KOMBUCHA ("com-boo-cha") tea is an infusion of tea and sugar fermented by the kombucha culture: a continuously reproducing, symbiotic colony of friendly bacteria and fission yeasts which are free of the spores some people, particularly women, are allergic to, and which can help alleviate rather than aggravate conditions like candida.

Over the course of several days - in a chemical reaction similar to how yeast reacts with complex sugars during the brewing of beer - the Kombucha culture digests most of the sugar, breaking it down and converting it into a potent army of organic probiotic acids, enzymes, minerals and vitamins C, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and B15.

Kombucha's distinctive cider-like 'bite' owes to the profusion of acids comprising a variety of probiotic bacteria such as lactobacillus acidophilus - also found in probiotic yogurt drinks - which, scientific reports have shown, may support the body's functions, such as the digestive system and immune system, by dissolving harmful micro-organisms that, in significant numbers, can impact the effective functioning of the body, thereby promoting balance, well-being and vitality.

When toxicity is eradicated and the body's functions are aligned, a sense of well-being and vitality replaces fatigue and lethargy as energy can flow freely again, unhindered by the blockages which cause bodies toxicated by an over-dependence on processed (i.e. nutritionally dead) foods, environmental pollution and heightened stress levels to become sluggish and to ultimately break down.

Kombucha tea is acclaimed by many older users as being an anti-aging agent, as the probiotic acids and antioxidants are scientifically shown to mop up 'free radicals' and other pollutants in the bloodstream. Indeed, Kombucha extract is now used by many top cosmetics companies, including Chanel and Estee Lauder, to enhance the performance of their skin care products; its cellular renewing properties may boost collagen and elastin, thereby improving skin tone and softening wrinkles. Kombucha is one of the key components of the "miracle" anti-wrinkle cream, Tri-Aktiline, with 68% of male and female users noting an instant filling of wrinkles, and 83% reporting a noticeable improvement in the apperance of fine lines in four weeks.

The earliest recorded consumption of Kombucha tea dates back to the Chinese Qin Dynasty of 221BC. Ancient records from the period refer to the unique tea infusion as 'The elixir of life', while the spiritual Zen Masters regarded Kombucha as a source of chi - a revitalizing life energy which they believed aligns and harmonises the body and mind with the soul. The Japanese Samurai warriors often carried Kombucha tea in their hip flasks to help replenish their energy levels.

As trade routes expanded beyond the Far East, Kombucha spread via travellers and traders to India, Russia and Eastern Europe, arriving in Germany around the turn of the 20th Century. Kombucha tea was soon being enjoyed throughout Europe until World War II broke out and, with it, the rationing of the two essential ingredients for fermenting Kombucha: tea and sugar. By the early 1960s, Kombucha's popularity started to take off again.

Today, Kombucha tea is experiencing a further phenomenal resurgence of popularity worldwide, not least among the Hollywood jet set. Madonna and Hollywood stars Cher, Barbra Streisand, Alec Baldwin, Susan Sarandon and Meg Ryan all profess to enjoying the 'wonder drink', while kombucha tea is the drink of choice among many nutritionally aware 'raw foodies'. Now GO! Kombucha enables you to experience truly authentic, handmade Kombucha tea, just as it has been enjoyed through the ages.