What are the benefits of kombucha

Kombucha is a beverage that only recently gained the attention of the Western societies, although it has been known for over two millenniums in the Far East. Ancients Chinese called it “the immortal health elixir”.

This beverage is made from the sweetened tea fermented with a symbiotic colony of yeast and bacteria. The colony is called “mother” because it is able to reproduce itself and it is also called “mushroom” because it resembles one and people often mistake it for a fungus.

During the first half of the 20th century, scientists in Germany and Russia performed extensive research on Kombucha, trying to find an answer for the rising cancer rates. Russians were surprised to find out that whole areas of their country seemed to be immune to cancer and that it might be related to the fact they consumed great amounts of Kombucha, which they called “tea kvass”.

Kombucha came to the United States only in the 1990s, and that is when the first studies on this beverage started in the Western world. However, those studies were few and the biggest contribution to research of Kombucha’s benefits remained the translations of the old German and Russian studies. Unfortunately, this is probably due to the fact that the pharmaceutical industry was not interested in investing into research of something that would bring no profit to it, because a Kombucha beverage can be made at home for as cheap as 50 cents per gallon.

Kombucha is an excellent beverage for detoxification, which is important for liver functioning and for prevention of cancer. This is because it is rich in enzymes and acids that have the ability to expel the toxins from the human body.

Another important feature of Kombucha is a high level of glucaric acid, which has been proven to prevent and fight cancer. Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the famous Russian dissident and Nobel prize winner, stated in his biography that a regular consumption of Kombucha saved his life by curing his stomach cancer. Even Ronald Reagan used it to prevent the spread of his cancer in 1987 (he died in 2004).

Kombucha contains glucosamines, which are used to cure and prevent arthritis. They increase the levels of synovial hyaluronic acid that preserves the cartilage structure and relieves arthritic pain similarly to non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs.

Kombucha is also a probiotic beverage, which means it improves digestion and fights candida. It is also noted that it helps against the symptoms of fyibromyalgia, anxiety and depression.

Thanks to its excellent antioxidant abilities, Kombucha improves the immune system and boosts energy levels.