Tea has been observed to create a calming effect on the drinker, as opposed to coffee which tends to raise anxiety. L-Theanine: Tea’s Relaxation EffectĪn important distinction has been made between caffeine in tea and caffeine in coffee. However, more than half of all American adults consume more than 300 mg of caffeine every day, which makes it America’s most popular drug. What is caffeine?Ĭaffeine (C8H10N4O2) …was first isolated by the German chemist Friedrich Ferdinand Runge in 1819 (and)…In humans, it stimulates the central nervous system, heart rate, and respiration, has psychotropic (mood altering) properties, and acts as a mild diuretic…A normal dose of caffeine is generally considered to be 100 mg, which is roughly the amount found in a cup of coffee. Perhaps most exciting is learning that the caffeine present in Kombucha is paired with a natural amino acid that slows it’s absorption into the bloodstream, l-theanine, with great side benefits. Still it is clear that properly fermented Kombucha contains only small amounts of caffeine and, even more importantly, we can control the amount of caffeine present through some very simple choices and techniques.

After all, Kombucha recipes vary endlessly and several factors such as type/quality of tea, steep time and fermentation cycle & temperature must be accounted for. However, the amount of caffeine present in a glass of Kombucha will vary widely, as should be expected. Many sources we respect warn against any caffeine consumption but we still believe that, in moderate amounts and when consumed as a whole food, most naturally occurring substances are harmless to beneficial.Īs Kombucha is made from tea (Camellia sinensis), it contains caffeine. While the health benefits of tea have been well documented, science is still debating caffeine’s health benefits, including the potential to prevent Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and we have certainly seen study after study that contradict what came before.

It is my opinion that because caffeine is present in these plants in the natural world (it acts as a natural pesticide), and we have been drawn to consume this substance for all of recorded history, it must provide something of benefit to our bodies beyond simple alertness. Like many good, naturally occurring substances found in nature, commercial production has perverted our relationship with caffeine, leaving us addicted or scared or both. Large doses are added to soft drinks and even bottled water. Yet significant amounts of this pharmacological agent occur naturally in the 2 most popular beverages in the world (besides water), tea and coffee. Caffeine is very addictive when over consumed.Ĭaffeine, often called America’s favorite drug, can have negative ( and sometimes hilarious) effects on the body and the nervous system.

Caffeine in synergy kombucha