How I Got Hooked on the Mushroom Juice

A few weeks back, I was introduced to a beverage called kombucha. It’s supposedly quite the healthy drink, and is said to cleanse the body and restore energy.

However, it has its side effects as well. I briefly suffered from one of them but am now on my second trial and it’s going well.

What on earth is kombucha?

Kombucha is often referred to as Manchurian or mushroom tea, although it has little to do with mushrooms. It is, however, a fungus – a combination, more specifically, of fermented sweetened tea and yeast.

Kombucha, then, is an organic product and apparently it is quite easy to make at home too. Just get the necessary cultures, brew a pot of tea, let it rest for a couple days. What I drank, though, was ready-made kombucha out of the health and bio shop.

At first, I had some reservations. After all, hearing abut fungi and mushrooms doesn’t paint a picture of healthy delicatessen food. But, in the end, beer or cheese are fermentations as well, and since there’s nothing I won’t try, and almost nothing I don’t like to eat or drink, I went ahead.

What’s it like?

It tastes great – really. One of the”ingredients” is a yeast called Brettanomyces bruxellensis, which is commonly found around the river Zenne near Brussels and is also a part of that wonderful beer called Geuze. I would, however, describe it more like a children’s apple cider.

It also “works” instantly. Straight after my first drink, I felt invigourated and refreshed. Soon after, I went to get my own bottle and “began the treatment”.

What’s it do then?

As mentioned earlier, kombucha is considered healthy. Although no scientific proof seems to exist, it does seem to have its effects on liver functions, blood pressure and the immune system. Also, it has apparently been suggested it has a psychological effect – the “kick” you feel after each glass – no doubt the result of the caffeine and theanine present in the drink.

What went wrong?

Wrong is perhaps too strong a word, but kombucha does seem to have its side effects. Some that occur regularly are allergic reactions, rashes, headaches and flu-like symptoms such as fever or muscle soreness. These are, however, generally considered benign effects: an indication that the detoxification is in fact working.

At first, my mistake was that I drank too much of the stuff. I took about three two-finger measures a day and that seemed to be overkill indeed. What I developed was a rather irritating itch along my lower arms that ended in a more-than-annoying rash.

I quit drinking the kombucha for a week and the itch quickly subsided. Now I’ve been back at it for a couple days and except for a few, tiny, red spots, I’m not suffering from any effects at all. I may still have to cut down if it persists though. Apparently, I have a lot to detoxify.

Verdict?

I’d say: you cannot not try it. Kombucha seems to be getting a lot of praise as well as criticism and it happens to be extremely popular. I did a Google blog search before writing this and I was surprised to see how many posts deal with the subject – some put up as recent as a few hours earlier.

If you think you’d like it, need it, just want to try it, go ahead. You can make it yourself (as in this Instructables how-to) or get it from the health shop. It can be quite pricey, but if it works out for you, why not? We do all kinds of weird stuff so we feel better.

Might as well sip the mushroom juice then.

Tags: fermented, healthy, kombucha, manchurian tea, SCOBY