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The Kombucha Story

Names
Modern Lifestyles
The Russian Story
What is it?
Fermented Tea Info
Brewing Basics
To Help Is A Token Of Friendship
Tidbits
No - No's
Other Uses
Bottling The Brew
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NAMES: [Back to Top]  [Order Now] In 414 B.C. it was called The Devine Tsche by the Koreans. Other names include: Mo-gu, Manchurian mushroom, tea kvass, and there are 60 other names and descriptions that all seem to refer to Kombucha. The drink showed up in China in 221 B.C during the Tsin Dynasty. From there it went to Japan, Russia and India where it is consumed daily by enormous numbers of people.

Most scientists agree that Kombucha is NOT a mushroom. Some believe it to be an enzyme, a lichen, a sponge, a fungus or some exotic combination of yeasts. The important thing….is that a culture can be inexpensively grown at home to make a pleasant tasting tea which when consumed in sufficient quantities, on a regular basis, has a wide range of health benefits.

MODERN LIFESTYLES: [Back to Top] [Order Now] People today, spend a lifetime filling their bodies with all kinds of pure unadulterated gunk. We have mercury in our body from teeth fillings, aluminum in our system from cooking in aluminum cookware & lead in our bodies from breathing gasoline exhaust fumes. Drug residues from a whole host of antibiotics, lots and lots of artificial preservatives used in creating micro-waveable food, fast foods and foods that won’t spoil. No wonder so many people are sickly and have a host of allergies, malfunctioning systems, exotic conditions and get sick at the drop of a hat. Would you agree that if one can remove the “gunk” from his or her system that improved health should logically follow?

Kombucha seems to be the biological equal to STP gas treatment, carburetor cleaner and radiator flush all rolled into one. It took a lifetime to accumulate the gunk in our systems at the cellular and molecular level and it won’t come out overnight. Drinking Kombucha as part of a daily routine seems to slowly pull these toxins out of our body. Three 4 ounce glasses a day, spread out over morning, afternoon and bedtime is a good start. I have cut back on coffee, iced tea and soft drinks and consume about a quart a day. I have heard of people that drink a gallon a day. Usually there is not an instant change although an increase in energy is fairly quick. One day, however, you’ll realize that a previous condition had slipped silently away and wasn’t a bother anymore. People with medical problems notice changes more quickly than people in good health. People who drink Kombucha, simply put, seem to be a lot healthier than those that don’t.

THE RUSSIAN STORY: [Back to Top] [Order Now] The Russians launched an investigation, right after WW 2, to discover why cancer was on the increase in their country. After the Bolshevik Revolution and continuing thru WW2 Russsia had experienced tremendous industrial growth. Factories and giant industrial cities were springing up all over & smokestacks were belching industrial smoke and vapors into their atmosphere. Industrial growth and increased military might was the goal with no concern for the environment. Easily compared to the pollution in England when their industrial revolution was in full swing. Doctors, scientists and other investigators were sent to various parts of the USSR to run tests and investigate the causes of the Cancer problem. During the investigation they found 2 areas ( the Solikamsk & Berezniki districts) that were almost cancer free. (The few cases of cancer found in these 2 areas were newcomers who had just settled there).

The answer was….Tea Kvass (aka Kombucha) (but not to be confused with the kvass drink made from fermented bread). Not only were the people in these two regions cancer free, they were healthier and seemed to live longer. Hundreds of years before, the Czar had been introduced to Kombucha by learned travelers that had brought it back from China. After a while the Czar remarked that this tea wine was no longer to his taste and instructed that it be given to the people. His comment was that now even the little moujiks could make their own wonderful tea wine and would stop being covetous. Apparently these 2 areas had been making and consuming tea kvass (aka Kombucha) ever since. The intense Soviet investigation, coupled with other large bodies of evidence indicate that Kombucha is indeed a dramatic immune system booster and body detoxifier. A research facility was readying a batch of Kombucha for Stalin (he frequently had nightmares about dying from cancer). A KGB plot, accusing the Jewish personnel on the project of attempting to poison Stalin, threw a monkey wrench in the project and the treatment was abandoned.

What do Alexander Solzhenitzn and Ronald Regan have in common? They both had cancer and both consumed Kombucha as part of their recovery treatment. I haven’t read the book but I’m told that Solzhenitzyn refers to his cancer and recovery in “The Cancer Ward”. Both could be described as long-time cancer survivors.

WHAT IS IT? [Back to Top] [Order Now] Have you heard the saying “beauty is only skin deep but ugly goes all the way to the bone”? The Kombucha “mushroom” is certainly not pretty. It consists of a gelatinoid membrane in the form of a flat disk. It lives and feeds in a nutrient solution of tea and sugar . The fungal disk first spreads over the entire surface of the tea. This traps the gases being produced by the fermentation process in the liquid resulting in a carbonated taste. The disk then thickens and reproduces itself forming a new “mushroom” on top of the original. The reproduction process is a form of branching.

Now for the egg-heads that want to get really technical…The Kombucha mushroom is built in membrane form and is a symbiosis of yeast cells and different bacteria. The fungus culture constitutes a natural symbiosis of Saccharomyces ludwigii, Saccharomyses apiculatus varieties, Bacterium xylinum, Bacterium xylinoides, Bacterium gluconicum, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Acetobacter ketogenum, torula varieties, Pichia fermentans and other enzymes. Any questions?

FERMENTED TEA INFO: [Back to Top] [Order Now] The culture transforms the tea into enzymes useful to the body. The fermented mixture contains 0.5 to 1.0% alcohol, acetic, citric, malic, gluconic, butyric, nucleic, glucuronic, lactic, carbonic, oaxaloic, usnic and amino acids plus vitamins B & C.  Other products are produced including substances with antibiotic, antiseptic and detoxifying properties.

The active substances of Kombucha address themselves to the whole body system. It can reestablish a normal condition in the cellular membranes without any side effects and thus promote one’s well being in a natural, nontoxic manner.

Glucuronic acid (GA) binds toxins in the liver which are then sent to the urine. Toxins bound by GA cannot be reabsorbed by the intestines or the urinary system. GA is a building block for connective tissue, cartilage, stomach lining, vitreous humor of the eye and heparin.

Some say that Kombucha's ability to create an inhospitable environment for pathogens is probiotic rather than antibiotic.

Antibiotic activity occurs on and after the 7th or 8th day. The antibiotic component, usnic acid, can partly inactivate viruses. Prevalence of these substances is dependent upon the size (the bigger the better) of the mushroom and develop optimally at 77 to 86 degrees F.  This is why we only grow and ship jumbo mushrooms that are 8 inches or more in diameter.

The degree of acidity (pH) between 2.5 and 5.0 indicates the largest amount of therapeutically active substances. Kombucha produces its own preservatives; acetic , lactic, and oxalic acids plus alcohol which works to prevent the growth of unwanted bacteria and mold. Scientific testing and extensive experience show Kombucha’s effectiveness in regulating intestinal flora, strengthening cells, detoxification, blood cleansing, metabolic harmonization, antibiotic effect, strengthening of resistance to disease and facilitation of pH balance. Urine tests after drinking Kombucha show traces of environmental toxins such as lead, mercury, etc have been expelled from the body. Studies suggest that when the body is in a state of pH balance many types of cancer cells can’t survive the environment therefore can’t multiply & spread.

BREWING BASICS: [Back to Top] [Order Now] Put 3 quarts of distilled water in a glass, porcelain, or stainless steel pot and bring it to a rolling boil.  Let it boil for 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of regular, granulated cane sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Next, let it boil for 5 minutes more.  Add 1 family size (quart) tea bag (included in your kit), or 4 individual teabags, or 2 tablespoons of loose tea.  I use tea bags because the thought of straining 3 quarts of boiling hot tea into a glass bowl sends shivers down my spine.  We include strainers (filters) with each kit in case you use loose tea or want to strain your fermented tea.  Cut black tea (orange pekoe & pekoe) such as Lipton, Tetley or a house brand is the best. If you already have a sensitive stomach you can temporarily use Oolong or green tea which is easier on the stomach but most believe it is not the most effective. You can always switch to the black tea after your stomach improves. Cover the container and let it steep for ten minutes. You can then remove the tea bags and allow the prepared tea to come to room temperature.

Selection of a fermentation container is most important. Clear, unleaded glass is best while plastic and metal containers are an absolute no-no. The mushroom must breathe so the container must have a wide mouth such as a mixing bowl and hold 3 quarts minimum with 4 quarts being best. Remember the first thing the mushroom does is to expand to cover the surface of the tea so a small mouthed tall container will only produce a small mushroom. The guru of Kombucha, Gunther W. Frank, on pages 34 and 35 of his book "KOMBUCHA, Healthy beverage and natural remedy from the Far East", clearly explains that a short container with a wide top produces the most effective tea in the shortest time.  A bowl that is 8’’ in diameter or more is preferred.

Pour your room temperature (warm or hot tea will damage or kill the mushroom) into the fermentation container. Add 4 to 6 ounces of your old tea or the tea that came with your mushroom. Carefully add the mushroom, yucky side down, and cover the container with unbleached muslin or cheesecloth held firmly in place by a wide rubber band.  Most believe cheesecloth too porous so we include muslin cloths and rubber bands in your kit.  The fermentation process does produce a distinct smell (similar to vinegar or apple cider) that might attract little creatures such as fruit flies, ants or common house flies. Small creatures like that don’t hold their liquor well and their loud partying could keep you up all night. At the least they could contaminate the batch so make sure the cover is tightly in place. Put the container in a place (out of direct sunlight) where it can sit undisturbed at normal room temperature for 12 to 14 days.  You can do a taste test anytime after 12 days to see how it's coming along

It’s so simple that even a blonde can do it with ease. The most dangerous time is when you are stretching the rubber band and trying to get it to hold the muslin cloth in place. One wrong move or careless moment and the band could fly across the room, knock a hole in the wall or put someone’s eye out. During the fermentation phase you can peek at the mushroom thru the glass to check on progress but don’t be moving it around, etc. You can sing to it or play some music for it but heavy metal and rap is a no-no. The “mushrooms” don’t mate but mine seem to respond well to the CD’s “Sensual Interludes” and “Classics For Lovers”. Believe it…or not. Also, no smoking in the room containing the mushroom.

At the end of the 12 to 14 day fermentation phase you are ready to harvest your finished brew and start a new batch.  Some don’t like the idea of putting their hands in the tea or may be squeamish about handling the mushrooms so we include a pair of latex gloves in each kit.  If everything went according to Hoyle you will now have 2 mushrooms.  You are now ready to start the process over again.

For greater carbonic acid and less tang pour up the tea in 8 to 10 days. For weight control allow the tea to ferment for more than 10 days and drink a glass before each meal. Kombucha can be kept in the refrigerator which slows further fermentation. At room temperature it will become stronger tasting and the yeast spores will start forming a mini-mushroom on top which is not a concern. If the tea gets too strong then simply dilute it with a little of your new fresh-brewed tea to suit your taste. I throw away any mini-mushrooms that develop on top of already fermented tea because I view them as incomplete and inferior mushrooms.

Depending on how many in your household get on the tea, at some point you will start having extra mushrooms that you can share with other family members and friends.

TO HELP IS A TOKEN OF FRIENDSHIP: [Back to Top] [Order Now] If you receive any benefit from Kombucha, you should feel the moral obligation to tell others about it.  As the Chinese saying goes: “Mutual help makes even the poor rich”.  It feels great to help others improve their health. I bet you know several that have some type of chronic, debilating or even life threating condition. Would you be willing to make up a list of people that you would like to see have improved health? Order a Kombucha mushrooom from somebody today and get started. You'll get a warm feeling everytime someone benefits.

TIDBITS: [Back to Top] [Order Now] Calories in Kombucha are impossible to determine due to the many variables involved. The only estimate that I have seen is 3 grams of simple monosaccharide sugar per 100 grams of liquid. The granulated sugar goes thru a fermentation process and changes form , however, diabetics should still discuss the sugar issue with their primary care physician. The same advice would apply to recovering alcoholics since Kombucha contains 0.5 to 1.0% alcohol. 

A cup of strong coffee contains 20 times the caffeine as the same amount of Kombucha.

To control cholesterol or for weight loss, green tea is more effective than black tea.

Frequent heartburn? Try drinking Kombucha with or after meals instead of before meals.

The older the culture, the more effective it is. Possibly in 3 or 4 months the mushroom will get really dark and leathery looking and may even quit producing new mushrooms. At that time it needs to be discarded. Increased browning on the bottom of the culture is normal.

Bacteria, yeast and mold spores are present in the air at all times. To insure successful batches of Kombucha you must always add 4 to 6 ounces of old tea to 3 quarts of new tea. This acidifies the ferment as it contains a lot of the yeast salts. The fermentation container must be thoroughly cleaned with hot soapy water between batches as cleanliness is next to godliness.

NO-NO’S: [Back to Top] [Order Now] Do not substitute honey for sugar. The impurities in honey will prevent the mushroom from producing all that it can. Also you could contaminate the mushroom.

Do not use herbal teas with heavy volatile oils- sage, mint, orange, etc.

OTHER USES: [Back to Top] [Order Now] The Kombucha mushroom and fermented tea are very versatile. Uses include:

First Aid
Personal Hygiene
For Pets
Household
Cook With It

Our 50+ KOMBUCHA USES, RECIPES and Other Good Stuff is chock full of ways Kombucha can be put to good use around the house. Is there a gourmet cook in your home? Some of the recipes will blow you away.

In the two Russian districts mentioned earlier, they also found that the population drank alcoholic beverages just as much if not more than the other districts. Even so, they had fewer car & industrial accidents due to intoxification and less time missed at work because of hangovers. Less domestic abuse caused by drunkenness was also noted.

BOTTLING THE BREW: [Back to Top] [Order Now] Got any old soft drink, beer or liquor bottles? Thoroughly clean and rinse them. Fill to within 1” of the top then plug with a cork. Old fashion bottle corks are hard to find. We order in bulk from a manufacturer and include a half dozen with your kit.  The tea will continue to work and produce gases that give it a fizzy taste. If there is too much gas buildup the cork will pop out and release pressure instead of blowing up the bottle and producing a mess.

Want to add variety to the Kombucha taste? When brewing a new batch add small pieces of the dried fruit of your choice. Cranberry, apple, raspberry or raisins will do nicely. You can also add fresh fruit pieces to fermented tea but never put fresh fruit pieces in unfermented tea as you could run the risk of introducing unwanted bacteria and wild yeasts into your brew.

When it comes to taste peoples likes and dislikes vary greatly. One of my co-workers developed skin cancer and his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer within 30 days of each other. They both received traditional medical treatment and I gave them a mushroom with instructions. They didn’t like the taste of the tea and gave the mushroom away. She died 6 months later and I couldn’t help but wonder “what if she continued with the tea”. So we put together some suggestions for varying the Kombucha taste so that it is pleasing for all ages from finicky toddlers to the contrary elderly. No offense intended. We’ll enclose some suggestions with the kits.

TESTIMONIALS: [Back to Top] [Order Now] In 1987 I was told that I had cancer. Later that same year I found out that I had Chronic Immune Deficiency Syndrome and Diabetes. What was I to do? What I came up with literally saved my life. I started on Kombucha and Rene Caisse’s heral cancer treatment/cure she called Essiac. I have now been using these products for years and they have literally changed my life. M. K. Long Canada

Yesterday a friend of mine dropped by and mentioned that she had a very painful boil deep in the cheek. It was so deep that you couldn’t see it but you could feel it with your fingers. I chipped a small piece off the mushroom and attached it to her cheek with a Band-Aid. After about an hour my friend said that the pain had decreased dramatically. We kept applying a fresh mushroom piece every hour until that night. I think one more day with the Kombucha plasters and it will go away for good. Valery Sadovsky, Redmond, WA

I am HIV+ and have been drinking Kombucha for about 2 months now. I have noticed several improvements in my skin related HIV problems. I don’t know what effect if any the tea is having on my t-cells, but I am experiencing a greater amount of energy and far less symptoms than at any point in my disease so far. P.J. T.

I’ve had the Kombucha for 6 months now and my health is improving all the time. I feel great. I also passed it on to friends who are also very happy and have been cured of rheumatic pains and liver complaints. Frau T. S. West Germany

I suffered for years from a lot of phlegm in the throat which was especially bad at bed-time. When I lay down, the phlegm completely blocked my throat and I just couldn’t get rid of it. Since I’ve been drinking Kombucha the phlegm has been neutralized. My wife had a leg injury that got infected with thrombophlebitis. The doctor wanted to send her to the hospital, but I didn’t want her to go. With prayer and Kombucha her leg healed up beautifully after a week. Herr A. M. Switzerland

Six months later Herr A. M. wrote again: When I was 16 years old I drilled a hole through my left thumbnail while boring some holes. Ever since then it wasn’t normal and curved downwards. Now (he is 74 years old now) I see that the nail is almost normal again. Ten years ago I had a heart by-pass and several lumps had formed on the scar that wouldn’t go away. They have now disappeared. My wife has been dabbing the corns on her toes with cotton soaked in Kombucha and they’ve disappeared.

Kombucha is the one and only remedy which helps my susceptibility to infection. I can also ward off migraine attacks with Kombucha. My rheumatic pains of the soft tissue have become noticeably less since taking the miracle drink. My husband feels that his physical and mental capacities have improved since taking Kombucha and his blood pressure has returned to normal. A brother-in-law used to spend most of the day in bed. Since being on Kombucha his depression has improved and he recently painted all the windows of his house. Frau J. S. West Germany

A great number of people in our tiny country have been cured of the greatest variety of metabolic diseases by Kombucha. GP’s and specialists are often speechless at the relatively quick healing through Kombucha. Some people who suffered for years without improvement are now cured thru using Kombucha. Rheumatism patients told us that with Kombucha they could do away with wheelchairs or crutches. Intestinal complaints, high blood pressure and rheumatic pains, all healed. Frau R. W. the Netherlands

Two years ago I had a complete hysterectomy due to cancer of the womb. Four months later a further operation was necessary followed by 30 radiation treatments. This resulted in up to 8 bowel movements a day. I read about Kombucha and started on it and Colibiogen. The bowel movements returned to normal. My last 2 cancer smear tests were negative and my doctor and the hospital staff were amazed. Hopefully my story will help other women. Frau H. S. from A.

15 year old M. P. from the Netherlands writes: The misery began when I was 10 years old and lasted for 4 ½ years. The itching began in my arms and I scratched until they bled. The doctor prescribed penicillin and various ointments none of which ended my misery. Specialists could not cure me either. My mother started me on the Kombucha 6 months ago and after only one week the itching had gone. Even the scars are hardly visible any more.

Professor J. S. from M. S. California wrote: In April 1994 bone cancer flared up and my right elbow started to dissolve rendering my right hand almost useless. The pain became almost unbearable. I could not sleep and could hardly walk and nothing helped. I was given a pancake shaped mushroom and in less than 3 weeks of drinking the tea my elbow has healed. I feel alive again and have a lot of energy. Since then I have introduced the Kombucha mushroom to my friends all over America and every one gave a positive response.

As mentioned earlier, I started on Kombucha seeking arthritis relief. The first change I noticed, however, was the big surge in energy and endurance. If it weren’t for keeping up with 2 and 3 year old grandsons I’d probably have to get a 3rd job just to burn off the excess energy. Next, the morning stiffness and pain in my shoulder from an old old sports injury had disappeared.My pants started getting loose and upon weighing I found I had lost 8 lbs primarily in the waist and stomach. My day job is very stressful and fast paced. I have really mellowed since being on Kombucha and usually stay in a good mood all day.I keep a small jar of Kombucha in the bathroom that gets really potent. We use it for cuts, scrapes, scratches, insect bites and hair pre-rinse. My hair is really short and thin on top. Recently at a company picnic I got a severe sunburn on the top of my head that was very red and sore. That night I used Kombucha as pre-rinse as usual and by the time I got out of the shower, the pain was gone. No peeling skin either. I’m a “free bleeder” and even a paper cut can get messy. I bumped my head on our metal carport a while back. About a square inch of scalp on the top of my head was peeled back. I immediately soaked a cotton ball in some of the really potent Kombucha, liberally swabbed the injured area and got the scalp back in place. My head hurt like hell and I had quite a knot but to my surprise, very little bleeding. I continued daily treatments and a week later the knot was gone, the scab fell off and all that was left was a slightly pink area. Kombucha is truly amazing.

Well here we are at Grand Bayou near Coushatta, LA (named after the Coushatta Indians). The plan is that "little man"-Brennan will charm and entice the gator out of the water and on to the bank. I'll then jump on the gator's back and hog-tie him (or her). "Big boy"-Nicholas will then run up and talk the gator to death. Some might say it's cruel for the gator but at least there are no weapons or blood shed involved.  Ernie, Shreveport, LA

There are many, many more testimonials regarding Kombucha. If you are still not convinced that Kombucha can benefit you and more proof is needed, that’s okay. Surf the “net” and check out some of the other Kombucha web sites. Most have page after page of testimonials.

Another source of information is www.rifetechnology.com/kombucha.htm. Several Doctors and researchers are quoted on their Kombucha work although some of the information has already been included in the www.cajunernie.com site.

PRESS & ARTICLES: [Back to Top] [Order Now] Dr. Veronika Carstens, wife of former German Federal President Karl Carstens, recommends Kombucha in a series titled, “Help from Nature - My Remedies Against Cancer”, with the words: “Kombucha detoxifies the organism and enhances the metabolism; this improves the defense capacity.” This is part of an article that appeared in a major German newspaper.

Kenneth Sikorsky is a believer. At 44 he has spent 10 years on disability from his job of driving a truck. His medical infirmities have included a bad heart, enlarged prostate, high blood pressure, bad digestion, diabetes and depression. A few months ago, one of his neighbors gave him a Kombucha mushroom. Since then, it’s just like I’m a little kid again, “Sikorsky said. He still has heart problems but his other ailments seem to have vanished. “Reprinted from an Arkansas newspaper”

These are only a few of the testimonials I have read on Kombucha and there have been many more articles, interviews and media coverage spots. The above are presented to give you a small look at some of the possible benefits of becoming a Kombucha user.

The federal Food and Drug Administration is studying the Kombucha. It has received no reports of “significant adverse reactions” to the tea, said Samuel Page, director of the FDA’s Division of Natural Products. However, the agency still has concerns that home brewing under non-sterile conditions may lead to microbiological contamination.