastes like apple cider!

It’s really a healthy drink which is totally herbal, and has been in existence for centuries. It is made using the Kombucha organism, a mushroom fungus that has been in existence for centuries now. Among the earliest evidence of its popularity are stories about its popularity during the reign of the Tsin dynasty in China (220 BC). Japanese warriors considered it so indispensable that they took with them while fighting wars – probably one of the first instances of tea being brewed on the move!

With the extension of trade routes, historians speculate that merchants must have carried it with them to Russia and then to Europe. Kombucha appeared in Germany about the turn of the century via trading routes from Russia. This fermented tea drink became quite popular across Europe until World War II, when the shortage of two essential items, tea and sugar, put the Kombucha tea into hiding. There are reports from several other countries of Kombucha tea usage, though the fungus is given local names in different countries.

Today, it’s a tea that’s brewed the world over and if you check the Net, you’ll find several websites devoted to Kombucha tea and maintained by ardent fans.

Kombucha tea, it must be made clear, is not a miracle drink and people who know about it say that all people do not necessarily record benefits all of the time. However, it is definitely a drink that cannot do any harm as it is purely herbal and scientific research has shown that drinking Kombucha tea is beneficial.

How does it benefit the person?

How exactly? The benefits vary from person to person. However, when the fungus is placed in a freshly prepared infusion of tea and sugar, fermentation and oxidation commence. These are complex chemical reactions which produce significant antibiotic substances, many vitamins, lactic acid and glucoronic acid.

Based on scientific research, there have been several observations about Kombucha tea which have been reproduced below. In general, it has been observed to be efficacious against a wide spectrum of diseases. While it does not have any specific action on particular illnesses, it systematically detoxifies the body and has an overall beneficial effect. It has a general overall toning-up effect and improves blood circulation. It is especially beneficial for people who are slowly aging.

Doctors who did research on it report that some of the other beneficial effects noted are clearing up of constant headaches, gout, rheumatism and general aging problems such as arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, etc. They attribute this to the high vitamin content in Kombucha tea. 

It is also a metabolic stimulant for some and assists the body in excretion of disease toxins. It also helps in digestive disorders because of its ability to balance and normalise intestinal organs.

What does it look like?

It is a living organism composed of different beneficial bacteria and special yeast culture. It looks like tough, rubbery jelly that varies in colour from cream to brown, and grows to fit the shape of the container it is placed in. New layers grow on top of the old and can be peeled off to start new cultures. 

Since it is an organism, it can last centuries and centuries as it renews itself, but it must have the right conditions to grow.

Where can I get my Kombucha organism?

It’s not just a healthy drink. Since it tastes vaguely like apple cider, you can offer guests a small sip and see if they take to it!

Those of you who’d be interested in trying it out, do call Mary Alexander at 52138828 for a starter organism. Since we just began brewing it about two weeks ago, we don’t have many starter organisms to give away. The golden rule with Kombucha tea is that you do not ever sell it, so do keep that in mind and pass on the benefits to other like-minded people. And since we’re not information experts on Kombucha tea, it’s very important for you to look up the Web for some more interesting reading on the subject. There’s lots to choose from if you type in ‘Kombucha tea’ on the Google search engine.

If by some chance, you would like to stop making it for a while, it can be kept in the freezer. So do keep a back-up Kombucha in the freezer always. Get into the habit of replacing your backup with a new one each year to keep it healthy.

Recycle your old Kombucha! 

• It can be cut into pieces and buried beneath the soil surface of indoor plants to give them a lift.

• You can use it in the same way for outdoor trees and shrubs as well.

• It makes a good poultice as the antiseptic qualities of the Kombucha help in healing.

Want to find out how to make Kombucha tea? Watch out for the second part of this series.

Susan Alexander
E-mail: susealex@yahoo.com

(To be continued)