This microorganism is used by many people. It has a large number of names: Japanese, Chinese and tea mushroom. Speaking from a biological point of view, it is a representative of a separate community of microorganisms. Among others, this includes yeast fungi and the well-known acetic acid bacterium.
The drink resulting from the use of kombucha copes well with thirst and has an impressive number of beneficial properties. That is why many people try to grow it at home in a jar, so that they can always have tea kvass on hand.
Many who want to have this product at home are wondering how to grow kombucha from scratch. In this article we will talk about all the subtleties and nuances, as well as how to care for the Chinese jellyfish. It’s worth noting right away that the growing process is not fast - it takes about two months. And to succeed in it, you need to adhere to a special kind of recommendations. But first things first.
Useful properties of Japanese mushroom
Before moving on to the answer to the question of how to properly grow this microorganism at home from scratch, you need to familiarize yourself with the properties that it has.
1. Among those inherent in this microorganism are a large number of unique capabilities that have a beneficial effect on the human body. Kombucha is used V medical purposes, in cosmetology, helps fight excess calories and weight, and also provides analgesic effect.
2. From a cosmetic point of view, the exceptional properties of kombucha provide beautiful hair and skin. It promotes speed up metabolism and outputs extra salt from the body, which promotes weight loss. Also, kombucha allows you to accelerate the metabolic process in tissues and cells, which promotes the speedy healing of wounds and scars. Another important feature of this microorganism is that it helps in the fight against furunculosis, fungus of the skin and nails, as well as acne.
3. From a medical point of view, kombucha helps fight numerous diseases. This microorganism is excellent antioxidant, has properties that help stop inflammatory processes. A mushroom grown in a jar, as well as a drink based on it, is actively used in the fight against intestinal infections, various types conjunctivitis and, of course, the flu. Often, an infusion of Chinese mushroom is used to prevent diseases such as:
- rheumatism;
- atherosclerosis;
- arthritis.
Among other things, regular consumption of a drink such as tea kvass helps remove small stones and sand from the kidneys, as it has a diuretic effect. The same remedy normalizes the digestive system.
4. If we talk about analgesic properties mushroom grown at home, its infusion helps relieve toothache. To do this, just rinse your mouth with tea kvass. It also helps reduce the pain of burns and other skin lesions. The infusion can reduce the intensity of headaches.
It is especially worth noting the fact that if you use tea kvass by your habit, you can protect nervous system from stress and tension. This drink is recommended for use during periods of mental and nervous activity. In addition, it has a tonic and invigorating effect on the body due to the caffeine it contains.
Contraindications
In principle, there are no restrictions as such that would make it impossible for a certain circle of people to grow kombucha. However, there are some rules that should be followed when using this microorganism and a drink based on it.
1. Do not use the concentrated solution. Properly prepared kvass has a very pleasant taste. If you ignore the recipe, you will end up with a drink that looks more like Apple vinegar.
2. Do not add substitutes to the solution. It is allowed to sweeten tea kvass with honey or sugar, but the taste will not be the same as in the original.
4. To those who are faced with increased acidity body, it is recommended to use kombucha with a base of black tea and honey. The latter has a neutralizing effect on the acidic component of kvass.
Thus, anyone can acquire this microorganism at home. Enough to stick simple recommendations in its use.
How to grow kombucha at home from scratch
So, let’s start answering the question of how to properly generate and grow a medusomycete (that’s what this microorganism is called in the scientific world). If you don’t want to tinker, you can ask your friends for a part or purchase it in a specialized online store (as you know, everything is on sale now).
However, it is entirely possible to grow kombucha from scratch at home. To do this, you will need a three-liter jar, tea and, preferably, apple cider vinegar. The container must be large so that the mushroom has room to grow in width.
Step by step recipe
Pour about 500 ml of strong sweetened tea into a prepared jar and add a little vinegar (half a spoon). Next, the container must be covered with gauze and secured with an elastic band.
Growing a mushroom in a jar will take about 60 days. At this time, you need to put the container with tea in a warm place. Important condition which must be observed in order to grow the mushroom correctly - the container should not be exposed to sunlight. Medusomycete is extremely delicate and will not be able to grow stronger in the first 2 months.
After the 60-day period, the mushroom must be carefully removed from the jar, placed in a deep bowl and washed. This is done with cooled boiled water. Then you need to fill the jar with tea. It should be cooled, with added sugar. The solution should not be made too strong. The proportions are such that one teaspoon of tea leaves is enough for 1 liter of water. Place the mushroom in a jar of tea and close the neck again with a piece of gauze. The jar should be placed again in a warm time and left for three days in the summer or a week in the winter.
This is how tea kvass is prepared. If you did everything correctly, the mushroom will float to the surface. In the event that he sank to the bottom, at some stage a mistake was made. You can fix it yourself. Simply rinse the mushroom and place it back into the prepared tea leaves.
As you can see, making kombucha at home is not difficult. It is no less easy to grow and care for it. The drink you get from kombucha is very tasty and healthy. Its reserves are quickly depleted, especially in the summer, as it quenches thirst well. You can replenish the supply by simply adding water and used strained tea leaves.
How to care for kombucha
We figured out how to grow kombucha at home from scratch. Now we need to talk about caring for it.
Conditions of detention
It is recommended to store the jar of kombucha in a place that does not have a lot of light. Compliance requires special attention temperature regime. It should correspond to 20-25 degrees. With a lack or excess of heat, the mushroom may die. Even at 17 degrees, the growth and development of this microorganism stops. Its surface itself is covered with dark-colored algae.
The drink made from kombucha also requires special conditions. It's best to keep it in the refrigerator. After a certain time in a warm room, tea kvass begins to deteriorate and ferment. It is recommended to drain the infusion once every three days. IN winter time this can be done once every 5 days. Therefore, it is worth having two jars: one for mushroom, the other for kvass.
Fluid replacement
To properly care for a mushroom in a jar, it is important to approach each stage responsibly. After you have drained the resulting drink, you must replenish your nutrient fluid reserves. The mushroom needs it for growth and development.
You can add used tea leaves to the water after filtering it first. However, it cannot be added in dry form, since the microorganism is extremely delicate and sensitive to it. The same goes for sugar. It must be pre-dissolved.
The jar must be filled two-thirds full. You can drain the tea kvass without removing the gauze. It is enough just to change it periodically. You cannot leave the jar without gauze. It is needed so that the mushroom is not bothered by flies, which for some reason really like it. It is not worth closing it completely - without air it will suffocate and disappear.
Growth and development of the fungus
It is important that the thickness of the microorganism does not exceed four centimeters. The lower layers are considered the most productive and healing. They can be removed. You should not cut it - it will injure the mushroom. The layers separate well from each other. If you wish, you can give the removed part to your friends to grow a new mushroom at home in a jar.
How to wash jellyfish
In order for the microorganism to feel normal, it needs to be rinsed periodically boiled water. This is done once every two quarters. The solution remaining in the jar must be diluted with freshly prepared tea leaves. Green tea is also suitable for this.
Only after the solution has been prepared can the washed mushroom be placed in the jar.
Infusion
It is important to ensure that the kombucha liquid does not become cloudy. Otherwise, the microorganism will deteriorate and separate, and the kvass itself will lose its medicinal properties.
The most useful drink is one that is not older than 30 days. After this, it begins to deteriorate and becomes vinegar. In this form, kvass is not suitable for oral consumption, but can be used for cosmetic purposes. After seven days, the infusion will begin to ferment and acquire an intoxicating effect.
You can tell that tea kvass is spoiled by its special taste. If it has become overly sour and there is a tingling sensation on the tongue, it means that the drink is not suitable for drinking. You can enrich kvass with herbs: plantain, strawberries, rose hips, birch, and nettle.
Many have heard about healing properties Kombucha But not everyone knows how to grow it and use it for health benefits. And this is natural, because the benefits and harms of the plant began to be studied quite recently, about 10-20 years ago. In the process, it became known that the drink obtained with its help has beneficial influence on organs and systems of the entire body. For example, it enhances digestion, normalizes intestinal activity, cleansing it of waste and toxins. It is used in the treatment of diseases of the stomach, liver and kidneys.
What is homemade kombucha? beneficial features, where to get it, how to grow it from scratch, how to care for it at home, I will tell you today on the pages of the website www.site.
What does an adult mushroom look like?
In appearance, it resembles a swimming jellyfish and is a plant consisting of yeast fungi and acetic fermentation bacteria. Top part A healthy mushroom is dense, yellowish-whitish in color with a shiny surface. The lower part consists of numerous hanging threads. It is in this part that the sugar solution and tea leaves turn into a healthy and very pleasant drink.
The healing properties of kombucha infusion
The drink contains many vitamins, enzymes, alkaloids, glucosides, aromatics, and tannins. It also contains small amounts of alcohol, sugar and acetic acid. Thanks to its composition, it has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
Regular use infusion helps reduce blood pressure, reduces the level of bad cholesterol, regulates the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. A properly prepared drink is effective means prevention of atherosclerosis, rheumatic carditis, polyarthritis.
It is also used in the treatment of sore throats; it is an excellent remedy for tonsillitis and chronic rhinitis. Expressed therapeutic effect The infusion is useful in the treatment of intestinal diseases, including enteritis and colitis. And in the treatment of bacterial dysentery it is no less effective than some medications.
When taken in old age, the drink helps relieve insomnia, helps with heart disease, and relieves headaches. But you need to be careful: it should not be used if you have gout, peptic ulcers, or high acidity of gastric juice. The drink is useful to drink for multiple sclerosis and hypertension. For colds and sore throats, gargle with the infusion and wash out the nasopharynx. Wash purulent wounds. The infusion accelerates their healing.
It perfectly relieves mental fatigue, tones, and calms. If you drink it on an empty stomach, it has a beneficial effect on digestion. Taken before bed, the drink will disinfect the stomach.
The plant perfectly treats burns. For this you need not an infusion, but the mushroom itself. A small piece of it should be applied to the burned area and secured with a damp bandage. After a piece of mushroom dries out, you need to replace it with a fresh one. Light burns are treated very quickly, leaving no traces.
Where can I get kombucha?
Yes, you don’t need to take it anywhere, and certainly not worth buying it. To grow kombucha from scratch, take 1 tsp. tea leaves, throw it into a clean jar, add a spoonful of sugar. Then add water to the top and cover with a cloth. Place the jar in a place that is not very lit, but not in the dark. After about a week, you will find a film covered in mold in the jar. Clean off the mold and pour new fresh tea leaves with sugar into the jar. From this point on, your mushroom will begin to grow.
Preparing Kombucha Infusion
Many people don't know how to cook it. This is not at all difficult to do. The most important thing is to properly and carefully care for it so that it is healthy and delights you with its wonderful sweet and sour taste.
First of all, prepare a clean, dry three liter jar. If the family is large, you can put kombucha in a five-liter jar or large saucepan. You cannot cover the mushroom with a lid, as it needs air, like any living organism. Cover the container with gauze folded in several layers.
Next, prepare enough boiled water to fill the container and brew tea. To do this you will need regular tea leaves. Strain the finished tea leaves into cool boiled water to obtain a medium-brewed tea. Then dissolve sugar at the rate of 50 g per liter of tea.
Received cooled sweet tea pour it into a jar, dip the kombucha into it. Place the jar in a bright but protected from sunlight place. The air temperature in the room where the mushroom is located should be at least 17 degrees. At a lower temperature, microorganisms may appear in the container with the infusion, and then the drink will become unfit for consumption.
The infusion is drained every three to four days in the summer, and once a week in the cold season. Pour the drained drink into bottles and store in the refrigerator. It becomes even tastier when stored. If the top layer of the mushroom has changed color and become darker, it means that the drink has overstayed and needs to be urgently drained and the mushroom refilled fresh tea. Otherwise, the plant may die. Well, now you and I know how to cook it.
The infusion has one interesting property - it does not heat up in the heat like other liquids. Therefore, it is indispensable in the summer and perfectly quenches thirst, and retains its medicinal properties in the refrigerator long time.
If you are wondering what the benefits and harms of kombucha are, remember that it benefits almost everyone. It will not cause harm if consumed in moderation, no more than 2-3 glasses per day. Well, as we have already said, you should not drink it if you have stomach diseases or high acidity. Also, you do not need to drink the infusion before, during or immediately after meals. This can provoke severe hunger and the desire to eat again.
To enhance the bactericidal properties of the drink, when preparing it, you can replace some sugar with honey.
If you carefully care for the mushroom, drain the infusion on time, pour fresh weak sweet tea over it, it will give you its medicinal properties for a long time and delight you with a pleasant taste. Be healthy!
Kombucha, popularly called jellyfish, comes from Japan. It has been known since ancient times for its healing effects on the human body. It is the best remedy for problems with the kidneys and gall bladder. If you want to always have tasty and healthy drink you can borrow part of a medusomycete from someone. In a nutrient medium, it begins to actively grow. Growing a full-fledged kombucha plant takes time and patience, as the full process takes at least 2 months.
Growing Kombucha
Kombucha in scientific terminology is called medusomycete, as it looks like a sea jellyfish. It is a thin film with a smooth mucous surface. At the bottom there are accumulations of microorganisms, including yeast and acetic acid bacteria. They are the ones who do the main work.
When in a nutrient medium (juice, tea), medusomycetes tend to grow to unlimited sizes. The liquid in which it floats turns into a carbonated drink.
Growing a mushroom from scratch step by step at home:
- 1. First you should prepare the nutrient medium. To do this, brew a weak leaf tea(green or black, without artificial additives) and add sugar (at the rate of 2-3 tablespoons per 1 liter of liquid). Some people replace sweet sand with honey, but the taste of the finished drink will differ from the original. Tea bags and sweetener cannot be used.
- 2. The sweet solution is filtered and poured into a liter bottle glass jar until 2/3 of the volume is filled.
- 3. Close the lid and put it in a warm, dark place for a week. During this time, a thin film forms on top on its own - this means that the body of the fungus has successfully nucleated. The container with the composition is left in the same place for another 1.5-2 months.
- 4. After the allotted time, the jellyfish grows significantly, but is still weak in structure. Therefore, they carefully take it out so as not to damage it, wash it with warm boiled water and place it in a larger jar.
- 5. Fresh sweet tea is poured into it.
- 6. Cover the top with gauze folded in several layers and put it back in a warm place.
- 7. In summer, final preparation takes 3 days, in winter - at least a week.
Kombucha at an early stage of development
With properly prepared tea solution Chinese mushroom floats to the surface. If it went down, then a mistake was made at one of the stages. This should not be frustrating, since it is enough to rinse the body and immerse it in fresh tea leaves.
How to make a drink from rose hips
If you intend to use the drink not only to quench your thirst, but also to improve your health, then instead of a tea solution you should use an infusion of rose hips. This will be a good preventive measure during the cold season and winter, when the immune system is especially weakened.
The principle of growing mushrooms is almost the same, with the exception of some nuances:
- 1. Prepare an infusion of rose hips: both fresh and dried fruits, which are available in free pharmacy sales, are suitable. Pour 4 tbsp into a thermos. spoons and pour boiling water (500 ml). Cover with a lid and leave to infuse for 5 days.
- 2. After due date begin to directly grow the mushroom. To do this, first wash a three-liter glass jar into which the resulting rosehip infusion is poured. Add pre-prepared tea leaves: 1 tablespoon of black tea per glass of boiling water.
- 3. Add 5-6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, mix and place in a warm place for a day.
- 4. The next day, the liquid is passed through a gauze cloth and returned to the container. Cover with gauze folded in several layers and place in a warm place.
Next, the process develops according to standard technology (as in the previous version) - after approximately 2 weeks, a vinegar smell will appear, which quickly passes. The mushroom will be fully formed in 1.5-2 months.
Care for medusomycetes
Since the reserves of the drink produced by the mushroom are depleted quite quickly, they must be replenished periodically. As necessary, add fluid required for full growth and development. Even the remains of used tea leaves are suitable if you strain them first.
To prevent the mushroom from withering, certain care is required:
- The neck of the jar is covered with gauze and secured with an elastic band. This is important to take into account, since when using a sealed roof there will be no air access inside and the medusomycete will stop developing. In addition, it is more convenient to drain the finished drink with gauze - there is no need for subsequent filtration.
- Every 20 days, the mushroom is taken out and washed in cool boiled water. The tea solution is prepared fresh, where the washed mushroom is placed.
- If the drink becomes sour in taste and cloudy, it means it has been too old. Usually it is poured out and replaced with freshly prepared tea.
- Equally important are the conditions of detention: optimal temperature air - 20–26 °C. In the cold and in the sun the substance dies. Already at 17 degrees, the body of the fungus begins to peel off greatly, growth is inhibited and an algal coating forms on the surface.
- It is recommended to constantly pour the finished drink into a separate jar and store it in the refrigerator. In summer this is done once every 72 hours, in winter - every five days. Then add a new portion of sweet tea to 2/3 of the jar's volume.
- The thickness of the mushroom should not exceed 4–5 cm. The top is regularly removed and transferred to a separate container. The lower layers are not touched, as they are the most valuable.
To enrich the taste of the drink, it is permissible to add all kinds of herbs: blackberries, plantain, nettle, rose hips, strawberries.
The drink infused for a month has the greatest healing power. Keeping it longer is not rational and is harmful to health: the liquid turns into vinegar and is not suitable for consumption.
This product can be used in cosmetics and medicinal purposes. After a week of aging in a warm place, fungal kvass begins to ferment and acquires an alcoholic aftertaste. Then the part is cast and put in the cold for drinking, and fresh tea solution is added to the container.
How to properly divide a mushroom
Few people grow their own kombucha from scratch. Usually a part is separated from an adult whose thickness has exceeded the permissible limits. A characteristic sign of readiness for division is the stratification of the structure visible along the rim.
It is better not to touch the young thin substance so as not to injure it. Even minor pinching is unacceptable, since at the growth stage the integrity must not be violated.
When placed in a beneficial environment, a fragment of the fungus successfully begins to grow and takes on the shape of the container in which it is located. With the right approach during division, the risk of death of the medusomycete is minimized.
How to properly divide a mushroom:
- 1. At the point of delamination, carefully separate the body into plates, which should move freely from each other. If you have to make an effort, then you need to postpone the procedure for 1-2 days until the mushroom is completely ripe. You cannot tear the original body. There are often cases when the mother mushroom divides on its own: it sinks to the bottom, and a daughter thin film floats to the surface.
- 2. Each layer is washed warm water and placed in a separate jar with freshly prepared tea solution. Since the film is very thin, it must be handled with extreme care so as not to tear. For the first 2-3 days it may lie flat below or take a vertical position, but eventually it will float up.
You can get tea kvass immediately using another method, which takes more time. In fact, this is also division, only by growing in ready-made drink. Pour the drink, which has been prepared for 5-6 days, into a clean glass containers and cover with gauze. It is removed away from sun exposure for several days. As a result, a thin film is discovered on top, which is a new mushroom.
The jellyfish-like zooglea living in a tea jar surprises with its white-yellow and brown-pink palette of shades in various photos. Scientists call this symbiotic organism, combining acetic acid bacteria and several types of yeast, a medusomycete. find out main secret about kombucha: how to grow it from scratch in your kitchen. Medusomycetes are acquired for the production of kombucha. This is a pleasant, sweet and sour drink that tastes like kvass from tea and has a healing effect.
How to grow kombucha at home
Housewives who are thinking about how to make kombucha a permanent resident of the house are advised to acquire a glass vessel with a wide neck. You won't find a better three-liter jar here. They wash her baking soda, rinse well. Procedure:
- The water for the nutrient liquid is boiled to avoid sediment. Let it cool.
- Brew black tea and filter the tea leaves.
- Stir the sugar thoroughly. For 1 liter of boiling water take 2 tsp. tea, 50-100 g granulated sugar.
- The vessel is filled with liquid to the narrowing part.
- Cover with gauze to allow air to pass through, put in a secluded corner with room temperature.
- It is unacceptable for tea leaves or granulated sugar to stick to the body of the kombucha, otherwise rotting will begin.
- The jar with zooglea is carefully protected from sunlight.
After 7 days, the grown mushroom already reigns on the surface. It's time to pour the kombucha into a separate jar. The drink is also filtered through several layers of gauze, but covered with a lid. Then the vessel is hidden in the refrigerator for storage. The mushroom that continues to produce kvass is protected from mold and washed with warm boiled water once a week. They also worry about the level of liquid in the jar when adding nutritious sweet tea. A drink that has stood to a high concentration of acetic acid is not suitable for consumption.
Breeding kombucha: how to grow it yourself from scratch:
- How to grow your own kombucha from almost nothing? Prepare the tea leaves (5 tablespoons of black tea per 0.5 liters of boiling water). Allow to cool, filter through a gauze filter into a clean three-liter jar, add granulated sugar - no more than 7 tbsp. l.
- The mixture is covered with a couple of layers of gauze, placed in a dark place in the kitchen and “forgotten” for a month and a half.
- The vessel with the infusion will remind you of itself after about 10 days with a pungent vinegar smell, which soon disappears. After another 5-6 days, a mushroom film will appear on the surface. Over time, it will become a multi-layered “jellyfish”.
How to grow kombucha from rose hips:
- It’s useful to know another secret about kombucha: how to grow it from scratch using rosehip infusion. Kombucha made from it is rich in vitamins. For infusion, measure dried fruits or collected directly from the bush. Brew (0.5 liters of boiling water for 4 tablespoons of rose hips), cover with a lid.
- After 5 days, pour into a jar, add strong tea leaves (1 tablespoon of black tea per glass of boiling water). Dissolve 5 tbsp. sugar and again leave for one day.
- Then the strained infusion is covered with dry gauze and put in a dark place. If everything is done correctly, after two weeks the mixture also begins to smell like vinegar. The film of the fungus will become visible to the human eye after 1.5-2 months.
- Grow further new mushroom like a common medusomycete. The rosehip decoction is again added to the jar with tea leaves.
Video: how to grow homemade kombucha
Medusomycete is an example of vitality and productivity: it grows a new layer every 10 days. It's interesting to see how to grow kombucha at home. One or two films, or even a small part of the body, is enough to breed zooglea. The “shoot” is removed into a separate vessel with liquid. If a submerged mushroom suddenly subsides at the bottom of the jar, then it produces a translucent “daughter”. Newborn film is also infused. Only the darkened body of the zooglea is thrown away, but the dried body quickly comes to life in nutritious tea.
The mushroom has the appearance of a jellyfish that floats on the surface of the liquid. This is a huge colony of yeast and acetic acid bacteria, which are held together by cellulose cells. The scientific name of the colony is medusomycete.
The photo shows an enlarged image of its surface under a microscope. The balls are yeast. Rods are bacteria. The rest of the binder is cellulose.
From above, the colony looks smooth and flat. Below - loose and multi-layered, with hanging threads and new layers being formed. It is from below that most of the active microorganisms that process sweet tea and form kvass are located.
The upper microorganisms produce vinegar. The method of producing vinegar using medusomycetes is called the “Orleans” method. It was used in the 19th century in industrial scale.
For the primary formation of a colony, a donor organism is not needed. The mushroom is formed as a result of prolonged fermentation of brewed sweet tea (in the presence of acetic bacteria and several types of yeast microorganisms). The bacteria themselves enter the tea leaves from the air. However, more often, kombucha is transmitted to each other, dividing the jellyfish-like colonies into layers.
The environment for the vital activity of yeast and bacteria is Indian tea, which appeared in Russia only in the 19th century. Therefore, kvass itself appeared in various Russian provinces at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 30s and 40s he was on a wave of popularity. After the war it was forgotten, and again returned to widespread use in the 80s of the last century.
In eastern countries, where tea has been known for a long time, medusomycetes enjoyed well-deserved respect. They treated the sick and maintained the tone of the healthy.
What was this drink used for?
- China- Only noble rich families drank tea kvass. The drink was not intended for commoners. It was given the following qualities: maintaining clarity of thought, tone, rejuvenating, as well as improving digestion and cleansing blood vessels.
- Japan- tea kvass was popular among geishas, who used it to slim down and remove spots and warts from the skin.
- India- the drink was added to the bathtub for bathing babies with skin problems.
- Europe (England, France and Prussia)— Kombucha was discovered in the 19th century and began to be used to produce vinegar. For this purpose, the medusomycete was kept in large wooden barrels, where it reached enormous sizes.
The benefits and harms of kombucha
The medicinal properties of kombucha are determined by the components formed during fermentation. What does a colony of microorganisms secrete during life?
Some of the dissolved sugar is fermented by yeast bacteria. Ethyl alcohol is formed, which other bacteria convert into acetic acid. The other part of sucrose is processed into gluconic, oxalic, citric, and grape acid. A number of enzymes are formed (lipase, catalase, protease, amylase), some vitamins (C, B), caffeine is retained (comes from brewed tea).
The therapeutic benefits of kombucha are determined by acids, vitamins and enzymes. Invigorating and tonic effect - due to the caffeine contained.
What are the benefits of kombucha for humans?
- Disinfects and stops the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms. Destroys dysentery bacillus, Staphylococcus aureus, pneumococcus, typhoid fever.
- Removes toxins, which means it alleviates the condition of various poisonings - food, industrial, alcoholic, and toxicosis of pregnant women.
- Improves digestion, cleanses the intestines, treats diseases of the gallbladder and liver.
- Forms the microflora of the digestive organs, restores the balance of microorganisms after chemotherapy or a course of antibiotics.
- Counteracts infections in various inflammations: dental (gingivitis and periodontitis), skin (acne, ulcers, fungus on the skin or under the nails, dandruff), ENT inflammations. With this treatment, tea kvass is used externally - for rinsing and rubbing.
- Normalizes the condition of blood vessels (dissolves sclerotic plaques and increases the elasticity of vascular walls).
- Reduces blood pressure.
The beneficial properties of kombucha are more noticeably reflected in the functioning of digestion than others. Tea kvass relieves bloating and colic, normalizes the movement of digestive juices (bile), and removes congestion. By suppressing the growth of pathogenic flora, it treats inflammation. By forming normal intestinal flora, it creates conditions for the complete absorption of food.
Kombucha contraindications
When can a fermented drink be harmful?
- When peroxidized - if it has a strong pungent taste. There is too much vinegar in this drink. A small amount of acetic acid acts as an antiseptic and is used as an antidote. Too much vinegar burns the stomach lining, acidifies the blood, and destroys red blood cells. Besides, acetic acid destroys enamel. So drink sour drinks better through a tube.
- When aging, dead layers supply toxic components. To prevent this from happening, the jellyfish colony is washed with water once a week and old dying layers are promptly removed.
- While taking a series medicines(antibiotics, paracetamol, analgin). At least 2 hours should pass between drinking tea kvass and these medications.
- For diabetics - for a reason high content Sahara.
- People with high acidity, stomach or duodenal ulcers can take tea kvass only in limited quantities.
- Motorists should not take the fermented drink while driving (kvass contains up to 2.5% alcohol, which is contraindicated for drivers in any doses).
- For the same reason, you should not take tea kvass during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
How to use kombucha for weight loss
The weight loss effect is explained by the following factors:
- Tea kvass stimulates cleansing processes, including the intestines. Many people with overweight the intestines resemble a clogged pipe. Active biological substances clean the internal walls of fecal deposits and remove them outside. This looks like loosening of the intestines and frequent urge to go to the toilet.
- Tea kvass enzymes (lipase/protease) stimulate the breakdown of fats.
- Components tea drink reduce the feeling of hunger.
How to use kombucha for weight loss? Here are some popular recipes:
- Infuse the medusomycete in green tea.
- Infuse with herbal decoction (nettle, raspberry and currant leaves, buckthorn bark, dandelion roots, fennel fruits, parsley and caraway seeds, mint leaves, corn silk).
- Infuse the medusomycete in compote.
Drink ready kvass½ or 1 glass (200 ml) half an hour before meals (3-4 times a day). You can also drink it in the morning immediately after sleep to stimulate bowel cleansing.
Is it possible to drink kombucha during pregnancy?
Is Kombucha good for you during pregnancy? Content ethyl alcohol(2.5%) causes controversy about the benefits of the tea drink. Largest quantity The drink contains alcohol at the beginning of fermentation (up to 2.5%). In addition, tea supplies caffeine, which is also not beneficial.
Alcohol and caffeine are active substances. Even in small concentrations they are able to penetrate the placenta. Therefore, despite the low content of these substances, Drinking kombucha during pregnancy is not recommended.
In the 19th century, the carbonated drink was produced on an industrial scale. In the 21st century, they drink it and make it at home. Making kombucha at home is easy.
To grow medusomycetes, glass jars with a volume of 1 to 5 liters are used (depending on the size of the medusomycete). If the thickness of the colony is more than 1.5 cm, take a jar of at least 3 liters. To speed up fermentation, leave ¼ of the already prepared drink.
The tea is brewed, cooled and filtered. Brewing proportions: for 3 liters of water - 6-8 tablespoons of sugar and 2-3 tea bags.
When using tea leaves, tea does not need to be filtered. If you brew tea without bags, then after 20 minutes you need to filter the brewed liquid. Sugar can be added immediately.
Filtered sweet tea is poured into a glass container and a jellyfish-shaped mushroom is placed in it. The neck of the jar is covered with gauze and placed in a dark place for fermentation. Direct rays of the sun should not fall on the surface of the glass container. As fermentation progresses, bubbles appear. You can determine the readiness of the drink by bubbles and a slight sour smell.
The fermentation time of kvass takes 2-4 days in summer, and 5-7 days in winter.
How to care for kombucha
Proper care of kombucha at home determines the quality of the drink. After all, it is a living organism, and in response to care it gives a tasty and healthy drink.
What is contraindicated with proper care:
- A tightly closed jar or other container. Bacteria and yeast microorganisms need to breathe. Without access to oxygen they die.
- Hot water. Bacteria and yeast die in boiling water and simply hot water(like other living organisms, protein structures). Therefore, before adding the mushroom to tea, it is cooled to room temperature.
- Sugar - a colony of microorganisms feeds on sugar dissolved in water. If you pour sugar directly onto the surface of the mushroom, burns (holes, indentations) will appear.
- The sun's rays heat the liquid in which the fungus floats, and this leads to the partial death of its colony. Therefore, you cannot keep it on a sunny windowsill.
- Metal containers without enamel, ceramic surfaces. The mushroom must be stored only in containers made of inert material (glass jars).
- Cigarette smoke. In rooms where people often smoke, the medusomycete becomes moldy.
The mushroom or colony of microorganisms must be stored in a glass container, under a gauze bandage, in a dark corner of the kitchen. An indicator of the health of a colony is the position of the “jellyfish” on the surface of the liquid. If the medusomycete does not emerge for a long time, it is necessary to inspect it and remove the dead layers.
Like any living creature, a jellyfish colony needs periodic washing. The mushroom is rinsed once every 7-10 days in clean, cool water. To do this, the medusomycete is taken out of the container with tea, placed in enamel dishes(bowl, pan) into which water is poured and drained several times. After which the mushroom is examined for old yellow layers(if they exist, they are deleted). The washed mushroom is put back into the jar with brewed sweet tea.
Where to get or how to make kombucha
Where can I get kombucha? And is it possible to grow it at home without a donor colony? It turns out yes. If there is no one in your circle of friends who could offer you a mushroom, grow it yourself using regular tea leaves and sugar. How to grow kombucha at home?
- To grow a colony, you need regular leaf tea without aromatic additives.
- We prepare a glass container (jar) - wash it with soda or mustard (you cannot wash it with synthetic degreasers, they leave a mark on the surface and do not allow microorganisms to form colonies).
- For half a liter of boiling water, take 5 tablespoons of tea leaves and 7 tablespoons of sugar. Brew, cool and filter. Pour into a glass jar. Cover the top with gauze.
- After 7-10 days, the smell of vinegar appears. Afterwards it passes, and a thin film of mucus forms on the surface. This is the rudiment of the future mushroom. The time required for the formation of a primary colony is 1.5-2 months.
You can also use it to grow kombucha. green tea, rosehip decoction, sweet compote.
Growing kombucha at home is accessible to everyone. The growing technology is simple and accessible even to a child. The finished colony is a thin film of living bacteria that will eventually grow into a large mushroom and bring you health. To ensure that it only brings you benefits, you should not drink an old sour drink.
