Although commonly called the Kombucha Mushroom, IT IS NOT A MUSHROOM. The beneficial bacteria and yeasts form a symbiotic colony in a strong cellulose matrix. It propagates itself during the fermentation process yielding another Culture, often referred to as "baby." The scientific term for this jelly-like mass is a zooglea. When placed in the appropriate substrate, the yeasts in the Kombucha Culture feed on the nutrients and rapidly multiply to produce alcohol. The rich environment created by the yeasts allows the bacteria to convert the alcohol into acetic acid, which is vinegar. The bacterium Acetobacter aceti subspecies xylinum, along with
other organisms associated with production of vinegar, has been identified in Kombucha. It is interesting to note that vinegar has been used by humans for thousands of years. In his book "Kombucha, the Essential Guide," Christopher Hobbs states "Vinegar was mentioned in the writings of the Assyrians, Greeks and Romans as an important medicine in its own right." Because the Kombucha Culture is a living organism exposed to all kinds of influences, the finished beverage doesn't always have the same composition and taste. The Russian research scientist Danielova stated in 1954 "... that the actual composition of the symbiont varies according to geographical and climatic conditions, and depends on whatever types of wild yeasts and bacteria exist locally." Variances may occur in each batch
of Kombucha and may become more obvious during seasonal temperature changes.
 
The Tea is made by placing the Kombucha Culture in a solution of tea and sugar. BLACK or GREEN TEA and WHITE SUGAR are the best nutrients. Within 6-15 days, biological and chemical metabolic processes take place producing a variety of beneficial ingredients. The following constituents may be found in the Kombucha Tea: a small amount of alcohol, carbon dioxide, vitamins C, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, acetic acid, glucuronic acid, gluconic acid, oxalic acid, usnic acid, fructose, dextrogyral (L-Lactic Acid+) plus enzymes and minerals.
 
The end product contains a very small amount of alcohol, 0.5% - 1%, which is as much alcohol present in "alcohol-free" beer and many beverages including apple juice. By law, a beverage can contain up to 0.5% alcohol and still be labeled "non-alcoholic." Most beer contains approximately 3% - 8% alcohol. The end product also contains a small amount of sugar which is not converted. The longer the drink  ferments, less sugar and more alcohol will be present. It will turn to vinegar if allowed to ferment too long.
 
The slight amount of alcohol present in the fermented Tea is normally harmless and is no more potent than non-alcoholic beer. Some sober alcoholics who drink Kombucha find it reduces their craving for alcohol. An alcoholic who drinks Kombucha says "I found it would slow me down when I was on a binge. It minimizes hangovers when you drink it with the booze (not mixed but between beer and whiskey shots). But most interesting...I found that when I drank K-T all day, I had little or no craving for alcohol."
 
Many diabetics drink the Tea, but ferment it longer so the sugar content is decreased. In a four ounce glass of Kombucha Tea (that's 1/2 cup), there may be 3 - 10 calories of sugar present depending on how long it has fermented. Many articles do not recommend the Kombucha Tea for pregnant or lactating women. The fetus and young baby do not yet have a developed digestive system to filter unwanted toxins out of their bodies. Unless the mother has already been drinking Kombucha, it may be best for the pregnant woman and the breastfeeding mother to forego Kombucha until pregnancy or
breastfeeding passes.
 
Kombucha, in small doses, has benefitted children with ADD and
constipation. People who have problems with Thrush or Candida may actually benefit from drinking Kombucha.
 
Outside the USA, glucuronic acid has reportedly been found in the Kombucha Tea in some chemical analyses. It was thought that this compound is what was responsible for Kombucha's detoxification of the body. But there may also be enzymes or other ingredients that work on improving the human body in intricate and, as yet, unknown ways. What is important about Glucuronic acid is that it has an extraordinarily important detoxifying function that binds toxins so they cannot be reabsorbed by the intestines or the urinary
system. One must think about how important it is to detoxify our body, especially in this day and age when excessive toxins are found everywhere - in the soil where we grow our food, in the air we breathe, in the water we drink and the food we eat.
 
Among other constituents of Kombucha, found in a variety of studies, are Usnic acid and L-Lactic Acid+. Usnic acid has a strong  antibacterial effect. It has been reported to contribute to the inactivation of viruses. Dextrogyral (L-Lactic Acid+) has been reported to be lacking in the connective tissue of cancer patients. Gunther Frank states "So long as it (L-Lactic Acid+) is predominantly present in tissue, cancer cannot develop. It is interesting to note here that a pH value of 7.56 is exceeded in cancer patients. Organisms which are free from cancer (and also precancers) show pH values of under 7.5. Serological tests of the blood in the veins have shown that the Kombucha beverage shifts the pH value noticeably towards the acid side."
 
To a certain extent the Kombucha Tea preserves itself. Any micro-organisms that do not belong to the Kombucha Culture are repressed by the acetic acid and lactic acid it produces. The yeasts in the Kombucha Culture produce carbon dioxide as well as alcohol. Carbon dioxide is a gas with antimicrobial properties and alcohol is a universally known preservative.
 
The Kombucha elixir contains B and C vitamins as well as a concentrated amount of high quality protein immediately used by the body. During the fermentation process, Glucoronic acid is produced. This acid conjugates with accumulated toxins in the body, which are then eliminated through the urine. 
 
 
BODY REFERENCE: Cardiovascular - AVC (Blood Vessels), Cardiovascular - Blood, Digestive, Digestive - Gallbladder, Digestive - Large Intestine, Digestive - Mouth (Oral Cavity), Digestive - Small Intestine
 
REFERENCES: Frank, Guenther. Kombucha Beverage - The Fascination of the Kombucha, 1933., Kombucha Elixir - Manchurian Tea.
 
Other Names: Kombucha Tea, Manchurian Tea, Mo-Gu, Fungojapon, Fungus japonicus, tea fungus, Fungojapon Kombucha, Indo Japanese tea fungus, Tschambucco, Volga spring, Kwassan, Pichia fermentans, Cembuya orientalis, Combuchu, Champignon de longue vie, Tea Kvass, TeaKwass, Olinka.