Does the kombucha culture hold the answer to our modern health problems?
Top news here in San Francisco is on health and it's about the drink, Kombucha.
Some claim Kombucha is a magical elixir, while others say it can be dangerous.
"We are always wanting to find something that is the answer to all our health problems," says San Francisco resident, Albert Ferraro. "And even better if it doesn't cost us very much to produce."
San Francisco residents, unwilling, or unable to make their own kombucha tea (which can be relatively cheap to make) can buy it locally in many health shops. The store, Other Avenues, near 43rd and Judah, has bottles of the brew in its cold cabinet.
Some celebrities have become enamored of the drink and have taken to touting the benefits of Kombucha. Those celebrities include such personalities as Lindsay Lohan and Madonna.
But while some claim that it has all sorts of healing properties like detoxifying the body, boosting energy levels, maintaining eyesight, helping with joint recovery and even, says College News, helping to fight cancer, others are not so quick to say Kombucha is the Elixir of Life.
Those who are against the product say that very little published research has been done and much of the "evidence" is purely anecdotal. According to College News, adverse effects can include allergic reactions, infections and stomach upsets. Some even say it has been linked to death. Little, say the critics, is known about the long-term effects of the drink on the liver, on the central nervous system and on toxicity overall.
Kombucha, which has been around for over 2,000 years, can be made at home. Often you can obtain a baby kombucha free which you then soak in tea, sugar and water (or you can use cider vinegar if you don't have a starter kombucha). For those in San Francisco, a baby can obtained free at SFFN.com, or "Freecycle" as it is commonly known in San Francisco.
If you do make your own brew at home (you can find a recipe here at Seedsofhealth.com) be sure not to use a container that is ceramic, made from lead crystal or in any way painted. That's because the beverage can pick up unwanted contaminants from such containers.
Be aware that, because of some of the negative reports, the College News website suggests that people hold off on using Kombucha until further research has been done. In any case, those with an immune deficiency or who have a medical condition, or women who are pregnant or nursing, should avoid using Kombucha altogether.
Do you have any experience of using Kombucha? Feel free to comment below.
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Sources: College News and Happy Herbalist
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