Will I die from Kombucha? [Archive]

menat

11-02-2007, 11:06 PM

I bought Synergy Kombucha from Whole Foods. It was like $2 a bottle. I am thinking I can make my own. But in essence, that white goopy stuff is mold. If I make my own, I wouldn't be trying to accidently kill myself would I? Is it as dangerous as people making my own sushi.

Lauriola

11-02-2007, 11:24 PM

Don't do it. My sister tried the Kombucha stuff and made her limphatic system collapse. She had her uncles drainning out some fluids for months. And she was the nutrition-expert.... in my family. Just my two cents. :)

bodaflower

11-02-2007, 11:35 PM

Kombucha kicks butt! It is so wonderful for you. It may cause you to detox and become sick? But I don't see that happening except in rare instances...my brother used to make it all the time in his closet

The goopy stuff is the culture, it is the essence of the drink. It's fun to swallow it :p ;)

Go Kombucha!!

menat

11-03-2007, 12:00 AM

But the culture does not grow dangerous bacteria? It won't be like eating mold or spoiled food, would it?

bodaflower

11-03-2007, 12:06 AM

No no of course not

I mean maybe if it was left out in the heat or something
But they wouldn't sell it if it was moldy and would make you sick :) It's perfectly safe to drink.

My personal favorites are cosmic cranberry, guava goddess, trilogy, divine grape, strawberry serenity, and uh...i think that's almost all of them

haha

rawkchicster

11-03-2007, 12:10 AM

The Mango and the Guava ones kick butt!

Cabosun

11-03-2007, 03:25 AM

And it is chock full of friendly bacteria! I love the stuff too!

Lynn

SuBu

11-03-2007, 08:44 AM

The Passionberry Bliss reminds me of Andres Cold Duck!

VeggieMel

11-03-2007, 09:43 AM

I'm a fan of guava goddess myself!

Menat, The kombucha drink you bought at Whole Foods is fermented. Fermented foods are different from moldy or rotten foods. Fermented foods are very good for you.

RawHeaven

11-03-2007, 12:04 PM

There is some info contained in this link regarding brewing it safely at home

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombucha

justinesmith

11-03-2007, 12:30 PM

The bacteria in Kombucha is good for you too. Unless it was contaminated somehow the bacteria in the drink shouldn't hurt you. Ecoli and strep and all the nasties are generally caused by fecal contamination. I'm a fan of Divine Grape myself.

sharoncaley

11-03-2007, 01:35 PM

Kombucha is a great living food that people have made at home for many, MANY years all over the world.
If you are interested in helping yourself get even healthier...the yahoo Kombucha group is a great place to learn.
I drink kombucha and have made my own for a long time, and feel great!

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/original_kombucha/?yguid=66275034
Sharon
:)

Nini

11-03-2007, 02:06 PM

The Passionberry Bliss reminds me of Andres Cold Duck!

Maybe that's why it is my top 3!! I also love the Grape and the Trilogy.

I feel incredible when I drink it on a regular basis.

nfracer

11-03-2007, 03:20 PM

The Passionberry Bliss reminds me of Andres Cold Duck!

The citrus is like a whiskey sour! Get me a cherry and belly up SuBu! CHEERS! I just wish I could buy it cheaper! I pay $4.29 per bottle and drink 1-2 daily!!!! hard to justify but I am addicted!!!! anyone know how to buy synergy kombucha online? I'm a junkie!

luckitri

11-03-2007, 03:43 PM

Living in Arizona I find it seems to be too hot most of the time for me to sprout or get into fermenting foods unless I take up the refrigerator with all these projects and hopefully the fermentation will still take place - just at a slower time. I really don't want to fill the fridge with sauerkraut, kombucha (especially as I understand you have to have several jars going at once) and sprouts. Anybody have any good ideas for me?

dani_b

11-03-2007, 04:37 PM

Make sure you keep it cold or you can get sick! I had a horrible stomachache for hours one day when someone gave me one of those kombucha drinks that they had out of refrigeration for a long time. It happened to me one other time when I was walking outside in the heat and I took one with me and was drinking over a period of hours. The drinks spoil very quickly when not kept cool.

menat

11-04-2007, 01:39 AM

Oh, so I let it sit in the fridge for 30 days, not on the table for 30 days?

justinesmith

11-04-2007, 04:40 AM

And I've never had an issue with warm Kombucha. In fact I had some sitting the car on a hot Georgia day and drank some of it (it was just too hot to finish) and never had a problem. We are all so different, yes? :)

sharoncaley

11-04-2007, 10:46 AM

Kombucha ferments in about 7 days in Phoenix in summer, in the house (with swamp cooler or airconditioning). It ferments best from about 70-80 degrees F. It can then be kept in the fridge for drinking, or bottled and kept at room temp. to get it fizzy. Keep out of direct sunlight.
It will NOT ferment in the fridge, but the scoby (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) will go dormant. I keep my extras in a big pot in a cupboard, covered with kombucha liquid and a clean towel to keep out dust, fruit flies, etc.
Sharon

P.S. I have never had a problem drinking warm kombucha tea...in fact, in winter especially, I prefer it that way!!!

menat

11-04-2007, 11:22 AM

While I ferment it, can I add honey? Or should natural sweetners be added last. I could make Kombucha Mead...tea and alcohol...well wouldn't the tea by itself turn into alcohol?

Kombucha Mead!!!!

River Mom

11-04-2007, 01:51 PM

While I ferment it, can I add honey? Or should natural sweetners be added last. I could make Kombucha Mead...tea and alcohol...well wouldn't the tea by itself turn into alcohol?

Kombucha Mead!!!!

Is this considered raw?
RM

rawsurfer

11-04-2007, 04:19 PM

Alright, not to rain on anybody's parade or anything, but here are my two cents:

Kombucha has alcohol in it. It is only a trace amount (around .5%-1%), but nevertheless it is alcoholic. As we know, alcohol poisons the body, depletes the body's vitamins and minerals, kills brain cells, alters judgement, and so on. If I drink a bottle of kombucha, especially on an empty stomach, I get a buzz. Then I get tired, eventually weak, and a distinct impression that it is not good for me.

I find that when I eat a lot of salty, fatty, or dehydrated food (keep in mind all raw), I crave kombucha more. When I eat very simply, with mainly fresh fruit and some greens and celery, I don't crave kombucha, and if I decide to drink it still, I feel VERY bad, and it doesn't taste good either.

Take it for what it's worth, but I would say it's not the greatest thing for you.

menat

11-04-2007, 09:44 PM

it does give me a slight headache but I don't get a buzz.

so should kombucha be used as an occassional tonic instead of a daily or weekly drink?

Essensual

11-04-2007, 11:44 PM

The citrus is like a whiskey sour! Get me a cherry and belly up SuBu! CHEERS! I just wish I could buy it cheaper! I pay $4.29 per bottle and drink 1-2 daily!!!! hard to justify but I am addicted!!!! anyone know how to buy synergy kombucha online? I'm a junkie!
nfracer,

Try this link:
http://www.gtskombucha.com/

rawsurfer

11-05-2007, 03:40 PM

menat

That is how I feel. I am sure many will disagree with me. Bottom line is that we surely didn't evolve drinking kombucha. We also didn't evolve eating fermented veggies. I mean, if you saw a fermenting cabbage in your garden, would you eat it or compost it? Not to say they aren't tasty, and in certain situations they may be helpful. I just feel that when one eats simply without heavy dry foods, you do not need extra bacteria to break it all up. Just my two cents. Take it or leave it.

nfracer

11-05-2007, 08:14 PM

It is my understanding you ferment kombucha in a stable (80 ish) environment...I am thinking of ordering a culture of my own and keeping it on top of the dehydrator???? Anyone had any luck making their own?

bodaflower

11-05-2007, 08:37 PM

we didn't evolve drinking smoothies or vegetable juices either...

bodaflower

11-05-2007, 08:39 PM

I think that we should just agree to disagree, because people seem to really have mixed opinions about it

northernstars

11-06-2007, 12:41 AM

I have made kombucha for many years! It got rid of an extremely bad asthma I had endured for a long time, too. In fact, I was able to discontinue six prescriptions for the asthma after I started drinking the kombucha!

When I got out of the hospital this summer after my stroke, I noticed that I was fighting asthma again so my husband found another one on ebay and bought it for me, so I could get back to drinking it. Now, he makes it and I drink a cupful every day! I know it is keeping me from getting too acidic from those dreadful meds the doctors insist that I take daily.

nfracer

11-06-2007, 02:31 AM