Kombucha the weird and wonderful fungus

My first batch of kombucha was a success! The first sip gave me a shock because it was so good! Not that I was expecting it to be bad just that it's a powerful drink. Visually while making this batch, it didn't look very appetising, let's face it... it's a fungus!

What is kombucha?

To those who don't know, kombucha is a fermented tea drink which cultivates many nutrients such as live enzymes, probiotics and antioxidants. The kombucha culture has been used for hundreds of years all throughout Estern Europe and Asia. Also known as an ancient Chinese elixir.

What are the health benefits?

The digestive tract has a huge role to play in the immunity of the body. Good and bad bacteria live in the bowel to carefully keep the balance of the digestive flora. Kombucha contains yeast (not ideal people with candida) and works by supporting the bowel by adjusting the pH and making it slightly acidic.
Kombucha's effect on the digestive tract is meant to be cleansing to the liver, kidneys and digestive tract.

My initial concerns with this drink was the sugar content. Basically the sugar is the food for the fungus and the longer you leave it the less sugar it contains. The sugar is converted by an enzymatic process, living chemical reactions that make this drink a healthy elixir. This tea will turn into vinegar if left long enough, so 7-10 days is ideal.

My own experience with kombucha being my first day drank a glass and it tasted beautiful. It was tangy, naturally bubbly and had a nice golden colour to it. It's not a beverage to drink quickly, more like something to sip on. The feeling it gave me was very satisfying. I can only describe it as relaxing, refreshing and cleansing. I have read many claims on kombucha (the miracle fungus) and honestly didn't know what to think about them. Apparently, improving the health of the cardiovascular system, cholesterol level, liver, kidney, anti-cancer claims and many more. Now I won't and can't verify these benefits but I can certainly vouch that this drink IS detoxifying, it will stimulate the kidney function. It will help stimulate the digestive organs and improve their daily function and it gives you a feeling of relaxation as well.

I used organic green tea, organic sugar, filtered water and the kombucha fungus (jar and muslin cloth)

Kombucha recipe

4 - 6 Tea bags (use black or green tea)
4 litres ( 140 fl oz) Filtered water

300 grams (10 oz) Organic white Sugar

1 Kombucha tea fungus (google for a source in your area, cheap little things)

400 ml (1 3/4 cup//14 fl oz) Kombucha tea (mother tea), from your last brew or obtained with the mushroom / fungus - If you don't have enough mother liquid use 1/3 cup of good quality apple cider vinegar. Using the vinegar may take it longer to brew.

Boil the water and brew the tea then remove the tea bags and dissolve all the sugar and let cool (to room temperature). Pour into glass or ceramic fermenting jar. Add the fungus and mother tea to the jar. Cover with muslin cloth and leave it alone for one week in a place free from contaminants such as mould, cooking fats etc. If the fungus is getting old expect it to make a baby, which will sit at the top of the tea. Gently seperate them when the tea is ready.

Note* Don't touch the fungus with any metal or it may weaken.

Water is not the same without a little magic...

Every health conscious person knows we are made up of at least 70% water and how important it is to hydrate your body. Ideally we would drink from fresh springs or underground sources but our city lives don't give us this opportunity. The easiest and cheapest way to stay cleansed and hydrated is through filtered tap water but even this has its fall backs. Many of the naturally occuring minerals are removed from the water, leaving the basic source plus a little extra.

Minerals are important for our health. They come from the soil and are absorbed by the plant life (except in over-farming instances) and then we consume them, ideally fresh and raw to gain the most health benefits. Minerals also leech into water supplies but when treated for sanitation reasons, we gain many benefits but lose them at the same time. This is how we get much of the soils goodness, through our plant life and drinking water, so in my opinion looking after soil supplies is an environmental priority.

This post is about remineralising your water and adding extra health benefits to it, so it is more easily absorbed and more enjoyable to drink.

I use a 1.5 to 2 lt glass jar to keep at my desk and in my kitchen. I swear by this water, I can't stand drinking straight from the filter tap or bottle anymore. I call it my "magic water" but really, it's a version of living water. Natural pure water sources contain elements important for good health. Minerals, plant life, flower pollens and exposure to air and sunlight makes living water sources considerably different. These days having a fresh source is limited for most (not impossible!) so I've come up with the next best thing.

Things to add to your water...

A pinch of celtic or himalayan crystal salt, *MSM powder, a 1/2 tspn bee polen, any fresh cutting of herb (mint, a twig of rosemary, parsley). I'll use any thinly sliced fruit like lemons, orange or apple and even add flowers such as rose petals and lavender. Sometimes I may include a shot of unsweetened birch juice (the Eastern European in me) and when detoxing, I'll use homeopathics to work on the lymphatics, liver and kidney metabolic pathways. Encouraging a healthy and clear cellular matrix. If desired add a teaspoon of raw organic honey and you have a pure diluted electrolyte replacing fluid.

The main benefit I've noticed is better tasting water and more enthusiasm to drink it. It hydrates my body more and I can tell the difference because straight from the filter or bottled water seems to go straight through me. Better skin, energy levels, mood and normal appetite, with very few cravings.

*MSM powder, a natural organic form of sulphur which is made from fruit and vegetables. It is a great tissue cleanser but also has synergistic properties with every other supplement.

Water as an element represents feelings and emotions. It's the ever flowing, unstoppable aspect of a human and the most influential part of our 'being'. Real motivation comes from emotion, positive or negative. The things we really want in life come from how we feel. Like a river, our emotions consistently bubble and flow and when they become stagnant we can cultivate negative ones. Stagnant feelings in your love life, work situation and any other aspect of your life can create negativity that if ignored, gathers momentum. Being around water and drinking it is important for your emotional health. How much happier and clear headed do you feel after a swim at the beach? If I'm stressed having a warm bath or shower with essential oils and a candle lit can be enough to soothe my nerves. Water can be frozen as ice or boiling over, it can drip away for years at stone and carve away a hole. Our emotions have as much impact on our body, how do they flow for you?