All the fun about kombucha

Kombucha is a natural source of health and longevity. Experts consider it a real miracle, since until now they have not been able to establish the time and place of its origin, understand the features of development and explain the beneficial properties. With the help of this plant, people prepare a special drink that tastes like kvass, which can be consumed cold, warm and hot.

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Kombucha - what is it?

The body of the Kombucha looks like a jellyfish, the color can be light yellow or dark brown. From above it is smooth and dense, and from the inside it is layered and inhomogeneous. At the initial stage of formation, it is a thin mucous film floating on the surface of a liquid nutrient medium. The culture grows and develops rapidly, filling all the free space. There are cases when kombucha originated in large barrels and reached a weight of one hundred kilograms.

Kombucha is a biological substrate that exists due to the mutual symbiosis of numerous colonies of yeast fungi and acetic acid bacteria.

The liquid that surrounds the mushroom turns into a slightly carbonated, sour drink - kombucha. They drink it in its pure form, adding lime or lemon, with honey and sugar, mixed with water or other drinks - tea, juice, milk, herbal infusions and decoctions. The substance has found use in home medicine, cosmetology and cooking. The culture received its unique properties due to the vital activity and products of the release of beneficial microorganisms. The mushroom is considered medicinal and is used to treat many diseases.

The benefits and harms of kombucha

Kombucha has an official scientific name - jellyfish, given to it in 1913 by the scientist-mycologist G. Lindau. In the process of vital activity, it releases many biologically active substances. These are organic acids, polysaccharides, vitamins, alcohols and esters, proteins, trace elements, antibiotics and enzymes. Together, these components have a positive effect on human well-being and health.

The drink obtained with the help of kombucha is caffeine-free, therefore it is approved for use at high and low pressure. It quenches thirst well, tones up and dulls the feeling of hunger.

Useful properties of kombucha:

• normalization of metabolism;
• rejuvenation and restoration of the body;
• acceleration of regenerative processes;
• improvement of microflora;
• antibiotic effect;
• strengthening the immune system;
• antioxidant effect;
• promotes weight loss;
• mild diuretic;
• replenishment of vitamins and minerals;
• elimination of harmful and toxic substances.

The benefits of kombucha make it a safe natural medicine. It cleanses the body of toxins, protects against viruses and infections, lowers blood pressure, normalizes cholesterol, improves the functioning of the stomach and intestines, improves sleep, relieves nervous tension and relieves pain. The high therapeutic effect made it possible to use the mushroom not only in everyday life, but also on an industrial scale - pharmaceuticals, catering, cosmetology.

With its many beneficial properties, Kombucha has contraindications:

• the presence of fungal diseases;
• increased acidity, not allowed for use in erosions and stomach ulcers;
• gout and diabetes;
• allergic reaction and individual intolerance.

Growing technology

To breed kombucha, you will need the simplest items - a three-liter jar, preferably with a wide neck, a piece of gauze or a special food napkin, white or brown sugar, green or black tea, or rosehip decoction or herbal tea. It is unacceptable to use sweeteners instead of sugar.

How to Grow Kombucha from Scratch:

1. For growing from scratch, you will need freshly brewed tea of ​​medium strength in the volume of a liter and a half.
2. Dissolve about 100-120 grams of sugar in tea, cool the drink and pour into a three-liter jar.
3. To prevent dirt and insects from getting inside the jar, the neck must be covered with gauze or a special breathable napkin. The fabric should be secured with a string or elastic band.
4. The jar is best placed in partial shade, where the air temperature ranges from 22 to 26 °.

Kombucha does not like darkness and direct sunlight; in cool conditions, the growth process slows down slightly.

Over time, a thin darkish film forms on the surface of the tea - this is the beginning of the development of the fungus. In two or three months, it will grow enough, and you can use its infusion. The readiness of the liquid for consumption can be determined by the thickness of the mushroom (at least 2-3 mm) and a pleasant sour-sweet smell.

Dividing and growing kombucha

When the mushroom reaches a thickness of 4-5 centimeters, you can safely start dividing it and moving it to another container with a nutrient medium. For transplantation, the top layer is taken, which is carefully separated, washed and transferred to a new three-liter jar. On the mushroom, which is ready for division, layers are clearly visible, which, even with a slight impact, independently peel off from the mother base. The most productive and useful are the lower layers, they are darker in color and looser in density.

The maximum concentration of useful and nutritious substances is contained in the infusion, the age of which does not exceed one month. The infusion of a mature mushroom is unfit for consumption.

You can also grow a new mushroom on the basis of a ready-to-eat infusion. The drink, which has been prepared for 5-6 days, is poured into a clean and dry container, covered with gauze and remains in this form for a week. After a few days, a new organism forms on the surface of the nutrient medium. To speed up the process, it is recommended to add 1-2 tablespoons to the base solution apple cider vinegar.

Kombucha care and disease

Every 3-5 days, ready-made tea kvass is poured out, and sweetish boiled water at room temperature is added instead. The amount of sugar is 100 grams per 1 liter of water. Water is boiled, sugar is dissolved in it, cooled and only then added to the container where the kombucha lives. It is undesirable to use raw water, as it contains a lot of salts and impurities that impair the taste of the drink and precipitate.

Too strong tea has a bad effect on the condition of the mushroom. If sugar is added directly to the jar, it can burn and die.

How to care for kombucha:

1. Every 3-5 days it is necessary to drain the infusion and fill the container with fresh nutrient medium.
2. To keep the mushroom healthy and useful, it should be rinsed in water every 2-3 months.
3. A cloudy infusion is a bad sign, harmful impurities reduce the quality and medicinal properties of the drink.
4. The fungus must always remain on the surface. If the mushroom has darkened strongly and sank to the bottom, this means that it is sick and may die.
5. The rules of treatment are simple - they are cleanliness and good care. The nutrient liquid in the jar can reach 2/3 of the total volume so that the mushroom has the opportunity for further development and growth.

Knowing how to grow a kombucha correctly, you can enjoy a natural drink every day that combines high benefits, quality and taste!

Video about growing kombucha at home