Kombucha
October16
In the spirit of holistic healing – which includes many endeavors, previously described in this blog, that I have been immersing myself in these past few months — today is a blog about one of my pet projects, brewing kombucha tea.
Today's batch: 5 gallons of kombucha tea
Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage that is imbibed in Japan and China, whose origin is most likely in 19th century Russia (according to Wikipedia). Makers of the tea purport all manner of health benefits, including stimulating the immune system, preventing cancer, and improving digestion and liver function, although none of these claims have been substantiated by a scientific, published experiment using human subjects, which leads the Mayo clinic to soberly advise “Therefore, until definitive studies quantify the risks and benefits of Kombucha tea, it’s prudent to avoid it”. Which makes me want to scream something along the lines of “Oh go shove it!” to the stuff coat who wrote that article. (Whew!).
I drink kombucha mainly because it’s sooooo tasty. It’s the most refreshing beverage I’ve ever tasted — better than soda, better than beer, and, despite the mainstream’s doubts – lacking one of their precious mainstream scientific trials — it is definitely healthier than either soda or beer (way less sugar; but a wee trace amount of alcohol). That to me is the essential point, without getting myself overexcited by the corporate-scientific-high fructose corn syrup menage a tois that thwarts the dessimination of common sense to the general public. Anyhoo (before I move from excited to plain upset… just read the wikipedia article to learn more about the various compounds found in kombucha and their potential health benefits).
I must mention before I go any further that kombucha is not for the faint of heart. It’s brewed via a slimy, thick weird thing dubbed a “scoby”, a.k.a a ”Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast”, which is how the sugar and black tea is transformed into a bubbly, effervesent, sweet-and-sour tangy beverage that is the very holy grail of deliciousness itself, in my book.
Home brewing is delightfully simple and inexpensive (the batch pictured above was made from a mere $6 worth of tea and sugar, purchased at my trusty local Walmart). Purchasing kombucha in the grocery store –should yours be hip enough to carry it, that is – will set you back between $3.50 - $4.20 a bottle. How’s that for an expensive trendy new drink? Lucky for the plebian masses, because it’s so easy to brew at home, kombucha has become something of a triumphant symbol of DIY for the hippy health conscious set — DIY subverting the mainstream medical system, DIY subverting consumer capitalism, DIY promoting home cottage industries, self-production, and self-empowerment. It feels good to create.
Enough of my impassioned diatribe on the kombucha culture wars. I drink it because I have a mental illness, which is a chronic debilitating progressive…. (blah blah, etc) long-term illness, and just maybe it will help. Anyone with a chronic condition knows how there’s nothing like perpetual suffering to open the mind to new and any possibilities of healing. I drink it because it might help my body and mind to heal — who knows? Who wouldn’t want improved health, regardless? But aside from that debate, it tastes great. So, if you are interested in learning to make the beverage yourself, buy a bottle of kombucha from your local Whole Foods, set it on a shelf for a couple weeks to grow a scoby, and read the wiki on how to make a batch: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Kombucha-Tea. Happy Scoby generation and kombucha brewing! Here’s to your health and sources of intangible wealth!
Ever heard of kefir? It’s going to save the world, it might just be mannah from heaven (kidding). For the real stuff you need real grains though. It’s better than the stuff you buy in whole foods (which isn’t sustainable). Look up “Dom’s kefir site” on google to know more.
You are wonderfully articulate and I have immense respect for the process you’re moving through. As a dad/foster-parent/uncle I’ve lived and worked with mental illness for a long while now. I’ve learned a lot in the process. The approach you’re taking seems to me to be more than valid, and also one that offers real compassion for yourself. I’ve found your blog because a relative has come to live with us with a diagnosis similar to yours. I’ve read all your posts because they offer a lot more than information — they are fun to read, offer hope and are very well written. I will be back!
I hope you stay with this blogging thing. I’ve also a sort of intuitive sense that you’ve a good life ahead of you, nurtured by your understanding, compassion, curiosity, critical mind and mindfulness.