horrible tea

Trail, my ever-loving hippy-man, has been rather upset by my intensely poor health over the past few months. Feeling truly sympathetic towards my streak of malady, he has made it his personal mission to revitalize my body and deliver me into a place of well-being. Logically, he makes sure I am eating well, buys me vitamins, encourages me to rest (and maybe even slightly scolds me when I don't...) but his funniest endeavor thus far has undoubtedly been - the horrible tea.

On several occasions he has brought home from his work in Seattle samples of "Kamboocha" a raw and organic healing tea. Supposedly this mystic tea is packed-full of probiotics, active-cultures, vitamins and minerals - and is just the healthiest drink in the whole world. The trouble is, most kambucha I've tried... tastes like shit and the residue kambucha cultures that floats around in the cloudy beverage even look like fecal matter waiting to be flushed. Thus, earning mine own endearing nickname - horrible tea.

Wanting to appease the ever-loving hippy-man, I drink the kambucha. And what's truly crazy, I'm actually starting to enjoy it. So, here is the down-low on my newly discovered horrible tea. Which I think I might grow to love.

The kombucha culture is the live substance which is put into sweet tea to ferment and convert it into kombucha tea. The Kombucha culture has been known as a mushroom, a lichen and many other things but the best and most accurate definition we have today is a "symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast".This is just a scientific term for a co-dependant live mix of bacteria and yeast.
Kombucha drinkers around the world have reported a massive list of ailments and sicknesses which have responded positively to drinking Kombucha on a regular basis. This is how the name "Miracle Fungus" or "Cure-all" has been birthed. The secret of Kombucha is not that it 'cures' a multitude of illnesses but, that it boosts your body's own system to fight those sicknesses. It does have various components, which on their own fight problems, but its probioitic properties are what make Kombucha tea so healthful.
Lactic Acid: Found in Kombucha in its most potent form L-lactic(+). Lactic acid is essential for the digestive system. Interestingly, it is not found in the tissues of people with cancer, and its lack has been established as indicating susceptibility to cancer.
Acetic Acid: Its main function is to inhibit harmful bacteria. Acetic acid is used as a preservative because of this action. It is also what gives Kombucha that 'kick' to its smell and taste.
Malic Acid: Is also used in the body's detoxification process.
Oxalic Acid: Encourages the cellular production of energy and is a natural preservative.
Gluconic Acid: Is effective against many yeast infections such as candidiasis and thrush.
Butyric Acid: Is produced by the yeasts and when working with gluconic acid, helps combat yeast infections such as candida.
Nucleic Acids: Work with the body aiding healthy cell regeneration.
Amino Acids: A group of acids which are the building blocks of protein. Your muscular system is made of proteins. As a group they have many benefits including building cells and repairing tissue, they also form antibodies to combat invading bacteria & viruses.
Enzymes: Are proteins that act as catalysts, speeding the rate at which biochemical reactions proceed. Therefore they boost the actions of other health giving components within the Kombucha and your body.
Kombucha also contains vitamin groups B and C, and beneficial yeasts and bacteria.