Kombucha Tea
 

Does anyone drink this stuff? A friend of mine brews it and I tried it last night. I've been doing research on the internet and some believe it has many 'healing' properties. I would like to hear from anyone who actually drinks it and what their opinion is. Does it make you feel more energized? Are you healthier? Just wondering.

Sounds interesting? hum?

Brewmaniac,
Are you going to brew some?
Abigail

I first tasted it in work this past Summer since my boss/company owner knows a lot about this concoction, swears by it, brews his own, and says it has all the beneficial effects on him that you mention, plus more that I've read about. I also found my online research about it turn up quite interesting information. Plus the boss gave me two good little books about it with lots of good info, history, how to brew, benefits, etc.

After my first taste, I brewed a batch of my own from a "mother" he gave me. I like the stuff, but I'm not drinking it every day so I can't say I have any beneficial effects; though if I wasn't so lazy to brew it I would drink it instead of my normal iced tea lubrication.

Hi Badnick,
My friend gave me a freshly brewed gallon a few days ago, plus the culture to make my own. I've had 2 glasses per day for the last two days, and I think I have more energy. I don't think it is just the caffeine because I was already drinking alot of caffeine before this...("Vault" being my drug of choice) LOL
And...this may just be in my head, but I don't think I am craving sugar like I normally do. I usually have M&Ms stashed everywhere, and can hardly walk past candy in a store without getting a bag. Last couple of days I've had no craving for candy. Have you heard of this?

So for those of us who have no idea what it is.. mind filling in the details?

Sounds intresting.

Abigail, you bring it, I'll brew it!

Interesting indeed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombucha

It sounds interesting ... but looks disgusting!

The one piece of info that people haven't commented on: How does it taste?

It tastes good, a bit like cider. It's best when it is first harvested. I have only been drinking it a few days, but I think it is giving me more energy. I know its not the caffiene because I generally drink more caffeine than I should.
I enjoy the taste. Right now, because we are almost out of it, I drink two glasses a day. I would really like a third glass in the evening, but our new batch won't be ready until Tuesday.
Cheers!
Abigail

I agree on the overall energy improvement ...for me it does, too. Is it a blood sugar adjustment, metabolism effect ...maybe but I'm not a doc or physiologist. As for "looks disgusting", well it sort of looks like a hunk-a'fungus, so maybe as disgusting as a weird mushroom if that's your perspective, no more so than a yummy chanterelle, but the drink just looks like tea. Actually it is a yeast I think. Like Abigail said, tastes sort of like a cider; but you can tweak it to a wide variety of tastes just like a tea. Hey, I figure a thousand year history of an Asian cultural health enhancement can't be bad and is likely quite good for me.

My father in law brewed it to help his health & well being. I don't think it helped much because he gave up after a few weeks.
It's some gross looking stuff, when it's growing. I didn't have the stomach to try it.

okay...I have been drinking my kombucha tea for about ten days now. I have even harvested my first batch. I have two new cultures growing that will be ready on Tuesday.
Do I like it? Yes. Is it making a difference? I think so.
I'm a major skeptic of anything that claims to have 'healing' properties. But...after ten days, I do have more energy overall. I'm not falling into bed at night exhausted. My skin is actually getting clearer, too. Coinicidence? Maybe. Placebo effect? Maybe. I'm still drinking it, though.
Maybe I will give another report in ten days if anyone is interested. I really wish I could find others that are drinking this stuff. I'd love to compare notes.
Cheers!
Abigail

It looks like tofu in that Wikipedia article! I'm curious about these things so I'll look around to see if it is sold here.

Sharon,
My friend that introduced me to the tea and then gave my a culture to grow my own says that the stuff that you buy 'bottled' (made in a factory somewhere) is not as nutritious or tasty as what you make yourself at home.
Maybe a health food store in your area could tell you where to find the 'real deal'.

You'd still need to buy the starter culture, right?

Sharon,
Yes, if you want to brew it at home. My friend gave me a culture, so I don't know where to go to buy one. And, there are lots of rules to follow...(only make the stuff in glass...and only drink it out of glass ,,,,,no plastic or ceramic or aluminum etc)
I'm sure if you find a source for the culture that they would tell you all the ins and outs. I don't know where you live...If you were close, I'd give you a culture to start your own. I think my friend paid close to 25 dollars for her first culture. It's easy to grow them, though, and before you know it, these things are multiplying like crazy!:love:
Let me know if you find one, or if I can help in anyway..I FEEL GOOD!:thumbsup:

I have my doubts about how much good fungus and tea can really do for you (by what biological processes would it benefit the body?,) but I've heard enough good things to keep my attention. As long as you aren't allergic to the mushroom it can't be bad for you, so I encourage anyone who thinks it helps to keep it up and continue to report back to us.

If I recall correctly, you're not supposed to put sugar in it because it will negatively affect the pH and the mushroom, does that sound right?

Sugar is used as part of the recipe but it is not used as a sweetener. The sugar is broken down and converted into different components of the finished drink.
The Kombucha culture has been known as a mushroom, a lichen and many other things but the best and most accurate definition we have today is a "symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast".


Someone compared it to eatting yogart. Yogart is a live culture and is supposed to have endless healthful benefits especially for the gastoinstestinal system I think.
Check out this link. It gives some explanation.

http://www.kombuchatea.co.uk/what-is-kombucha.asp

I'm not completely "sold" on it..but so far...so good!:thumbsup: I'll keep ya posted.

I had also looked into this tea as I enjoy a good number of healthful brews. I came across this, however, which talked me out of it. It is from a source that I highly respect.

Take this as you will, but you should know this if you haven't read anything negative yet. (And perhaps do some more research.)

reminds me of this stuff I read about a year or so ago...
basically the exact same thing except with dairy, its called kefir... never tried it...

I'd give it a try... would be really surprised if it was available in my location...

mebbe if a few people here have cultures they could split em and send pieces to interested tfpers I dunno, might be cool