Schisandra Rose Kombucha

I love how this turned out! This kombucha variation was inspired by a store-bought hibiscus rose flavour that I thought was delicious. I picked and dried roses from my garden and added the petals directly, though you could also buy rose petals from a store. I decided to use Schisandra , an important berry in Chinese Medicine also known as the five-flavour berry. It is considered a herbal adaptogen, a gentle herb that helps your body “adapt” in a resilient way to stress (more on this below).

Recipe:

1 basic kombucha recipe, as seen here
approx. 8-10 rose petals
approx. 1.5 tsp. Schisandra berries

Make basic kombucha recipe. Once the kombucha has completed its first ferment, add the rose petals and Schisandra berries, and cover the jar with a lid. Leave for 2-3 days to allow to become carbonated (don’t open the lid during this time otherwise the gas will be released). If it isn’t carbonated enough, let sit for a few more days. Strain out the petals and berries with a slotted spoon. Enjoy! Kombucha can be stored in the fridge for about a month - the cool temperature of the fridge will slow down the fermentation process, though the bacteria will still be living and consuming the remaining sugar. Your kombucha will slowly get more and more tart.

Adaptogens:

You may have heard this term being thrown around. In fact, Bon Appetit magazine listed adaptogens as one of their predicted food trends for 2017 .

An “adaptogen” is a herbal term for a plant medicine that gently acts to support your whole body. In general adaptogens help to improve energy and reduce fatigue. They improve mood and benefit mild depression. They are calming. They improve resilience to both physical and emotional stressors. Sounds like something all of us need! These are the general uses of adaptogens, but each individual adaptogen has its own plant-y character, with unique mechanisms of action, strengths, and affinities.

Schisandra chinensis:

Schisandra chinensis, or Wu Wei Zi in Chinese Medicine, is one of these adaptogens. In particular it is mild CNS stimulant that enhances mental activity, but at the same time is calming and a mild anti-depressant. It is an immune tonic which helps support a properly functioning immune system. It also contains lignins that have a hepato-protective effect, which means it stimulates the ability of the liver to process harmful substances. It has been shown to activate enzymes that produce glutathione, one of the most important endogenous antioxidants in the body. In Chinese medicine it is used for deficient qi, which could be understood in Western terms as a lack of vitality. It is considered indicated for depression, forgetfulness, irritability, stress, and brain fog, as well as to enhance athletic performance, and build the immune system. It is also used as part of a treatment for hepatitis, cirrhosis, and other liver conditions.

References:

For those who are interested to delve into the research, I’ve compiled a short list below. The evidence base for the use of Schisandra is particularly interesting, because it is a combination of thousands of years of traditional use in China, extensive study in the USSR in the 1960s (much of which is unfortunately not in English), modern rat studies, and the clinical experience of well-respected herbalists. This is not an ideal body of evidence, as (like many herbal medicines) funding for studies is difficult to secure because plants are difficult to patent so the financial incentive is low. Yet taken as a whole, this information gives us good grounding to understand the therapeutic use of these plants.

This article explains more about adaptogens in general, highlighting Schisandra in particular. This article talks more about the extensive study of Schisandra (and other adaptogens) in the USSR in the 1960s. This article gives a Western perspective on how Schisandra might build qi (in Chinese Medicine terms) by benefitting cellular mitochondria. This one explains benefits of a single dose of an adaptogens. And one more, an exploration of the mechanism of Schisandra’s antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects through a study on mice. There are many other studies available as well.

Disclaimer: Information can be empowering, but we all have unique health profiles and needs. Health-related information contained in this post is intended to be general in nature and should not be used as a substitute for a visit with a Naturopathic or other doctor.