Kombucha: how to care and use, benefits and harms. How to grow kombucha from scratch? Medicinal uses of kombucha
Kombucha has been known for its beneficial and healing properties since ancient times. No wonder it is called the elixir of immortality and health. It is used to treat and prevent many diseases. In addition, kombucha is an excellent refreshing drink in terms of its taste, which in hot weather can easily quench your thirst.
Other common names for kombucha are Japanese mushroom, tea jellyfish, Japanese sponge, sea fungus, Japanese uterus, kombucha, Manchurian mushroom, Fango, and the scientific name is Medusomycetes. Translated from Latin, kombucha is called Kombucha, in the world this microorganism is better known under this name. Kombucha is a thick, layered film of acetic bacteria and a yeast-like fungus that provide the nourishing and healing properties of kombucha. Kombucha infusion includes sugars, aromatics, ethyl alcohol, carbonic and organic acids, enzymes, B vitamins, a substance similar to ascorbic acid. Sweet tea, under the influence of the fungus, becomes sweet and sour in taste. Yeast fungi carry out the fermentation of sugar, and bacteria through the oxidation process convert alcohol into acetic acid.
Eastern countries were the first to actively grow and use kombucha. In Japan, for example, geisha used this healing drink to maintain a slim figure, with the help of acetic acid extracted from it, they removed warts, age spots on the face and body, used it as an effective remedy for hair loss and preventing the appearance of gray hair, as well as in as a conditioner for silky and shiny hair. In India, this acetic acid was used to strengthen dyes on fabrics, to prepare a refreshing drink, and was also used to wash children with problem skin. In Indonesia, tea fungus infusion was used as an effective remedy for various kinds of poisoning. And in China, kombucha was used as early as 250 BC.
Useful properties of kombucha:
- normalizes blood pressure;
- cleanses the body of accumulated waste substances;
- has the ability to normalize the acidity of the stomach;
- reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood;
- helps with various inflammations in the stomach and intestines;
- brings the intestinal microflora back to normal after illness and taking large doses of antibiotics;
- helps in the treatment of diseases of the liver and gallbladder;
- is an excellent remedy for insomnia;
- effectively treats dysentery;
- regulates the activity of the gastrointestinal tract;
- copes with habitual constipation;
- helps with kidney stones;
- eliminates severe headaches;
- heals and rejuvenates the body.
Kombucha is also a good antiseptic, has a wound-healing effect: if you wash purulent wounds with infusion of Kombucha, the wounds will soon heal. Kombucha also has antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Kombucha also has a remarkable property - it uses for its life activity harmful to humans lactic acid, which is formed in our body in the process of metabolism.
Properly prepared infusion of kombucha gives a good result in the treatment of colds, sore throats (the infusion is used as a gargle and washing the upper nasal passages), tonsillitis, chronic rhinitis, gastrogenous enteritis, colitis, and in cases of bacterial dysentery, the use of kombucha is more effective than drugs . Regular use of kombucha, especially in old age, improves well-being, reduces heart and headaches, and insomnia disappears.
Kombucha has a beneficial effect on patients suffering from sclerosis, including multiple, hypertensive heart disease. Kombucha drink has both a tonic and a calming effect, helps to reduce mental fatigue.
In addition, kombucha produces polysaccharides: hyaluronic acid, which is the main substance of connective tissue, chondroitin sulfate, the substance of cartilage, and mucoitin sulfate, a component of the gastric mucosa. Harmful substances in the infusion of kombucha were not noticed.
The use of kombucha relieves hangover, which is explained by its ability to neutralize the toxins of alcoholic beverages. And if you drink vodka with such a drink, you can generally avoid a hangover in the morning.
The use of kombucha infusion helps to whiten teeth. To do this, after brushing your teeth, you should rinse your mouth with a monthly infusion of kombucha for at least two minutes.
How to drink kombucha?
When using tea fungus infusion, one important rule should be observed: it should not be mixed with food, since the drink helps to speed up the process of digestion of the stove, as a result of which the feeling of hunger arises quite quickly. Therefore, it is best to drink kombucha infusion 1/3 cup two hours after eating plant food, and three hours after eating meat food. If you have problems with digestion, you should drink half a glass of the drink on an empty stomach half an hour before a meal. In any case, the use of the drink gives a cleansing and healing effect.
But the infusion of kombucha gives the greatest benefit with its daily use on an empty stomach in the morning (accelerates the digestion process) and in the evening (calms and normalizes sleep).
How to cook kombucha?
To prepare this healing drink, brew one teaspoon of tea with a glass of boiling water. After the tea leaves have cooled, it must be drained and diluted with warm boiled water up to one liter. The tea solution used to make the drink should not be too strong, but not too pale. Sugar is added to it to taste so that the solution is not cloying, and then poured into a jar of kombucha. The jar should be kept in a dark place where direct sunlight is limited. After 4-5 days, the infusion of kombucha can be drunk, it should be drained and refrigerated. If you leave the resulting infusion at room temperature, then after a while a film of a new young fungus will appear on its surface - after all, all the processes that occur in the infusion continue after the fungus itself is removed from it. In refrigerators, such processes slow down, but do not stop at all. Therefore, if any strange formations appear in the infusion, do not be afraid. Just before use, the infusion should be filtered again.
When stored in the refrigerator, the infusion of kombucha does not worsen its taste, and we can even say that it improves. Approximately once every two weeks, kombucha should be washed with warm boiled water.
If you do not plan to use the infusion of kombucha yet, it should be poured with boiled water or the sleeping remains of tea brewing. Kombucha can rest in this way for up to several months. After the resumption of use, the fungus will require a short recovery period.
Kombucha for weight loss.
In addition to the above beneficial properties, kombucha is effective in the fight against excess weight. To normalize the digestion process and accelerate the breakdown of fats, kombucha should be infused with various herbal preparations.
Herbal options:
- 4 tbsp brittle buckthorn bark, 1 tbsp. dandelion roots, 2 tbsp. field harrow roots;
- 2 tbsp brittle buckthorn bark, 1 tbsp. fennel fruit, 1 tbsp. dandelion roots, 1 tbsp. parsley seeds, 1 tbsp. peppermint leaves;
- 3 tbsp brittle buckthorn bark, 1 tbsp. yarrow, 1 tbsp. tricolor violet, 1 tbsp. cumin fruits, 1 tbsp. corn stigmas.
Kombucha can also be infused with green tea. In addition, in such an environment, the fungus feels much better, its growth is significantly accelerated, and its life span increases. And the resulting infusion is rich in vitamins B2, K, P, which have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and hair, and also strengthens blood vessels. Infusion of kombucha for weight loss is allowed to be taken at any time of the year. However, this healing drink is especially valuable during the summer heat, as it perfectly quenches thirst and tones the body.
Contraindications.
Patients with diabetes mellitus, gastric ulcers, as well as those with increased acidity of gastric juice, should not use kombucha infusion.
How to prepare a drink from kombucha correctly? Medusomycete looks like a thick layered film of yellowish-brown color, floating on the surface of the nutrient liquid - an infusion of sweet black tea. The sugars in the liquid can be different (glucose, sucrose, fructose), the type of tea also does not matter, but the strength is important. The usual concentration of tea is from 0.5 to 1.5%, and its excess inhibits the growth of kombucha.
The researchers noticed that the medusa mycete practically does not consume the components of the tea infusion (aromatic, tannins and other substances), but is extremely sensitive to its absence. For example, without tea, it does not synthesize ascorbic acid, which is necessary for the life of kombucha.
But, if the medusomycete is satisfied with the conditions created for it, then on the seventh or tenth day of growth, it begins to produce a pleasant-tasting sour carbonated drink (tea kvass). Gas bubbles and acetic acid are provided by the combined efforts of yeast and acetic acid bacteria. The specific flavor of the drink is spun by tea and some types of yeast.
Tea kvass is prepared at home. Since the fungus is constantly growing, you can start with a small piece of kombucha membrane. You can get kombucha if one of your friends has a jar with this healthy drink. The lower layer is separated from the mother mushroom and placed in a three-liter jar, where cooled, not very strong sweet tea is poured (5-6 teaspoons of sugar per 1 liter). The jar is placed in a warm place.
For the first three days, the mushroom lies sluggishly at the bottom of the jar, and then floats up, and after a week the first portion of the infusion is ready. The ascent of the fungus begins due to the formation of a product of its vital activity - carbon dioxide, and the infusion becomes carbonated by itself.
The mushroom at a venerable age reaches a thickness of several centimeters and allows you to drink the infusion daily, unless, of course, you forget to replenish the loss of liquid with a new portion of cold sweet tea. If you pour the infusion of kombucha into a free container, then after one to two weeks a thin translucent layer forms on the surface of the liquid - a colony of microorganisms, which over time will also turn into an adult fungus.
If you completely forget about kombucha, then all the liquid can evaporate. But the mushroom will come to life as soon as it is poured with sweet water or tea.
It is better to keep the fungus away from a window, as cold and direct light inhibit its development. A jar of kombucha is not hermetically sealed, it is simply covered with a clean napkin so that dust does not get in. It is necessary to add boiled water with sugar already dissolved in it: in raw water there are a lot of soluble calcium salts (water hardness salts), which form calcium gluconate with gluconic acid, which precipitates. You can’t even pour sugar on the mushroom - this causes burns on his body in the form of brown spots. Too strong tea also depresses him.
In boiled water where the fungus develops, you need to add an infusion of ordinary tea (until the water is slightly tinted) and sugar (at the rate of two tablespoons per three liters of liquid) and leave it to infuse in a glass jar. Kombucha will be ready for use after 5-10 days of infusion at a temperature of 25 degrees.
Periodically, the mushroom should be washed in clean water.
The mushroom gives a healthy drink only under certain conditions for its preparation.
It is better to have two jars: the mushroom will live in one, and you will pour the finished drink into the other. A can of ready-made drink can be stored in the refrigerator for quite a long time. The optimum temperature for the mushroom is 25 °C. Temperatures below 17 ° C are harmful, as it reduces the activity of the fungus and blue-green algae can start in it. The mushroom does not like direct sunlight, and it is better to keep it in a dark place.
The infusion should be drained every five to six days in winter and two to four days in summer. In addition, the mushroom must be regularly washed with clean, cool water (preferably spring water, not tap water). In summer, this should be done every one to two weeks, and in winter - every three to four weeks.
If the fungus stays in solution, then the upper film begins to turn brown. This is a sure sign that the fungus is starting to die. At the end of the cycle, the infusion of the fungus is drained through a layer of gauze and used; to taste, it should resemble strong, highly carbonated kvass. The infusion of the mushroom on green tea is even more beneficial, since green tea has more vitamins and caffeine than black tea, it tones better. It is good to rinse your mouth with this infusion after eating, since some green tea compounds kill bacteria that destroy teeth. You can also insist the mushroom on tea with bergamot or add aromatic herbs - mint, lemon balm, oregano. And the honey added to the infusion enriches it with useful minerals - sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron - and gives it additional antibacterial and tonic properties.
Kombucha infusion actively interacts with food in your stomach, so it is not recommended to drink it immediately before meals, during meals and immediately after meals, otherwise you will feel hungry very quickly. Drinking an infusion of the mushroom is recommended no earlier than two hours after a vegetarian meal and three to four hours after a meat meal. But with heaviness in the stomach from overeating, you can take half a glass of kombucha infusion, and the unpleasant sensations will disappear.
Useful properties of kombucha
Kombucha, aka Japanese or jellyfish mushroom, was brought by soldiers to Russia after the Russo-Japanese War. This is one of the best remedies for the gallbladder. The fungus increases the activity of the digestive glands, effectively treats atherosclerosis and tonsillitis, normalizes blood pressure and sleep.
The body of Kombucha resembles a jellyfish, which is why it was nicknamed by the people. From above, the mushroom is absolutely smooth, and from below there are countless yeast bacteria that do the main work (prepare a medicinal and tasty tincture).
Kombucha is a biological substrate that contains yeast and acetic fermentation products. In appearance, it is a mucous layered film that floats on the surface of a nutrient medium, for example, juice or tea. The liquid in which the fungus lives turns into a carbonated drink like kvass. A mushroom can fill any container and eventually reach a hundred kilogram weight!
The beneficial properties of kombucha have been known in Eastern countries since ancient times.
Japanese geisha drank it to maintain a slender figure, used it to remove warts and age spots on the face and body, rinsed their hair with a solution after washing. In Indonesia, this natural medicine was used as an effective antidote for various poisonings.
Benefits of kombucha due to the presence in it of a large number of biologically active substances. Infusions based on it contain organic and carbonic acids, alcohol of wine, polysaccharides, proteins, sugars, aromatic oils, vitamins of groups B, B1, C, P, enzymes. Substances similar to ascorbic acid and valuable trace elements (calcium, iodine, zinc) were also found. Bacteria with antibiotic properties have also been found in kombucha. They are able to kill or significantly slow down the development of many pathogenic microbes.
The harm of kombucha
As a result of scientific tests, no negative effects of kombucha on the human body were revealed. Its use as a rub and for other external purposes is absolutely harmless to health. Kombucha drink can be consumed not only by adults, but also by children. With all this, its use is safe only if hygiene is observed and proper preparation of tea infusion from natural tea using fresh water.
Despite all the beneficial qualities of kombucha, it should be used with caution. It should not be used by people who have:
Increased acidity of gastric juice;
stomach ulcer;
fungal diseases;
Individual intolerance to the components included in this product.
In general, the infusion of kombucha is absolutely harmless to the human body. However, it is better to refrain from drinking it for those who drive a car, as kombucha contains a small amount of alcohol. Given that kombucha contains many beneficial substances, we still recommend that you drink it as a relaxing drink, uplifting and energizing, and not as a remedy.
The use of kombucha
Folk medicine in many countries of the world has long used the medicinal properties of kombucha. It is actively used for diseases of the intestines, kidneys, bladder, liver and nervous system, as well as for removal. It has anti-inflammatory and antibiotic effects, and also normalizes the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, helps to reduce blood and arterial levels. The fungus has proven itself as an effective prophylactic against polyarthritis, rheumatic heart disease and atherosclerosis.
Its infusions are often used for chronic, tonsillitis, tonsillitis. Many experts note that even with dysentery, such a drink can provide better care than some pharmaceutical preparations. The use of a solution of kombucha helps to overcome, get rid of pain in the heart area. It should be noted that this natural medicine has a sedative effect, and also has a positive effect on the general well-being of patients.
How to grow kombucha?
To grow kombucha, it is best to take the so-called "baby", that is, the offshoot of the fungus from people involved in its cultivation. The process should be placed in a thoroughly washed and well-dried three-liter jar. In a separate bowl, you need to brew strong tea at the rate of 100 g per 1 liter of water and dissolve in it from 30 to 60 grams of sugar. Sugar must be dissolved in advance, since large particles of sugar, if they get on the mushroom, can destroy it.
Then you need to cool the tea leaves and carefully pour it into a container with a mushroom. The jar should be covered with clean gauze, which will allow the solution to breathe and protect it from dust. The drink will be ready to drink within 8-15 days.
How to care for kombucha?
In direct sunlight, the fungus can die, so it is better to keep it in the shade. In addition, it is important to remember that in a cool room it ceases to function. +25 degrees is considered the best temperature for its cultivation. In the summer, tea fungus infusions are recommended to be drained every 2-4 days, in winter - after 4-6 days. Also, the mushroom must be washed with clean cool water every three weeks.
If the fungus stays in solution, then its upper film begins to turn brown. With untimely feeding or a complete cessation of nutrition, this living organism begins to get sick and, ultimately, dies, sinking to the bottom. In this case, drinking its infusion is strictly prohibited.
Kombucha diseases
Kombucha is also susceptible to disease and adverse environmental effects, like any other living organism, and in most cases, the owners themselves, negligently caring for the fungus, become the cause of its diseases. For example, in the process of replacing the nutrient mixture, kombucha can be subjected to various kinds of mechanical damage - cuts, tears, punctures, etc.
Of course, in most cases, this does not affect the vital activity of a symbiotic colony of living microorganisms capable of regeneration, therefore, mechanical damage is conditionally classified as a Kombucha disease. However, with a large area of damage, it is recommended to place the fungus until complete recovery in a small amount of nutrient solution, which would only slightly cover the damaged surface.
Brown spots on the mushroom indicate that tea leaves or undissolved sugar got on its surface. In this case, it is necessary to separate the affected layer and then filter the tea solution through several layers of gauze or a special sieve. Sugar is stirred in tea until completely dissolved, and only after that the body of the fungus is poured with a nutrient mixture.
If the technological process is disturbed, blue-green algae may appear in the kombucha solution. They coat the walls of the jar or float in the thickness of the solution, giving it a cloudy color. This is possible when the room temperature drops below 18 ° C, when the jar is exposed to direct sunlight or the nutrient medium has a high pH (7.5–8.5). After washing the fungus and correcting all violations, the algae no longer multiply.
In the summer, kombucha is bothered by the presence of Drosophila flies. They are attracted to substances produced during the fermentation of sugar by yeast. Flies lay larvae in the body of the fungus, which then feed on the waste products of the fungus. That is why it is recommended to cover the jar of infusion with gauze and glue the edges of the vessel with adhesive tape.
mold on kombucha- Another of the diseases that interfere with this useful product. Most often, young mushrooms are exposed to mold infection, which have not yet had time to develop a sufficient level of acidity (pH) of the drink. Mold appears only on the surface of the fungus, which is in contact with air.
It is best to replace the fungus in this case, but if there is no such possibility, and the mold has just appeared, then it is worth trying to save it. To do this, the mushroom should be washed under running water, and then rinsed with boiled vinegar. The container must be sterilized and filled with fresh nutrient solution. Usually the cause of mold is a violation of the temperature regime or smoke in the room from constant smoking.
Can you drink kombucha?
Kombucha effectively helps with many diseases, it can be drunk by both adults and children. At the same time, the infusion of the fungus is a natural antibiotic and an absolutely natural product, devoid of all the shortcomings that are inherent in synthetic medicines. With regular use of Kombucha infusion, you can not only strengthen the immune system and cleanse the body, but also improve the condition of the skin, hair, nails, lose weight, and normalize metabolism. This delicious and refreshing drink perfectly relieves a hangover.
How to drink tea fungus?
Kombucha drink is usually consumed separately from food. It should be drunk no earlier than 3 hours after eating or 1 hour before a meal. An infusion of the mushroom, drunk on an empty stomach (from 1 to 1.5 cups), will prepare the digestive system for further digestion of food, half a glass of the drink before going to bed will disinfect the stomach and set you up for sleep. Traditional healers recommend drinking daily from 1/3 liter to half a liter of strained infusion 2-3 times a day.
Kombucha infusion you can cook not only with tea leaves, but also with the use of various herbal mixtures. A good addition to tea is nettle with blackberry leaves, plantain, strawberries, lime blossom, birch leaves,. 1-3 teaspoons of chopped herbs are added to 1 liter of nutrient mixture. A tasty and healthy drink is obtained with fruits. Such a solution is usually filtered an hour after steaming and the mushroom is poured over it.
For the preparation of a nutrient medium, it is not recommended to use herbs containing many essential oils, such as sage, pepper, wild. As a result of the processing of the essential oil by the fungus, it will change its qualities and properties, and it is not known how. And that can be bad for your health.
tea fungus treatment
Since ancient times, kombucha has been considered an elixir for many diseases. Not so long ago, it was grown in almost every Soviet family. Currently, not only fans of traditional medicine know about the beneficial properties of the mushroom - they are confirmed by modern clinical studies.
Tea fungus nail treatment
There is such a disease as onychocryptosis - this is when the nail grows into the side of the nail fold. This usually happens on the big toe. In the early stages, the disease is accompanied by inflammation of the soft tissues, and in the later stages purulent discharge appears. If the disease is started, then in the future it is simply impossible to do without surgical intervention.
Very good results with timely treatment are given by natural medicines based on folk recipes, including kombucha. It is used in the form of compresses. First of all, we stratify the mushroom, then we wrap the sore finger with it and cover it with cling film, put on a simple sock, and then also a woolen one. The ingrown nail softens after three such procedures, and it can be removed independently.
Kombucha for hair
There are many ways to take care of your hair with kombucha. Preparations from it help strengthen the hair, make them thicker and accelerate growth, the fungus is used in the treatment of various diseases of the scalp. In case of hair loss, tea fungus infusion should be rubbed into the hairy surface with light massaging movements. For a richer and more intense color, as well as to make the hair soft and shiny, it is recommended to rinse the hair with infusion of the mushroom after shampooing.
To improve the internal condition of the hair, tea fungus infusion can be drunk daily before meals. This will not only help strengthen the hair, but will also favorably affect their growth. If you need to get rid of dandruff, then do the following: divide your hair into strands and lubricate the roots along the parting line with a piece of gauze dipped in mushroom infusion. Rinse after 30-40 minutes. This procedure is desirable to carry out after each shampooing.
To strengthen hair, you can also mix one tablespoon of honey with one glass of mushroom infusion. The mixture should be slightly warmed up, without bringing to a boil, and mix thoroughly. The mask should be evenly applied to wet skin. After 20-30 minutes, the head can be rinsed with infusion of chamomile.
Kombucha for nail fungus
Fungal infection of the nails is a chronic disease that steadily destroys the nail plates and threatens to pass to other people, primarily to family members. The disease is the entrance gate for many other infectious diseases, it leads to allergization of the whole organism, the development or worsening of the course of diseases such as bronchial, allergic dermatitis, and others.
This is why the fungus should not be started, especially since the disease is easily treated with kombucha. To do this, a thin plate is separated from the fungus and fastened to the sore finger for the night. From above, the lotion is covered with cellophane and several socks are put on so as not to stain the bed linen, as the juice will flow from the fungus. The first reaction is likely to be painful, but if this is overcome, then you can get rid of the disease once and for all.
In the morning, the compress should be removed, the leg washed in warm water, dead skin pieces cut off and the entire damaged surface treated with brilliant green or potassium permanganate solution. The procedure should be repeated every other day, and so on until the signs of the disease completely disappear. This usually takes up to seven approaches. After the end of the course of treatment, the procedure can be repeated for prevention. The new nail will grow slowly, but it will be even and healthy.
Kombucha for gastritis
Today, gastritis is the most common disease of the gastrointestinal tract. The disease is characterized by damage to the gastric mucosa and its inflammation. The causes of the disease can be malnutrition, excessive drinking, smoking, long-term use of toxic drugs, etc.
A mixture of kombucha and honey will help get rid of pain and heaviness in the stomach. The first 7-10 days when taking mushroom infusion, a light diet is recommended, then spices and bitterness, for example, dill, hops, can be gradually added to food. Tea kvass is consumed 3 times a day, 100 ml.
Infusion: Shredded chestnut bark must be added to boiling water at the same time as tea brewing. Infuse for 20-30 minutes, then strain and consume for two weeks a quarter cup of kombucha infusion 3 times a day 1 hour before meals.
Kombucha for diabetes
Kombucha is good because it is able to normalize the metabolism in the human body, including carbohydrates. It is this feature that is used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. However, you can not use the mushroom for all forms of the disease; in this regard, it is best to consult with your doctor. Just one glass of kombucha infusion per day, divided into 3-4 portions, will significantly improve the functioning of the whole organism, mobilize internal reserves to fight the disease, and ensure a gradual decrease in the level.
When drinking a drink, patients with diabetes are advised to dilute the mushroom with mineral water or herbal tea, while putting only 70–80 g of sugar is enough for two liters of tea. In addition, in the course of its life, kombucha processes sugar without residue.
Kombucha for stomach ulcers
With increased acidity and stomach ulcers, Kombucha should not be drunk. As an exception, you can use an infusion of the mushroom with honey, prepared on the basis of only black tea. Honey neutralizes the effects of acid, eliminating exacerbations.
Kombucha for children
Kombucha drink is very healing and tonic, it can also be used by children. It is a good substitute for carbonated drinks. Although it is undesirable to teach children to tea kvass from an early age. Even the minimum amount of alcohol and caffeine with their regular use will adversely affect the children's body. For kids, the best drink is pure water, and dessert - compotes, juices, fresh fruit puree, fruit drinks.
Kombucha during pregnancy
Tea kvass can be consumed during pregnancy only if the woman has no allergic reactions to the polysaccharides and acids that make up Kombucha. Regular use of this healing drink will help strengthen the protective functions of the body and keep a woman in good health.
It is possible and even necessary to use the infusion during the period, also provided that the mother and baby do not have the components that make up the kombucha.
Kombucha for weight loss
Kombucha is a very good and unique remedy for weight loss. It means that it enhances the therapeutic effect in combination with other means. However, positive results will be achieved only when the nutrition is correct and healthy. For weight loss, you need to drink six glasses of kombucha daily: one glass one hour before meals, one glass two hours after. The course of treatment lasts three months, and after each month you should take a week break.
To achieve a greater effect, you can prepare an infusion of the mushroom on teas for weight loss. Very useful and tasty, it turns out on herbal teas. Drinks prepared on the basis of kombucha normalize the body's metabolic processes, improve the functioning of the cardiovascular and hematopoietic systems. A person gets rid of edema and body fat, becomes more attractive and slimmer.
Contraindications to the use of kombucha
It is not recommended to take kombucha infusion for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type I diabetes). Do not use the infusion in large quantities, undiluted or fermented. Consultation with the attending physician is recommended for those people who have acute forms of diseases of the internal organs, and those who are undergoing drug treatment.
Education: A diploma in the specialty "Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the University named after N. I. Pirogov (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Moscow University of Peoples' Friendship (2008).
How grow kombucha at home. The secret to successful fermentation. How to brew Kombucha for the first time. And my ideal proportions for infusing this delicious and very healthy drink.
It turns out that even in such a simple matter as the fermentation of Kombucha, there are some nuances. And these little things can affect not only the final result, but also the taste of our super healthy drink.
I don't remember exactly how my grandma measured the right ingredients to infuse Kombucha, it all seemed so natural and uncomplicated to her.
I, as many of you already guess, believe in accurate measurements ... Namely, in glasses and spoons :) And believe me, it works flawlessly.
Therefore, if you do not know how to properly infuse Kombucha or you have already tried and not really satisfied with the end result - keep reading, because I will tell you how to make the most delicious and of course the most healthy drink from Kombucha without mistakes!
How to grow Kombucha?
I have already listed you on which I believe that every home must have Kombucha and how. Now I want to devote a whole post to how to properly insist it.
All that is required to ferment this unique and mega-healthy drink is tea and sugar.
Tea
The most favorite tea for Kombucha was and remains the usual black. Preferably natural, organic. And of course without any additives and odors. Also, you can add any other types of tea at your discretion to the black tea mixture, but again, without chemical additives and odors. But black tea should ALWAYS make up the bulk of your tea leaves. As far as I know, prolonged insistence on any other tea ends with the death of the fungus. I use Indian black tea for Kombucha.
Sugar
I have already mentioned that in my house I keep sugar only for the fermentation of this drink, and also for homemade sauerkraut. Sugar should be plain white, again preferably organic. I do not recommend using brown sugar, because Kombucha does not like it. Just like honey, maple syrup, and any other sweetener you can think of.
The Secret to Successful Kombucha Fermentation
It's not even a secret, it's proportions. And time. It is thanks to these 2 factors that my Kombucha always turns out with a bang and pleases me with its unforgettable aroma, taste and bubbles.
You will need:
- Kombucha - 1 or more
- Glass jar for 5 liters - 1
- Black tea - 2 tablespoons
- Sugar - 1 cup
- Filtered hot boiled water for brewing tea - 14 cups
- Liquid from the previous Kombucha - 2 cups or if you do not have it, see " Note"
Infusion method:
Note:
- If you are brewing Kombucha for the first time and you do not have the liquid from the previous time (maybe it was given to you without liquid) or it is not enough, then you will need to replace it with vinegar: white or apple, in the same proportions. Vinegar is very similar to natural Kombucha medium. I used when I got my tiny Kombucha which literally floated in a tablespoon of liquid, which of course wasn't enough.
- Do not disturb or move the Kombucha while it is steeping - this may interfere with the growth of the new mushroom and the fermentation process.
- Do not use metal objects (spoons, etc.) with kombucha - this is detrimental to the fungus and its beneficial bacteria.
- After each fermentation, you will have to grow another mushroom, which you can save and use along with the previous ones for the next fermentation.
- The longer you ferment the drink, the more acetic it will turn out. I have already found out for myself that 5-7 days is the ideal time to infuse a drink to my taste.
How to Brew Kombucha for the First Time
Most likely, when you brew Kombucha for the first time, you will have a small, as I call them fungal "baby".
I bought mine on Ebay and it came to me the size of half the palm of my hand. Of course, it is foolish to put such a crumb in a large jar and hope that a huge mushroom will immediately grow out of it and a delicious drink will turn out.
It is necessary to grow the mushroom to the desired size gradually. I first fermented a liter jar with my baby.
After that, I did not drink this solution, but put half into the liquid, which must be added to the next fermentation. And after I had a second, not so small "baby", I put them in my big 5-liter jar, fermented and started drinking as usual.
Proportions for brewing
Below I will give you the ideal proportions for brewing Kombucha, which I took from a professional site dedicated to live cultures.
Remember to make sure to leave extra space in the fermentation jar, and not completely fill it with water so that there is not even room for a new mushroom.
- per 1 liter - 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of tea + 1/4 cup sugar + 3 cups water + 1/2 cup Kombucha
- for 4 liters - 2 tablespoons of tea + 1 cup of sugar + 14 cups of water + 2 cups of Kombucha
I hope that this one will come in very handy for you and will allow you to ferment the most delicious and very healthy Kombucha in an easy and simple way!
Useful properties and uses of kombucha.
Almost every housewife used to have kombucha, but today it is not so common to find it. But it has many useful properties. What are these properties, and what is Kombucha used for, you will now find out.
What is kombucha, where does it come from, where to get it?
Kombucha is an amazing living creature. If you think about the question of what it is, then we can say with confidence that it cannot be attributed to either plants or animals.
By their nature, these are colonies of microscopic organisms that exist in friendly symbiosis. In appearance, they are a bit like a mushroom. In addition, they have a small but amazing feature. It consists in the fact that depending on the dishes chosen for the mushroom, it takes on the same shape.
And now let's talk with you about where he came to us from. No one can accurately name the place of its origin. But what is known for sure is that it was brought to Russia and neighboring countries at the beginning of the 20th century.
It is believed that it first originated in Ceylon, and later spread to countries such as China, Japan, and India. And only after that Kombucha came to Russia and Europe.
Many people want to have such a fungus in their jar, but do not know where to get it. Basically, there are not many options. You can either buy it or make it.
The benefits and harms of kombucha, what helps, medicinal properties and contraindications
Many people drink tea from kombucha, considering it a storehouse of nutrients. And some, on the contrary, believe that it can harm a person. Therefore, let's try to decide with you all the same what is more in it, beneficial or harmful effects on a person.
Let's start with the positives. Due to its composition, and these are vitamins and minerals, and acids, it can be used as a remedy for such health problems:
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
- constipation
- High pressure
- Atherosclerosis
- Cosmetic problems
But, like any product, it has its downsides. It is contraindicated in people suffering from:
- diabetes mellitus
- Diseases of a fungal nature
- If you are allergic to its components
- With high levels of stomach acid
Video: Kombucha: harm and benefit
How to grow kombucha from scratch at home?
If you want to get kombucha but don't know where to get it, you can simply grow it. This activity, although long, is quite easy. In order to grow a mushroom at home, you only need sugar, tea and vinegar.
So how do you grow it? It is necessary to take an ordinary three-liter jar and pour half a liter-liter of tea brewed in advance into it. It should be neither too strong nor too weak. After that comes the turn of sugar. You will need 4-5 tbsp per 1 liter of water.
After that, it will be necessary to put it in a place where direct sunlight will not fall on the jar. But it doesn't have to be a closet. No need to close the container with a lid, it will be enough to cover with gauze.
But there is a certain requirement for the temperature regime, it must be within 20-25°С, but not lower than 17°С. Otherwise, the mushroom may not grow.
Then it remains only to wait. Over time, you will be able to observe how a film forms on the tea infusion. She is the future mushroom. If it doesn't show up after a week, don't worry. The fungus can grow up to 2-3 months. How to see that the fungus is already strong, its thickness will be about 1 mm, and a pleasant, slightly sour smell will come from the jar.
In order to help it grow faster, you can use vinegar. You will need to pour 1/10 of the essence of the entire volume of liquid into the container.
Video: How to grow kombucha from scratch?
Which side to put kombucha in a jar?
If your mushroom has grown considerably, then you should carefully separate it and move it to another container with a previously prepared tea solution. If you are doing this for the first time, the question may arise which side to put the mushroom in the jar. One side is smoother and lighter. And the second with bulges and processes, it is also darker. Sides with shoots and a darker side and you need to put the mushroom.
How much sugar do you need for kombucha?
To prepare tea leaves for kombucha, boiled water with sugar must be dissolved in a separate bowl. It is impossible for sugar or pieces of tea leaves to fall on the rowing body.
For 1 liter of liquid, 4-5 tablespoons of granulated sugar are required. If you have more water, then increase the amount of sugar accordingly based on the indicated proportions.
How to infuse kombucha, season, feed, rinse?
Kombucha requires careful care. The poem needs to be washed every two to three weeks in the summer. In winter, this procedure can be done once a month. You can rinse with boiled water, running or purified.
Kombucha: how to brew for 3 liters, is it possible to fill it with green tea?
To prepare tea leaves for a mushroom for 3 liters, you need one and a half glasses of sugar. The brew should not be too strong, but not weak either. For brewing, as already mentioned, we use only boiled water. You can take both black and green tea, the main thing is that it be of high quality, large-leaf.
Kombucha for weight loss: how to make a drink, reviews
Chinese mushroom is very useful for fighting various problems of the body. Kombucha infusion promotes weight loss. After all, it helps to cope with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and remove toxins from the body.
To prepare an infusion that will help to remove extra pounds, the recipe is the most common. Need sugar, tea leaves and mushroom. The secret that it helps is in the reception. It is necessary to take 6 glasses per day, but the drink must be infused for at least two weeks.
Drink a glass of drink 1 hour before a meal and repeat the intake 2 hours after a meal. You need to drink it according to this schedule for a month, and then take a break for a week.
After that, you can resume the reception. The course of the use of tea infusion of the fungus - 3 months. Reviews of such a product are extremely positive, since almost all people have noted only a positive effect from the use of kombucha.
Is it possible to drink kombucha during pregnancy, breastfeeding, children?
Kombucha is very useful, so it can be drunk both during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. It will not harm either the expectant mother or the baby, and even, on the contrary, will strengthen the immune system. But it is advisable to give this drink to young children only when they reach 6 months of age.
Kombucha for hair: recipe
Kombucha is a natural healer that is used to treat hair. To prepare the decoction, you will need natural tea, you can add other useful herbs, pour boiled water and add sugar.
For 1 liter you will need 5 tablespoons of sugar. When the liquid has cooled, you should put the mushroom there and let it stand for a week. After the expiration of this period, you can apply this infusion.
In order to make a healthy decoction, you need 1 cup of aged extract mixed with 2 cups of water. Next, add different herbs as desired and put on fire.
To prepare it, you will need a third of a glass of monthly infusion. You will need to add 1 tablespoon of natural honey to it. There we also add essential oils of lavender, sage (8 drops each) and rub the resulting mass into the scalp and hair. After that, you need to walk with it for an hour, then wash it off.
Kombucha in cosmetology for facial skin: mask
Due to its composition, the Japanese mushroom is used in cosmetology. If you have dry or oily skin you are suffering from acne, then you can use kombucha in the form of masks, lotions.
It will have a very beneficial effect on the skin of the face if you wash your face with infusion of the mushroom, especially after using soap. In addition, the masks from this drink will have an amazing effect.
For cleansing mask You will need 150 g of cottage cheese, rubbed through a sieve, 3 tablespoons of kombucha and cosmetic clay. Having brought the mass to homogeneity, you need to apply it on the face and wait until it hardens a little, after which it can be washed off. The effect will be amazing.
Kombucha: acidifies or alkalizes the body?
Many are interested in the question of the effect of the fungus on the body, whether it acidifies or alkalizes it. We will not delay and immediately answer this question. Many studies have shown that kombucha acidifies human organism.
Is it possible to drink kombucha with gastritis with high acidity?
Since kombucha contains acids, it contraindicated in gastritis with high acidity. Therefore, in order not to provoke an exacerbation of the disease, it is better not to take this drink.
Kombucha for nail fungus
A lot of men and women, for a number of different reasons, suffer from such a nasty and rather unpleasant ailment as nail fungus. But you can get rid of it by using a Japanese mushroom drink. To do this, boil it, moisten the cloth and, after cooling, apply to the affected nails.
This operation should be carried out until the nails become soft, after which they can be removed with scissors.
According to the reviews of the subjects, positive results become noticeable already 2 weeks after consuming kombucha.
Is it possible to drink kombucha with diabetes?
We all know that there are several types of diabetes. This is a terrible disease that requires constant monitoring and proper, special nutrition. In some types of diabetes, drinking kombucha is allowed, and in some it is strictly contraindicated. But about whether it is possible to drink it with diabetes, in each individual case, you need to consult a doctor.
Is it possible to drink kombucha with pancreatitis?
Pancreatitis is a fairly serious disease. Many people therefore wonder if it is possible to drink an infusion of kombucha with this disease. But in this case, it all depends on the phase of the disease.
During the period remissions you can drink the infusion, while, during an exacerbation or in acute phase is strictly prohibited. But even during the period of remission, you do not need to drink more than half a liter a day.
Is it possible to drink kombucha with oncology?
Experts say that taking kombucha will useful in cancer. After all, it has a beneficial effect on the body, helps to increase immunity, the body's resistance to pathogenic cells, and also has a cleansing effect. In addition, there is also an opinion that this drink prevents the formation of cancer cells and can even prevent the development of the disease in the early stages.
Properties of kombucha for liver disease
With liver disease, you can take kombucha and this will have a positive effect, thanks to those cleansing properties that help strengthen the immune system and get rid of toxins and everything that clogs the body. But before you start taking the drink, be sure to consult your doctor.
Kombucha for kidney stones
Due to the many beneficial properties that kombucha has, it should be used for various kinds of diseases. With kidney stones, it can be used as a therapeutic adjunct. The intake of this drink helps to get rid of such an ailment. And all thanks to its rich composition of useful elements.
What happens if you swallow kombucha, can it grow in the stomach?
We hasten to reassure you, if by chance for some reason it turned out that you swallowed a piece of mushroom, then it will not grow in the stomach. But still, you should not experiment and try what it tastes like.
How to divide, how to propagate kombucha?
Quite often, housewives manage to grow a tea jellyfish, but they do not know how to propagate it. There are 3 main methods. All of them are quite simple:
- The point of the first method is to separate the layer from the fungus. This must be done carefully so as not to injure the body of the tea jellyfish.
- The essence of the second method is insistence. To do this, you need to leave Kombucha alone for several weeks and after this time you will see a film of a transparent color, which needs to be transplanted into another container.
- And the third way is mushroom rebirth. To do this, you need not to get it out of the jar for a long time and then it will fall. After that, you can see how a thin film has separated from the old mushroom. This is the new tea jellyfish. You can just throw away the old one.
Video: Reproduction and maintenance of kombucha
How to save kombucha while on vacation?
If it so happens that you have to leave home for a long time - on vacation, for example, and you want to save kombucha with all your might, then you can place it into the refrigerator. He will not function, because there will be an unfavorable environment for him, but in this case he will not die. And upon your return, provide normal conditions and it will again begin to grow and multiply.
Can you drink kombucha while driving?
A drink with kombucha is very difficult to call an alcoholic drink, but still it has a small percentage of alcohol, about 3%. So, if you have to go somewhere, it is better not to drink this drink before the trip.
Can kombucha be stored in the refrigerator?
Kombucha can be stored in the refrigerator only if you need to stop its functioning for a while. After all in the refrigerator due to a sufficiently low temperature, it will stop all its vital activity. And it will resume it only after it is placed in a favorable environment.
Kombucha diseases and their treatment
In case of poor care of kombucha, the development of various diseases can be provoked. For example, often it can be damaged by various kinds of cuts, punctures, if it is incorrect and not carefully to change the tea leaves of the fungus.
If the kombucha turned brown, then this may indicate that in the process of replacing the tea infusion, tea leaves or grains of sugar got on the body of the fungus, which did not have time to dissolve. The damaged layer, in this case, must be removed.
In addition, if the norms of its content are violated - the wrong temperature, direct sunlight, then seaweed. In such a situation, the mushroom must be washed under running water and the jar will also need to be washed.
What else can bother the tea jellyfish is mold. It can appear if the environment in which the fungus lives is not acidic enough. And its peculiarity is that the mold affects only the side that enters into interaction with air.
If possible, it is advisable to simply change the mushroom. Well, or you can try to save him. To do this, it is necessary to rinse the mushroom body under running water, and also treat it with a solution of vinegar that has been boiled. The container in which the mushroom was stored also needs to be processed.
Why doesn't kombucha float up and sink?
Sometimes it happens that when you separate the kombucha, wash it, or just don't like it, it can sink. The reason he lies at the bottom of the jar is that he sick. If you know that you have recently changed tea leaves or propagated it, then give it a little time, it will move away and pop up.
There are worms in kombucha, what should I do?
If one fine day you see that worms have appeared on the surface of the fungus, this indicates that fruit flies managed to lay eggs on it and these are their larvae. In this case, you can't do anything.
The use of such a mushroom is strictly prohibited. In general, so that this does not happen, carefully close the jar with gauze so that neither flies nor midges have access to the fungus. This is especially true in the summer season.
White coating on kombucha, kombucha covered with mold: what to do?
If you see a white fluffy coating on the surface of the fungus, this is mold. It occurs, in principle, quite rarely. But still, there are such cases. Therefore, you need to thoroughly wash the tea jellyfish and, if you need to rid the fungus of this scourge, running water and boiled vinegar will help you.
How do you know if kombucha has gone bad?
Well, if you do not have any problems with the maintenance and care of kombucha. But there are times when it gets corrupted. How to understand this?
If your kombucha lies at the bottom of the jar, then it can get sick and in this case it must be saved, otherwise it will die. If you transplanted him into a new solution, then for the first days he may be at the bottom, because he experienced stress, but if after a week he is still there, then something is wrong with him.
If kombucha is at the bottom, it means that it is sick or spoiled In addition, in the event of infection with fly larvae, it is already completely spoiled. Therefore, in any case, you need to carefully monitor his behavior and his environment.
Kombucha dies: how to cure if it gets sick?
If you see that something is wrong with your wonderful mushroom, this may mean that he is sick. In this case, it is necessary to take measures and in any way try to cure it. For this rinse it under running water, clean the container in which it lives and provide favorable conditions for its development.
Kombucha is a natural healer: myths and reality
Kombucha Natural Healer: Myths and Reality is an interesting book by Ivan Neumyvakin. In it, he tried to describe everything he knows about this mushroom. Therefore, if anyone is interested in learning new, previously unknown facts about this miracle of nature, be sure to read this book.
Neumyvakin about kombucha
Neumyvakin I.P. created an amazing book in which he describes not only the beneficial properties of sea kvass, but also talks about its history and presents many interesting, and most importantly, useful recipes with it, which will help in the cure and prevention of many diseases.
We hope this article was useful to you and you were able to learn a lot of interesting things about such an amazing organism as kombucha.
Video: The healing properties of kombucha
