

                         KOMBUCHA: Care and Feeding
                                 (ver 1)
                    compiled and reported by Jeff Gordon
                      from here, there, and everywhere

                         ==========================
                         Copyright 1995 Jeff Gordon
                         ==========================

  The Kombucha (or Manchurian Mushroom) is a living organism that
  "processes" tea and sugar into something with a different chemistry and
  some interesting properties. When cultivated appropriately, either the
  mushroom or the beverage is said to be able to:

     1.  Reduce the appearance of (some say actually eliminate) wrinkles,
         and help remove "liver spots" on the hands. (It's a humectant.)

     2.  Assist in preventing certain cancers. (In some areas where the tea
         is commonly used, not one case of cancer has been reported, it's
         said.)

     3.  Diminish hot flashes of menopause. (It apparently "drains" toxic
         chemical elements and associated fluids, increasing mobility and
         flexibility.)

     4.  Alleviate constipation.

     5.  Ease muscle aches.

     6.  Ease lung difficulties of bronchitis, asthma, or other cough in
         two or three days of use; okay for congested kids.

     7.  Ease allergies.

     8.  Ease kidney problems.

     9.  Assist with cataracts and corneal formations.

    10.  Encourage cleansing of the gall bladder, ease colitis and
         "nervous" stomach; help liver function; lower cholesterol.

    11.  Stop infectious diarrhea.

    12.  Help thermogenesis, reducing weight and fat.

    13.  Help insomnia.

    14.  Help stabilize blood sugar; in daily use by diabetics (it's said)
         will eliminate urea in 100 days.

    15.  "Soften" hardened veins and arteries.

    16.  Improve scalp and hair; help avoid balding; thicken hair; restore
         color to gray hair.

    17.  Help digestion.


                              CARE AND FEEDING

  No metal should ever be brought into contact with the mushroom or its
  tea, so use either an enameled or glass pot or container (the 3-1/2 quart
  "Visions" pot is said to work well) and remember to remove rings or other
  jewelry, too, when working with it. If using a spoon, make it a wooden or
  plastic one (though there are reports that some plastics upset the
  mushroom, too). Vessels, utensils, and your hands should be as clean as
  possible, of course.

  Heat to boiling 3 quarts (12 cups) of water; distilled is suggested but
  apparently not required. Add 1 cup white or light brown sugar (brown
  apparently gives a pleasing and distinctive flavor; an interesting
  question would be what happens when Sucanat is used). Boil all for 5
  minutes, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Then remove from heat. (By
  metric measures, 70 grams of sugar per liter of liquid is suggested. If
  honey is being used, do NOT add at this stage, but after cooling.)

  Add 5 STAPLE-FREE tea bags. (By metric measure, 1-2 teaspoons of loose
  tea, or about 5 grams, per liter of water is suggested. This should be
  placed in a muslin bag and tied, for ease of removal after steeping.)
  Most recipes call for black tea, though I've seen reports of satisfied
  customers who've used a mixture of black, green, and herbal teas. It's
  unclear what happens to the chemical properties when other teas are used;
  it would seem wise to begin with the specified black tea before
  experimenting with changes to the recipe. (One writer warns that teas
  containing fruit oils, like orange or lemon 'zinger', will damage the
  mushroom. Another writer mentions that herbal teas are fine, so long as
  they contain tannin. This is intriguing. A Japanese study on substances
  found in Pycnogenol is titled, "Condensed tannins scavenge active oxygen
  radicals". Perhaps this points to a hypothetical benefit of Kombucha...?)

  Cover for 10-15 minutes to steep, then remove the tea bags. Cool
  completely -- to what's called "hand temperature" at least. When cool,
  transfer tea to glass container. (NOTE that if large, hard-to-manage
  quantities are involved, it's suggested pouring the tea into the second
  vessel be done -below- waist height.)

  If you have a previous batch of the tea beverage available, it's said to
  be helpful to add some of that (about 10% of the batch amount you're
  working on presently) to the batch in process. This helps the
  fermentation of the new beverage, acidifying it (which will help keep any
  errant molds from setting up housekeeping there) and adding "yeast
  salts". If you do this, be sure to stir the combined liquids well to
  disperse the yeast salt sediment throughout. (A friend of mine would say
  this stirring should best be done counterclockwise if in the Northern
  Hemisphere.)

  Place mushroom gently on top of the liquid; cover container with a double
  layer of cheesecloth (so the mushroom can breathe -- it's alive, after
  all); use rubber bands or string to hold cheesecloth in place.

  Please note: The Kombucha or Manchurian Mushroom is a colony of bacteria
  and yeasts; it's a living organism, just as baker's yeast is a living
  organism. Many bread makers are aware that the quality of the bread can
  be affected by the emotions of the baker or by the environment in which
  bread dough is being made. (No, I'm not kidding.) Similarly, the mushroom
  is said to be _sensitive_ to human "vibes", and it's advised that you be
  in a tranquil or even meditative state when working with it.

  Sometimes the mushroom may sink down to the bottom of the liquid. That's
  okay; just leave it alone, and within a few days it should rise to the
  top. It's reported that "channeling loving energy" to it through the
  glass occasionally is helpful. Don't leave it where "bad vibes" will
  affect it.

  Leave undisturbed and AWAY from direct sunlight, in a place where
  temperature will stay at about 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, for 7 days.
  (Some folks specify 8 to 10 days; longer time means the final beverage
  will be less sugary and more acidic.) It's suggested that the Kombucha
  should be kept away from other plants (to keep errant spores from getting
  into the Kombucha culture) and away from tobacco smoke, etc.

  At the end of that time, the mushroom will have produced a "baby",
  usually under the original but may also have formed on top. Gently lift
  the two (connected) mushrooms from the liquid and place on a
  (nonmetallic) plate. One writer says he allows the mushroom to keep on
  growing, like a stack of pancakes, only separating them when time to give
  one to a friend. Wash the fungus in clean cold running water between
  batches. If you wish, use your hands to separate the layers; just gently
  pull them apart.

  At this point you have options. You could, for example, proceed now to
  make 2 batches of tea with the two mushrooms. You could give one away to
  a friend. You could put both into temporary "storage" while you
  investigate the tea your mushroom has just processed. It's up to you.
  However, any mushroom you'd like to keep alive needs to be with some of
  the beverage. Many people store one of the mushrooms in a baggie, with
  some of the tea beverage, in the refrigerator. Many people proceed right
  away to start the next batch of tea, so their supply of it will be
  uninterrupted.

  Also, make sure to clean the fermentation container between batches,
  using boiling water and detergent. Kombucha's antibiotic properties are
  adequate to protect the colony from other bacteria, yeasts, and mold
  spores that are present in the air all the time, but this protection is
  not something to be taken for granted. Good kitchen hygiene is a must.

  The tea mixture where the mushroom stayed for 7 to 10 days is what you
  drink. If you wish, you can strain the liquid through a fine cloth (not a
  metal sieve). Keep the tea refrigerated in glass or plastic. Note that
  the yeast salts will have settled to the bottom of the container. You may
  wish to retain 10% of the total tea volume, for use as "starter helper"
  in making the next batch of tea.

  The suggested "dose" of tea is 4 ozs. (that's half a standard glass) per
  day, first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach. It's advised NOT to
  take more than this amount per day (though some Kombucha drinkers have
  mentioned taking another half-cup before bedtime).

  The tea will have an acidic quality; many people mention it reminds them
  of apple cider vinegar, somewhat, though not as strong. If your tea seems
  to be becoming too strong or fermented for your tastes, you can dilute
  the processed tea with freshly-brewed plain tea.


                                 PRECAUTIONS

  The tea is capable of shifting your body's internal pH toward an alkaline
  direction if that pH is already somewhat too acidic. Chemicals formed by
  the mushroom, most notably glucuronic acid (something we also manufacture
  internally), will have a detoxifying effect.

  As with any detoxification, you should expect and anticipate that changes
  may occur from drinking the tea. Some of these may be uncomfortable; some
  may be inconvenient; all of these should pass soon enough. Remember,
  there are people who have grown up drinking this tea every day of their
  lives; most of them live very long lives.

  This detoxification might be very appropriate prior to becoming pregnant.
  However, it is NOT recommended that Kombucha Tea be taken by PREGNANT OR
  LACTATING WOMEN.

  As might be expected, Western scientists are presently investigating
  Kombucha to see whether it can be trusted. Do the bacteria in the
  mushroom colony mutate? If you have an ulcer or other gastrointestinal
  perforation, and drink Kombucha, is there risk of bacterial infection
  entering the bloodstream? If antibiotics have decimated the intestinal
  flora, and you drink Kombucha, does this shift the balance of the
  intestinal flora? Does drinking Kombucha add bacteria to the small
  intestine, which should be relatively sterile normally? The answers
  aren't in yet.

  My impression (and this is speculation only) is that the bacteria remain
  in the colony. My guess would be that the beverage is the bacteria's
  metabolic "waste" products, and they have no interest in swimming around
  in it, perhaps couldn't even survive there.

  The Kombucha mushroom and the Kombucha beverage present a paradox of
  sorts that has Western scientific minds suspicious. It's known that the
  "colony" contains both yeasts and bacteria. It's also being discovered
  that the tea contains anti-viral properties, and possibly anti-
  carcinogenic properties; the acid pH of the tea prevents molds from
  taking hold in it; and one heart-felt personal story of relief from
  long-time interstitial cystitis gives indication of antibacterial action
  as well. How can yeasts and bacteria process tea and sugar to make
  something that kills yeasts and bacteria...? Perhaps it's as simple as
  what I said a moment ago: metabolic waste products are toxins to the
  organism that makes them.

  Fish don't survive for long in unchanging water, expressly because their
  waste products make the water nonviable when the concentration gets high
  enough. Maybe it's the same for the yeasts and bacteria that comprise
  Kombucha. (But the jury's still out on this at this time.)
