Kombucha's Benefits!
First, there’s all the benefits of detoxification, such as healthy livers and cancer prevention. One of kombucha’s greatest health benefits is its ability to detox the body. It is rich in many of the enzymes and bacterial acids your body produces and/or uses to detox your system, thus reducing your pancreatic load and easing the burden on your liver. Kombucha is very high in Glucaric acid, and recent studies have shown that glucaric acid helps prevent cancer. The cancer can be warded off by detoxifying one’s environment and life (going 100% organic, removing chemical cleaners and agents in your home, changing your diet to be at least 80% raw or fermented, etc.) Central to the detoxification process was drinking Kombucha regularly.
Next, there’s all the benefits of the glucosamines it contains, such as preventing or treating all forms of arthritis. Glucosamines increase synovial hyaluronic acid production. Hyaluronic acid functions physiologically to aid preservation of cartilage structure and prevent arthritic pain, with relief comparable to NSAIDs and advantage over glucocorticoids. Hyaluronic acid enables connective tissue to bind moisture thousands of times its weight and maintains tissue structure, moisture, lubrication and flexibility and lessens free radical damage, while associated collagen retards and reduces wrinkles.
Then, there’s all the benefits of the fact that it’s a probiotic beverage, such as improved digestion, fighting candida (harmful yeast) overgrowth, and the general health and well-being associated with this. As such, it’s noted for reducing or eliminating the symptoms of fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, etc.
Plus, it’s extraordinarily anti-oxidant rich, and you all know the benefits of anti-oxidants for boosting your immune system and energy levels.
My Favorite Kombucha brands:
[ Synergy Kombucha: All the flavours are really great, and I really enjoyed trying the Greens one today which has chlorophyll in it, but the Cranberry is a definite solid & reliable one to reach for ]
[ Rise Kombucha: I really like the Ginger and the Rose Hibiscus. The ginger is light and refreshing and the hibiscus has such a sweet flavour to it ]
Kombucha Tea- Probiotic and Vitamin Packed
As you may know from my previous blog, and pictures on instagram- I recently started making my own home brewed kombucha tea. Not only is this much cheaper than buying the expensive WholeFoods brands, but it’s (dare I say…) fun!
The pictures above are from my first brew which was an absolute success. Look at how fizzy it is!
If you aren’t sure what kombucha is, it is a fermented drink made from a nutrient solution of tea and sugar. A Scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) is added to this solution and allowed to ferment for as long as the brewer likes.
Weston A. Price (WAP) describes kombucha as being “rich in B vitamins and a substance called Glucuronic acid which…boosts the natural detoxification process.” WAP also states that, “fermented foods aid in digestion, promote healthy micro-organisms in our GI tract, produce beneficial enzymes, offer us better nutrition, allow our bodies to absorb more nutrition from the foods we eat…(and) help fight and prevent some cancers.”
So, essentially Weston A. Price states that the two main benefits of drinking kombucha and ingesting fermented foods are:
- The absorption of B vitamins and Glucuronic acid. These assist in the body’s natural detox and nourishment processes.
- Ingesting enzymes and beneficial bacteria which will improve GI function, boost your body’s immunity, and allow the body to more readily absorb nutrients and eliminate waste.
The list of benefits of drinking kombucha is extensive, but to name just a few more…:
- detox the liver
- increase metabolism
- reduce blood pressure
- help clear candida and yeast infections
- relieve migraines and headaches
- reduce ezcema
The enzymes, vitamins, and acids that are found within kombucha brews are only present in LIVING form. If they are crushed or dead (pills) you will not reap these amazing benefits.
I drink kombucha on a daily basis (when my brew is ready of course), generally 4-8oz in the morning when I first wake up. Sometimes I drink a few servings a day. It’s entirely up to you on how much you want to drink- you cannot overdose on kombucha!! Since I first started eating paleo and incorporating kombucha in my daily diet, I have seen/felt tremendous improvements in my digestion and skin health. The addition of mineral and vitamin rich food and drinks really do help!
If you haven’t tried kombucha, I highly suggest you do! If you’re a KT (kombucha tea) lover like I am, go ahead and try brewing your own! It’s easy!
You can find brewing utensils on Amazon, the Happy Herbalist, and Kombucha Kamp.
Sources:
Kombucha Kamp E-book & DIY Guide
Nanny State Overdrive: School Interrogates and Suspends Student for Drinking Tea
infowars.comMelissa Melton
Infowars.com
October 16, 2012
It made national news earlier this year when a North Carolina preschool student’s homemade lunch was confiscated by school officials for not meeting USDA standards, and the four-year-old was forced to trade her turkey and cheese sandwich and banana for the school’s pink-slime-filled chicken nuggets. Now the fight for parents’ rights and healthy food in public schools has just been ratcheted up a notch.
The nanny state was thrown into overdrive last week when an elementary student in one California school district was interrogated by school officials and a police officer all day and subsequently suspended for five days for the dastardly crime of bringing a kombucha tea in his school lunch.
The school also reportedly told the child he may have to sign up for a youth alcoholics program. All of this was apparently done, at least initially, without a parent or guardian present.
The police officer who responded reportedly told the child that kombucha — a mushroom tea that has been around for thousands of years and has numerous documented health benefits — was illegal and could be dangerous if the boy ingested it while taking medications.
