Kombucha tea
kombucha tea
Kombucha – the Facts!
Some of the other names for Kombucha: Cajnogo griba, Cajnyj kvas, Combou Chai, Elixir de longue vie, Japanese sponge, Jponskij grib, K’un- Pu-ch’a, Kargasok Pilz, Manchurian Tea Elixir, Olinka, Symbiont Schizosaccharomyces Pombe, Tea Beer, Teewein, Yapnge
The origin of the Kombucha culture is mysterious! No-one knows where it comes from and it can’t be found in the wild anymore. The use of this living organism is thought to have first been started in Manchuria, China, but others consider it was in Eastern Russia or Japan. Wherever it began it was a very long time ago.
What it is. Often Kombucha is referred to as a fungus which is not strictly true. It is more like a jelly fish, a combination of yeasts and bacteria, rather like a yoghurt culture, an algae or sponge, a sort of symbiosis like Irish Moss (a lichen), which, strangely, lives off a dilute solution of sugar and water.
Its name. So the name “kombu” (from the sea) and “cha” (tea) doesn’t quite tie up! Nor is it a tea, for it neither tastes like tea nor do you drink it hot! Hence some of the names speak of it as a “beer” or “wine” since the drink it makes tastes somewhat like a sparkling beverage, something like cider. The reason it was called a tea is that tea is usually mixed with the sugar solution to make the brew. The tea can be black or green, mixed with herbal or fruit teas. These are more than just for flavour, they do of course contribute to the health-giving benefits of the sponge which are becoming legendary.
Its uses. It is now being recommended for anyone with abnormal cell formation. But the drink is not just for those with illnesses. Brewed correctly, it is a delicious drink. It is of course the national drink of Manchuria and Mongolia and certain countries of the former Soviet Union, just as tea is England’s national brew. Kombucha is a natural tonic and is highly regarded by health professionals all over the world to be an excellent, safe, promotional health drink (or preventative remedy against all illnesses).
How it is made. Certain authors speak about Kombucha as “fermenting” in the sweetened water. This is not really accurate. Kombucha is a living organism and the sweet water is its food, and the “brew” is the result of the sponge’s digestive process, just as pollen and herbal medicinal qualities are the result of the plant’s metabolic system and honey is the result of the bee’s digestive processes.
What is in it? Just as wine and beer are dependent on micro-organisms for their life and benefit so also all living things require these micro-organisms for health. It is when these get out of balance that such conditions as thrush and candida, etc, occur. Could all health problems be related to an imbalance of these micro-bacteria and organisms? There are at least five active natural bacteria in Kombucha: Acetobacter xylinum, A. xylinoides, A. aceti, A. pasteurianum, Gluconobacter bluconicum, and many yeasts, for instance Schizosaccharomyces pombe, S ludwigii, Pichia fermentans. Since the yeasts increase by cross division (in contrast with conventional yeasts, which is the reason why people with candida problems can benefit from Kombucha. It completely transforms sugar into lactic acid and other health components. Lactic acid itself is detoxifying. The Kombucha culture produces gluconic and glucuronic acids, carbonic acid and acetic acid (anti-streptococci, anti-diplococci, etc), plus a range of B vitamins (1,2,3,6,12) folic acid and many enzymes, usinic acid (antibacterial and antiviral). The life span of the culture is said to be unlimited, endless, ageless. Kombucha beverage is organic and living.
The Herbactive Kombucha Herbal Tea is made from pure spring water, green tea, herbs and fruit teas. Its taste is very pleasant. The green tea potentises Kombucha’s own anti-abnormal cell formation effect. Green tea contains the chemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which inhibits the growth of carcinogens and lowers blood cholesterol; the Chinese say it gives longevity and is protective of the memory. Kombucha is appropriate for all people, for health promotion and as disease preventative; a real, natural, holistic tonic of ancient origin and wide traditional use.
We also have Kombucha in a Herbal Mixture as a tincture.
Ask for your bottle of Herbactive Kombucha
Our Kombucha is also available by mail order
We sell the Kombucha Culture and send it mail order worldwide