Upon caffeine and green tea

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

A while back I was asked to provide a reference for my assertion that the

caffeine gets

" used up " by the tea. I was trying to explain that the caffeine is just another

component

molecule, a food ingredient for the community of life-forms that we call the

scoby. Just

as the sugar gets converted to CO2, Alcohol, Acetic Acid, and a few other

things, the

caffeine gets broken down into other materials too.

Here is one reference:

" Since Kombucha is traditionally prepared with tea leaves, which contain

caffeine, it is

easy to think that kombucha itself has caffeine in it. Right? Well, yes, BUT the

amount is

way less than the caffeine that was found in the tea before it was fermented.

That's

because the caffeine gets " converted " , (just like the sugar but through a

different

process) into many of the different elements that we just discussed above. A

good rule of

thumb is caffeine is cut by 1/2 the amount once fully fermented. So if a 8oz cup

of black

tea started out with 40mg of caffeine (about 1/3 of a cup of coffee), if you

took that

same black tea and used it to prepare kombucha tea, the caffeine would yield

20mg

(about 2 sips of coffee): Ref: www.getkombucha.com

<http://www.getkombucha.com/>

Here is a second reference that quantifies the rate of change:

The chart given on this page does not reproduce well here.

http://www.happyherbalist.com/analysis_of_kombucha.htm

Please note that in the discussion provided by " happy herbalist " there is

considerable

variation found. This depends upon the specific inhabitants of the scoby, the

brewing

time and environment, caffeine content of the original tea, and a few other

variables like

how hungry the scoby is. Some folks do not get a change in caffeine level, but

it seems

that many do see that effect.

Lastly, this site here http://www.ravenrocks.org/Index/Kombucha/KT_recipe.html

offers that their latest information shows the caffeine remains intact

throughout the

brewing cycle. I couldn't locate their reference for that statement.

Clearly, the jury is still out, and different colonies are providing different

yields. I have

worked to find references that have actually assayed for caffeine. I still

believe it gets

" used up " or converted. It's a valuable nitrogen source and it makes sense that

the

critters would eat it...like " miracle grow " for the scoby. This does not rule

out that other

herbs could provide adequate nutrition by other pathways.

Hope this somewhat helps. Sorry it took a while to answer.

Regards,

Chris

[Guest guest]

Hi

Thank you for posting the references about Kombucha and caffeine.

There are many areas of debate surrounding Kombucha and this is one of

them that comes up every so often. We simply lack sufficient

definitive scientific studies that would prove these issues one way or

the other. Such studies are expensive and there is no profit to be

made in conducting them on Kombucha.

A few researchers have done some studies on the topic of whether or

not the caffeine diminishes as the Kombucha ferments. Some studies say

it does and some that it does not. It is a matter of opinion at this

point,- as are many other things about Kombucha.

Peace, Love and Harmony,

Bev

- In kombucha tea , " Olmstead "

<colmstead@...> wrote:

>

> Hi All,

>

> A while back I was asked to provide a reference for my assertion

that the caffeine gets

> " used up " by the tea. I was trying to explain that the caffeine is

just another component

> molecule, a food ingredient for the community of life-forms that we

call the scoby. Just

> as the sugar gets converted to CO2, Alcohol, Acetic Acid, and a few

other things, the

> caffeine gets broken down into other materials too.

>

> Here is one reference:

> " Since Kombucha is traditionally prepared with tea leaves, which

contain caffeine, it is

> easy to think that kombucha itself has caffeine in it. Right? Well,

yes, BUT the amount is

> way less than the caffeine that was found in the tea before it was

fermented. That's

> because the caffeine gets " converted " , (just like the sugar but

through a different

> process) into many of the different elements that we just discussed

above. A good rule of

> thumb is caffeine is cut by 1/2 the amount once fully fermented. So

if a 8oz cup of black

> tea started out with 40mg of caffeine (about 1/3 of a cup of

coffee), if you took that

> same black tea and used it to prepare kombucha tea, the caffeine

would yield 20mg

> (about 2 sips of coffee): Ref: www.getkombucha.com

<http://www.getkombucha.com/>

>

> Here is a second reference that quantifies the rate of change:

> The chart given on this page does not reproduce well here.

> http://www.happyherbalist.com/analysis_of_kombucha.htm

>

> Please note that in the discussion provided by " happy herbalist "

there is considerable

> variation found. This depends upon the specific inhabitants of the

scoby, the brewing

> time and environment, caffeine content of the original tea, and a

few other variables like

> how hungry the scoby is. Some folks do not get a change in caffeine

level, but it seems

> that many do see that effect.

>

> Lastly, this site here

http://www.ravenrocks.org/Index/Kombucha/KT_recipe.html

> offers that their latest information shows the caffeine remains

intact throughout the

> brewing cycle. I couldn't locate their reference for that statement.

>

> Clearly, the jury is still out, and different colonies are providing

different yields. I have

> worked to find references that have actually assayed for caffeine.

I still believe it gets

> " used up " or converted. It's a valuable nitrogen source and it

makes sense that the

> critters would eat it...like " miracle grow " for the scoby. This

does not rule out that other

> herbs could provide adequate nutrition by other pathways.

>

> Hope this somewhat helps. Sorry it took a while to answer.

>

> Regards,

> Chris

>