Science speak

Scientific Claims

Health claims for kombucha focus on a chemical called glucuronic acetate, a compound that is used by the liver for detoxification. The idea that glucuronic acid is present in kombucha is based on the observation that glucuronic acid conjugates (glucuronic acid + waste chemicals) are increased in the urine after consumption of kombucha.

Early chemical analysis of kombucha brew suggested that glucuronic acid was the key component, and researchers hypothesized that the extra glucuronic acid would assist the liver by supplying more of the substance during detoxification. These analyses were done using gas chromatography to identify the different chemical constituents, but this method relies on having proper chemical standards to match to the unknown chemicals.

A more recent and thorough analysis, outlined in the book in Analysis of Kombucha Ferments by Michael Roussin^[19] suggests a different explanation. Roussin reports on an extensive chemical analysis of a variety of commercial and homebrew versions of kombucha, and finds no evidence of glucuronic acid at all. These scientific measurements contradict the earlier studies and conflict with the original hypothesis.

Instead, Roussin discovered that the active component in kombucha is most likely glucaric acid. This compound, also known as D - glucaro -1,4 lactone, helps in the elimination of glucuronic acid conjugates that are produced by the liver. When glucuronic acid conjugates are disposed in the bowel during the elimination process, normal gut bacteria can break up these conjugates using an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase. Glucaric acid is an inhibitor of this bacterial enzyme, so the end result is that the glucuronic acid + waste is properly eliminated the first time, rather than being reabsorbed and detoxified over and over. Thus, glucaric acid probably makes the liver more efficient.

Glucaric acid is commonly found in fruits and vegetables, and is being explored independently as a cancer preventive agent.^[20] It has also been discovered that the bacterial beta-glucuronidase enzyme can interfere with proper disposal of a chemotherapeutic agent, and that antibiotics against the gut microbiota can prevent toxicity of some chemotherapy drugs.^[21]

Reports of adverse reactions may be related to unsanitary fermentation conditions, leaching of compounds from the fermentation vessels,^[22] or "sickly" kombucha cultures that cannot acidify the brew. Cleanliness is important during preparation, and in most cases, the acidity of the fermented drink prevents growth of unwanted contaminants. If a culture becomes contaminated, it will most likely be seen as common mold which is often green, blue or black in color. Often novice brewers will mistake the brownish root filaments on the underside of the culture as a mold contamination when it is seen through the surface of a thinly formed culture.

Kombucha - a Nutritious Food
The Kombucha beverage should be regarded principally as a food unusually rich in nutritive properties, rather than just a health drink. As in yogurt, the bacteria are a great source of nutrition, but in addition Kombucha has a wide range of organic acids, vitamins and enzymes that give it its extraordinary value. It contains the range of B vitamins, particularly B1, B2, B6 and B12, that provide the body with energy, help to process fats and proteins, and which are vital for the normal functioning of the nervous system. There is also vitamin C which is a potent detoxifier, immune booster and enhancer of vitality.
Tea and Sugar's Role in Kombucha
Tea (Camilla sinesis) is very nutritious, especially in its unfermented green form. It is high in fluorides and has anti-carcinogenic properties; it provides nitrogen, minerals, vitamins, and other substances essential for nutrition, and promotes the growth of the micro-organisms and the cellular construction of the Kombucha culture. Green tea is also high in vitamin C.
Sugar plays an essential part in Kombucha's brewing process, providing a nutrient solution for the culture, assisting in the feeding and respiration of the micro-organisms, and activating the yeasts. It also gets the fermentation process going. The yeast cells make certain organic acids, vitamins and supplementary yeasts, while the bacteria produce carbonation, ethanol and other organic acids. The bacteria break down the sugars into acetic acid and carbon dioxide.

Drking Santosha Kombucha has literally saved my life.

Instead of drinking my one healthy glass of wine, which inevitably turns into a bottle or two per night, I now drink this effervescent invigorating and slightly astringent elixir and get healthy happy results. Without the detrimental effects of alcohol.

Way to go!

Scientists report

Hans Irion, who was then the Director of the State-recognized Academy for Chemists in Braunschweig says in his "Course for Druggist Specialty Schools" (1944, Vol. 2, pg. 405):

"By the intake of the drink described as Teakwass, there happens a remarkable invigoration of the body's entire glandular system and a promotion of the metabolisms.

Teakwass is recommended as an excellent prophylactic for gout and rheumatism, furunkulosis, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, nervousness, intestinal lassitude, and aging problems.

It is also very highly recommended for sports-people and those who do strenuous mental work.

Through the promotion of the metabolism, undue fat deposits in the body are avoided or removed.

With the drink, also microorganisms reach the body which transform damaging deposits, such as uric acid, cholesterol, etc. into easily soluble forms, thus removing them. Foul intestinal bacteria are suppressed."

Dr. L. Mollenda (1928) reports that the Kombucha beverage is especially effective for disturbances of the digestive organs, by practically normalizing their functions.

Moreover, the drink has proven itself as helpful for gout, rheumatism, and diverse stages of arteriosclerosis. About additional areas of application he writes:

"In the case of angina, especially when there is a coating of the tonsils, the drink should not merely be used for gargling but for drinking, and that, for the destruction of bacteria which reach the stomach through food and drink. Such gargling in angina brings fast recovery, and in pains of gout and arteriosclerosis, surprising successes are reached even in serious cases. ...

Even though the beverage is acidic, it does not cause any acidic condition in the stomach; it facilitates and noticeably promotes the digestion even of difficult to digest foods.

Equially favorable successes after taking Kombucha beverage have also been reached for gouty eczema and for stones in kidneys, urine, and gall."

Dr. E. Arauner (1929) reports of diverse medical reports and evaluations and reaches the following conclusion:

"In summary, one can say that the Kombucha mushroom or its extract, has proven itself as excellently prophylactic against diabetes, but especially against aging problems, such as arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure with its consequences such as dizziness, gout, hemorrhoids; for the very least it is a pleasant laxative."

Dr. Arauner reports that in his home-country the tea-mushroom has been in usage for centuries by Asian people because of its surprising healing successes, being a most effective, natural home-remedy for tiredness, fatigue, nervousness, beginning aging problems, arteriosclerosis, intestinal lassitude, gout and rheumatism, hemorrhoids, and diabetes.

Arauner adds to this, that not only professors, doctors and biologists have confirmed the surprising healing successes but also those who have imbibed the mushroom-tea report about "entirely excellent effects on the general body functions.'

Some Benefits

In the "White Flag" (1928) is reported:

'The refreshing taste of this tea-beverage is generally pleasing, and its effect is ... a very good one. The taste of the fermented tea is very pleasant, being reminiscent of light, sparkling wine or sweet Most (pear juice).

The effect of the tea usually shows up very fast. Most of all, it works blood-cleansing and detoxifying and is said ... to give excellent services for facial skin rashes.

Further, according to doctor's orders and evaluations, it is very effective for constant headaches, pain in the limbs, gout, rheumatism, and other aging problems.

The general effect of the mushroom-tea shows already in a few weeks through an improved general condition and in one's raised performance capacity, which may be connected with the mushroom's high vitamin and hormone effect, which are also emphasized by doctors.

Further, the mushroom stimulates the metabolism ... excellently and, thereby, helps in clearing out the body, i.e. the elimination of all types of disease toxins.

Some call it a tea, some call it an elixir. Either way, it's a miracle, and it's been used around the world for hundreds of years to help restore balance and vitality.

Nowadays we experience a return to healing measures that are close to nature; also remedies and foods of a natural origin - away from industrial packaged products. This may be one of the reasons for the great attractiveness and fascination of the healthful beverage called Kombucha.

Communalities of yeasts and bacteria have been used by people, and applied for their well-being, since ancient times in all the world for the creation of health-promoting fermented drinks and foodstuffs.
We read already in the Bible (Ruth 2:14) that the land-owner Boas invited the Moabite Ruth, who later became his wife, during her gleaning of grains: "Come over here and eat some bread and dip your morsel into the vinegar-drink! And she sat down beside the reapers; and he reached her parched corn and she ate and was sufficed and left."

This biblical report from around 1000 B.C. not only gives us a hint of their exemplary nutritional habits, although they were modest by our perspective, we see from it also that, even at that time, people prepared beverages with microorganisms of lactic acid and how they served the people for strength and refreshment during the hard work of harvesting.

An ancient, pure relative of these related symbioses of bacteria and yeasts is the tea-fungus called Kombucha. It comes from the area of East Asia and came into Germany via Russia, around the turn of the century.

This ancient house-remedy is used more and more also in other countries against all possible defects. The mushroom consists of a gelatinoid and tough mushroom-web membrane in the form of a flat disk. It lives in a nutrient solution of tea and sugar, in which it constantly multiplies through germinating.

The fungal disc at first spreads over the entire surface of the tea and then thickens.

When one treats the mushroom correctly, it thrives, germinates, and will accompany its owner for life.
During the fermentation and oxidation processes, the mushroom effects diverse complicated reactions in the tea-setting, either one after the other or side by side (these are assimilation- and dissimilation-processes).

The tea-mushroom feeds on the sugar and, in exchange, produces other valuable substances which change into the drink: glucuron-acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, vitamins, amino acids, antibiotic substances, and other products. The tea-mushroom is, therefore, a real, tiny biochemical factory.

Dating back to the Qin Dynasty 250 BC in China, the "Immortal Health Elixir" is thought to allow the body to focus on healing.

Kombucha Health Benefits
A Healthy Digestive Tract

Pro-biotic drinks are good for us, they aid digestive health and they give our digestive system balance. Probiotics - means "for life." It is used to describe products which include microorganisms that are beneficial to health.

The intestinal microflora is carefully balanced. The human gut is home to around 400 different species of good and bad bugs. However, the good bugs have to share their environment with bad bugs such as Salmonella, E.Coli and Clostridium. The way to balance between good and bad bacteria is to maintain good digestive health, creating stable "microflora". It is generally recommended that probiotics are taken on a daily basis to create this balance.

Prescription medicines, stress, sickness and especially antibiotics can all disrupt the bacterial balance because as well as killing off the bad bacteria they allso kill off the good bacteria. So you need to restore balance. Probiotics need to be taken regularly to maintain levels of good bacteria.

Lactobacillus or lactic acid bacteria is a faciltative bacteria, named as such because most of its members convert lactose and other simple sugars to lactic acid. They are present in the gastrointestinal tract and the vagina. The production of lactic acid makes their environment acidic which inhibits the growth of some harmful bacteria. Large populations lactic acid-producing bacteria regulate the levels of friendly bacteria and reduce the levels of toxic pathogens which cause ill health. Resulting in Kombucha being one of the best skin treatments for acne and an arthritis health drink.

Even though the beverage is acidic, it does not cause any acidic condition in the stomach; it facilitates and noticeably promotes the digestion. The "yeasts" found in the Kombucha are of a beneficial kind. Organic Kombucha Tea is considered by some as a delicious 'Cancer Foods' or as a natural alternative 'herbal nutrition supplement'.

By altering the pH of the large intestine to a slightly more acidic level, putrefactive bacteria (those bad for your health and causing foul wind production) tend to be inhibited or destroyed. There is no kombucha danger, It will cause no harm to have even ingested Kombucha mushroom. The pH is altered by active good bacteria producing high levels of lactic acid. The presence of this and other acids inhibit the growth of undesirable bacteria, moulds, mould spores and yeast, particularly the Candida form.