Kombucha Tea

Kombucha is a fermented beverage thought to have originated in the Far East, probably China, and has been consumed there for at least two thousand years.  In China it was known as "The Tea of Immortality" during the Tsin Dynasty in 221 BC. Today in the US, kombucha has become increasingly popular and is being sold at most health food stores nationwide.  Kombucha is made by combining tea with sugar and yeast.  The result is a sweet, fizzy beverage that tastes like a mix between champagne and sparkling apple cider.  Kombucha is delicious and super refreshing!   

Drink up!  It's good for you.
The kombucha "mushroom" which looks like a pale beige pancake, is actually a symbiotic colony of yeast and bacteria (SCOBY) making kombucha an effective probiotic (supporting the beneficial bacteria in your gut).  The mushroom acts on the sugar to produce small amounts of glucuronic acid, a powerful detoxifying substance.  The liver produces this acid to help neutralize toxins in the body however, toxins from chemicals in foods and the environment can overwhelm the liver.  Kombucha can be a powerful aid in cleansing the body and enhancing the immune system.    

Make it yourself.
WARNING: The "scoby" or "mushroom" is not pretty so be prepared to be a little grossed out.

Instead of paying 3 dollars a pop for bottled kombucha, you can easily make your own at home.  First, you'll need to get a starter culture.  For buying a culture there are lots of places on the internet where you can purchase one.  Here is one. 

3 quarts filtered water
4 bags of organic black tea
1 cup white sugar (the culture consumes the sugar, you do not)
1/2 cup komucha from a previous culture
1 kombucha mushroom

large gallon glass jar
paper towel
rubber band

Bring water to boil.
Add sugar, stirring until dissolved.
Add tea bags, steep for 10-15 minutes. Allow tea mixture to cool.
Remove tea bags and add 1/2 kombucha from previous batch.  
Pour mixture into a gallon glass jar, add culture, place paper towel over the top of the gallon glass jar and secure with a rubber band.
Place in a warm, dark place away from contaminants and insects for seven to ten days.
After fermentation is complete two cultures will appear in the mixture.
Remove the cultures and filter kombucha into a glass container.
You may need to pull gently to separate the mother from the daughter culture. You can use this to make other batches or give away to a friend. 

Refrigerate and enjoy!