Ellenville's Number 1 Trip Advisor Restaurant!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Kombucha, The Healthy Cocktail at Hudson Valley Restaurant



If you have been to Aroma Thyme Bistro then you know we love fine wine, craft beer, Cognac etc...
We also pride ourselves with healthy organic food. Realizing that not everyone drinks alcohol we offer other healthy options.

Our wheatgrass juice is very popular for the die-hard health nuts. I have to admit the staff is hooked on wheatgrass as well. They wait paitently for the extra shot that gets made from time to time.

Then we have young Thai coconuts cracked open. Many people love this nutrient dense raw water in the shell for its health benefits.

Now we offer Kombucha. We have a ginger flavor and a blue-green algae infused one as well.

Here is all the info on Kombucha according to the Katalyst website:


What is Kombucha?

The wisdom of Kombucha has been providing health and vitality in small villages across Asia and Europe for thousands of years, originating in Manchuria around 220 BC. Kombucha is a living symbiotic colony of beneficial yeast and bacteria.

The culture floats atop an infusion of tea and sugar, and through the natural process of fermentation converts the sugar into organic acids and carbon dioxide. At the same time it produces a variety of other compounds that are detoxifying and nutritious to the human body, including gluconic, lactic, and folic acids. The resultant mixture is high in B-vitamins as well as an assortment of pro-biotics (beneficial bacteria including lactobacillus acidophilus and s.Boulardii).


The Health Benefits

The Living ElixirTM

Due to the production of B-vitamins, pro-biotics, and compounds including gluconic, lactic, and folic acids, drinking Kombucha tea regularly has been shown to benefit the human body by:
balancing the metabolism
cleansing the blood and regulating pH levels
improving liver, gall bladder, and digestive function
detoxifying the body and enhancing the immune system
raising overall energy level

Since we have been making Kombucha, people have been asking questions about the culture, the process, and an array of other topics. The following is a compilation of our most common questions and the best answers that we can give after our rigorous investigation and research on the subject. If you have questions please email us.

Common questions

Q: What the heck is Kombucha?
A: Kombucha itself is a living being. It is a symbiotic colony of yeast and bacteria that grows in a mixture of water, sugar, and tea, consuming the sugar and components in the tea, producing the Living Kombucha Tea.

Q: What kind of tea do you use to produce your Kombucha?
A: We use certified organic, fair trade green and black tea. We feel it of paramount importance to use organic tea and support fair trade practices in order to create equity for all people.

Q: Why do you use sugar to make it?
A: The Kombucha organism is a living being and it needs to eat. It lives off of sugars and other chemicals found in tea, such as polyphenols. We have found in our own studies that the Kombucha seems to do best with a pure sugar. Many recommend refined white sugar, but do to the bleaching and refining process involved in making this type of sugar we do not support its use for any purpose. Instead we use organic evaporated cane juice. It comes from pressed sugar cane, and contains all of the necessary components for healthy Kombucha tea without the problems associated with using such things as honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar.

Q: How much sugar is in it?
A: According to many Kombucha authorities, as much as 99.5% of sugar used to produce Kombucha tea is converted during the fermentation process. Our Kombucha contains 4-8 grams per bottle and those with sensitivity to sugar have told us that that have not had any adverse effects form our Kombucha. *Diabetics should however use discretion as they would any product containing sugar.

Q: Is there any caffeine in Kombucha?
A: We have calculated that our Kombucha has approximately 5 mg of caffeine per serving. This as opposed to other caffeinated beverages is the lowest we have encountered , and those with sensitivity to caffeine have reported no adverse effects from our Kombucha. Let us know what you think!

Caffeine Content in 8-ounce Beverage: (in milligrams)
Coffee, Drip--115-175
Tea, instant--30
Tea, green--15
Hot cocoa--14
Coffee, Decaf, brewed--3-4
SOURCES: National Soft Drink Association, US Food and Drug Administration, Bunker and McWilliams, Pepsi.

Q: Should pregnant and nursing women consult their doctor before drinking kombucha?
A: Drinking kombucha daily has been shown to detoxify the body. Most healthcare professionals recommend undergoing a detox program before, rather than during or soon after pregnancy for safety reasons. For more information consult your doctor or health professional. This link may also be helpful: http://detox.org/dangers.html

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I am fairly sensitive to caffeine and support the theory that caffeine is converted or used up in the kombucha brewing process. I drink anywhere from 1-2 quarts of home brewed kombucha a day... if I was drinking that much black tea I would be a nervous wreck! So I think the caffeine is converted somehow in the brewing process.

We would never expect you to eat this shrimp, nor do we serve farmed Asian shrimp

One Awesome Blender