Roughly translated from Japanese, Kombucha means "red tea mushroom." It's a fermented tea that Plain Dealer intern Natalie Villacorta explains has been thought to have curative or preventative properties for various ailments. But some experts say its also linked to adverse health effects, and the CDC says two people died from overuse.
Big corporate names like Coca-Cola looked at it, and then got out of the business, likely because the fermentation can make it a slightly alcoholic beverage. Villacorta also talked with a local brewer, and with bars that have begun to serve it in mixed drinks.
You can read the full article here .
Natalie Villacorta is an intern with the Plain Dealer who wrote the centerpiece article in today's Health Segment for the newspaper. She's recently graduated from Brown University and has spent her summer in Cleveland as a researcher and intern.
