Kombucha mucha?
Hailed as a tonic for everything from arthritis and insomnia to detoxification and digestion, Kombucha is a fermented beverage made from sweetened black tea and a specific fungus called the Kombucha mushroom. Technically a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, the mushroom is fed by the sugar and tea to create a cultured beverage that is rich in probiotics, B and C vitamins, amino acids, and enzymes as well as beneficial acids. According to Gunther W. Frank, author of Kombucha: Healthy Beverage and Natural Remedy from the Far East, the drink has been consumed for thousands of years in China and throughout Asia. Because the mushroom reproduces itself with each new batch, it was often passed down from generation to generation as a tonic for a multitude of daily ailments and conditions. To cultivate your own habit, look for a brand that is organic, raw, and has little or no added sugar like G.T. Dave’s Kombucha or Synergy drinks. Drink a small amount initially, monitoring your body’s response. Because it’s tasty, it is easy to forget that Kombucha is a supplement, and like any supplement, more isn’t always better.
To find kombucha tea, visit getkombucha.com, gtskombucha.com.
