Does kombucha need light? Amazing healing properties

Kombucha: why is it needed and how to care for it. Photo from the site: liveinternet.ru

Many, for sure, have heard about kombucha, and some can’t imagine life without it and constantly grow it at home. In the language of biology, this fungus is nothing more than a complex community of many organisms woven together - yeast fungi and acetic acid bacteria.

In kombucha, they also found bacteria that are similar in properties to the strongest modern antibiotics. It is indeed a useful thing and very tasty. It looks, of course, unappetizing, but it is not necessary to look at it, it must be used for its intended purpose, that is, to drink.

By the way, we will immediately make a reservation - the drink will very quickly “master” the food you have recently taken, and you will instantly feel hungry if you drink it immediately after eating. Therefore, you need to use it 2.5-3 hours after a good dinner or at night, after a hearty dinner. Kombucha perfectly speeds up the metabolism and will be especially useful for those who have long and unsuccessfully tried to fight excess weight.

If you decide to settle this useful organism at home, then you need to know everything - how to care for, multiply and protect it so that it lives longer.

Amazing healing properties

Kombucha is a true natural "healer" with completely unique properties. It is recommended by doctors for diseases of the stomach, pancreas, intestines, kidneys and liver. It is used in the treatment of most colds, reduces high cholesterol in the body. The infusion is successfully used for hypertension and sclerosis. Perfectly tones and improves brain function.

It contains a huge amount of vitamins, complex enzymes, glucosides and tannins. It has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, is effective for the prevention of atherosclerosis, polyarthritis, rheumatic heart disease and other joint diseases. At night, you can drink half a glass of the drink to improve sleep and as a sedative.

However, those who suffer from low blood pressure should take the infusion with caution. With stomach ulcers and high acidity, you should also not abuse this drink, and you should first consult a doctor.

How to care for kombucha? It is quite easy to care for, you just need to take a few simple rules into account. The most important thing is to remember that this is a living organism, it needs food, good water, air and light. Usually Kombucha is placed in a two- or three-liter jar. Do not forget to first wash the container well and, preferably, without the use of dishwashing detergents.

Solution preparation

To do this, you can use fresh tea leaves, you can use yesterday's tea, it is important that it is not from sachets. Some make an infusion on a weak solution of coffee and green tea, this is already a matter of taste. The solution should be colored, but not strong. Try to make the solution clean, without impurities and tea leaves, they can injure the fungus.

• In a three-liter jar, pour a warm solution of about two-thirds of the capacity, the fungus needs to swim and breathe freely.
• Add sugar (not a sweetener!) 2-3 tablespoons to about 1 liter of water.
• Be sure to stir thoroughly so that all the grains are dissolved. The moment is very important, the remaining particles of sugar can greatly harm the fungus and it will get sick.
• Give the solution time to cool to room temperature.
• And now our hero, Kombucha, appears on the stage. Gently and gently put it in a jar and put sterile gauze on top, folded in several layers. Never close the jar tightly with a lid, do you remember that the mushroom needs to breathe? Now it remains to wait and make sure that the temperature around the new home of Kombucha does not fall below 18 degrees. Otherwise, at a low temperature, it will “freeze” and the fermentation process will stop. It is better to keep the jar in a semi-dark and warm place, away from direct sunlight. In the hot sun, the fungus can simply die or, at least, stop its useful activity.

In a week you will be able to taste a very tasty and tonic drink, extremely similar to kvass. It is advisable to drink chilled and filtered so that pieces of the mushroom do not get into the drink.

Kombucha needs attention and care

But that's not all, kombucha needs care. Just putting it in a jar and draining the healthy liquid from time to time is not enough, it needs to be supervised. How should you care for kombucha?

A healthy mushroom lies quietly in a tea solution and is doing its job with might and main - it processes sugar into a sweet and sour, healthy drink. If the mushroom sank to the bottom, then something is wrong with it.

Periodically, the mushroom should be washed well under cool, clean water. In winter, it is enough to do it once a month, and in summer more often - once a week. Sometimes the upper film of the fungus darkens noticeably, this is not a good sign and it can mean that the fungus does not have enough nutrition, and it poisons itself.

The liquid turns into acetic acid and begins to corrode the kombucha itself. A wonderful dense mushroom quickly turns into a sieve with corroded holes and soon dies. To prevent this from happening, periodically drain the finished drink (about once a week or more often), filtering through several layers of cheesecloth, and add fresh solution.

You don’t need to pour out all the liquid at once, leave about a liter of solution and just add fresh. Remember to remove the mushroom from the jar and rinse it very carefully. Do not direct a strong jet from the tap at it, as this can seriously damage it.

How to propagate kombucha?

Do not even think about pinching off pieces from the mushroom, otherwise you can completely destroy it. Carefully peel off the top skin of the mushroom and transfer it to a clean jar of warm water. Nothing needs to be added to the water, this is done later. A young mushroom is placed in a sweet tea solution when it gets a little stronger. To do this, he will need at least a day of "quarantine" in a warm and dark place. When a thin film begins to exfoliate and rise to the surface, the mushroom can be carefully transplanted into its usual tea sweet environment. In just a few days, it will noticeably grow. Colonies of beneficial bacteria will quickly begin to appear on the surface.

Watch the video: how to divide a mushroom

The active life of kombucha is not so long, so it is better to acquire “young growth” from time to time.

Application of infusion

You need to drink this drink an hour and a half after each solid meal, 300-500 ml. Serve cool and well strained. Drink one glass in the morning on an empty stomach, and then take half a glass of the drink before meals, 3-4 times a day. You can choose your own individual mode, taking into account these recommendations. However, after two months it is worth taking a break for three weeks, so as not to unnecessarily irritate the stomach.

Caring for kombucha at home is not too complicated, as it might seem at first glance. A little effort - and every day on your table a very tasty, healthy drink that will protect your body, give it fresh strength, vivacity and good mood.

Europeans learned about the miraculous power of kombucha a little less than a century ago. Since then, it has spread across almost the entire continent. Kombucha is also very popular in our country. And not without reason. The fact is that the mushroom has unique healing properties that allow it to be used for the treatment and prevention of many diseases. It is also very important that the medusa mycete (namely, that is how it is scientifically called because of its external resemblance to a jellyfish) is picky about its habitat. Therefore, the care of kombucha does not require any special conditions and it can be easily grown at home. However, for this, some nuances still need to be known.

In China and Japan, sometimes family members gave girls kombucha as a wedding gift. . It was preserved throughout life and passed on from generation to generation. So your first kombucha may be the only one left. If you do not know where to get it, ask your friends or search the Internet where you can buy kombucha in your city.

What to feed kombucha?

First of all, kombucha needs a liquid nutrient solution. Although the medusomycete will be able to do without it for some time, it is precisely for the sake of this solution, or rather, for the sake of the “magic” healing drink that it will soon turn into, that we have acquired this curiosity. Therefore, without wasting time, we prepare the solution. To do this, boil the required amount of water, dissolve ten grams of tea leaves and sugar in it in the ratio of half a glass per liter. Let the water cool to room temperature and then filter. Thus, we get rid of excess salts and provide the nutrient solution with the necessary softness. Sugar is necessary for fermentation, during which ethyl alcohol is formed, which, in turn, turns into acetic acid. The fact is that the chemical reactions of fermentation and acetylation (transition to acetic acid) are provided by yeast fungi and acetic acid bacteria, the colonies of which are the very miracle that we know as Kombucha.

Having prepared the nutrient solution and cooled it, we pour the liquid into the container in which the medusomycete is already waiting. A clean three-liter glass jar is suitable for this. The container may be larger, but it must be glass so that our fungus receives enough light for its life. Please note that we do not pour boiling water directly into the kombucha jar. Thus, we simply “cook” him alive. For the same reason, we do not throw sugar into this jar, since sugar grains burn the delicate “skin” of the mushroom and can even lead to its death. By the way, sugar can be successfully replaced with any other sweetener, such as honey. However, it must still be dissolved in a separate container! Stick to the dosage of tea as well, since a high concentration of tannin inhibits the growth of the fungus, and a low concentration leads to a lack of vitamin C in the solution, which affects both the taste of the future drink and the life of the jellyfish.

Of course, you noticed that kombucha floats in its solution. However, it becomes floating only when the production process for making a healthy drink is already in full swing. Therefore, as soon as you carefully fill it with freshly prepared liquid, at first the mushroom will remain at the bottom. Don't let this scare you: the ascent will occur in the next few days, when a sufficient amount of carbon dioxide accumulates in the solution, making the drink similar to carbonated water, or rather, to kvass.

Keeping Kombucha Healthy

Kombucha can live for a very long time if given the right conditions.

What to avoid:

How to care for kombucha

As you will see, kombucha renews itself very quickly, growing new layers. When it reaches a total thickness of 5-6 cm, you can remove the top few layers and give them away or use them yourself, and remove the bottom few and throw them away.

Before touching kombucha, make sure you remove your rings and that all utensils and your hands are spotlessly clean. Otherwise, you will infect the kombucha and spoil the infusion.

Kombucha should receive enough light, but direct sunlight is contraindicated for it. The average temperature in which the mushroom should be located ranges from seventeen to twenty-five degrees. In warmer conditions, the fungus can turn sour, and at lower temperatures, blue-green algal microorganisms will start in the jar. In addition to light, medusomyces must be provided with sufficient air access. Therefore, the jar cannot be closed with a lid. The neck of the jar is only tied with gauze folded in several layers to avoid dust.

The nutrient solution should be changed weekly in winter and twice a week in summer. Otherwise, the fungus will be covered with brownish spots, which is fraught with the most serious consequences for it, up to death. When changing the liquid, be sure to rinse it with clean boiled (again cooled down!) Water.

When the kombucha reaches a sufficient size, separate the bottom layer. From it, you can then grow a new mushroom.

Hygiene in the preparation of kombucha infusion

The preparation of kombucha infusion requires little time, simple tools and good hygiene. If you take good care of your kombucha, it can serve you for years to come. This amazing culture was also used in earlier times, when sanitary conditions were much worse. Kombucha has the ability to protect itself, and under adverse conditions, it can "fall asleep" in order to survive.

Making kombucha infusion at home will help you always have a healthy tonic drink on hand. With it, you can take your health into your own hands.

The process of preparing the infusion is quite simple, let's talk about hygiene. Sweet tea is a breeding ground for a wide variety of bacteria and molds. Therefore, you should try to keep the workplace clean to reduce the risk of infection. Be sure to wipe the table on which you are going to make the infusion. The dishes must also be clean, otherwise infection is possible, and the infusion itself will be hazardous to health. If kombucha becomes infected, it should be discarded and a new one used. Never use an infected mushroom.

Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching the mushroom. Better yet, use wooden or plastic utensils or rubber gloves.

Kombucha is able to fight foreign microorganisms, but it is better not to test this ability and ensure cleanliness during the process.

As an added safety measure, you can wipe the kombucha container with organic white vinegar and let it dry upside down.

Be sure to cover the container with a cloth that is thick enough to prevent insects from getting through. This is protection against mold and foreign objects.

Another way to take care of kombucha is to add a couple of cups of old kombucha when you prepare a new batch of infusion - this will make the mixture more acidic, which contributes to rapid fermentation and prevents the development of foreign microorganisms. If there is no old infusion left, you can simply add a little organic white vinegar.

The use of kombucha

After 7-10 days of fermentation, tea fungus infusion you can drink. Strain the drink and bottle, reserving just one glass to add to the next serving.

You can bottle the infusion and store it in the refrigerator. If this is not done, fermentation will continue, however, the infusion ferments in the refrigerator, but much more slowly.

Keep in mind that even the smallest pieces of kombucha will continue to grow, so you may need to strain the drink again before drinking.

If you have extra kombucha, you don't have to throw it away. It can be used as a fertilizer for house and garden plants - for this you need to cut it into small pieces and bury it shallowly.

Kombucha can also be used as a poultice for burns or cuts - for this you need to cut off small pieces and bandage. Kombucha has antiseptic properties.

If you follow all these simple rules for caring for a jellyfish, it will serve you for quite a long time.

More recently, when visiting friends, one could often see a large jar on the windowsill covered with gauze with kombucha floating in it.

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Such a mushroom lived in sweetened tea and took the necessary nutrients from it. The liquid obtained as a result of the vital activity of the fungus turned out to be not only useful, but also tasty. A "mushroom" drink can greatly help endure the heat, as it perfectly quenches thirst.

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Versions of the origin of kombucha

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In general, this is one of the very ancient organisms known from time immemorial. The first mention of it was made in Manchuria and dates back to 220 BC. e.

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Ceylon is considered the birthplace of kombucha, from where it spread to India, and then moved to China.. Already from the Middle Kingdom kombucha or zooglea appeared in Manchuria and Eastern Siberia. The oriental origin of kombucha is also evidenced by its other name - kombucha. Scientifically it is called jellyfish(Medusomyces gisevi) for their resemblance to jellyfish.

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However, not all researchers share this version of the origin and distribution of kombucha. Some are sure that as such it originated in Tibet. Others indicate that its properties were known even the ancient Greeks. It is now unlikely that it will be possible to establish the real history of this medicinal mushroom.

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In Russia, it has been studied since the end of the 19th century. Then it was established that this, in fact, was not a mushroom at all, but a symbiosis of acetic acid bacteria and several types of yeast. Scientists have found out both the composition of zooglea and its healing properties.

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From tea, the fungus takes the substances necessary for growth, while simultaneously releasing waste products into the liquid.. Thus, the liquid is filled with organic acids, enzymes, vitamin C and B vitamins. This is how the beneficial properties of this drink are acquired.

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What does kombucha cure?

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It depends on the intestinal microflora how successfully the body can cope with negative factors, including those that cause disease and aging. The poisoning of the systems working in our body is manifested in bad breath, constant headaches, digestive difficulties, rheumatic diseases, and immune system disorders.

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eczema and cancer- seemingly so dissimilar ailments - arise due to weakened immunity, damage to healthy systems as a result of the negative influence of toxins. Kombucha contains acids necessary for the body and flushes out microbes that lead to these terrible consequences. It is very important that at the same time it is quite natural:

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• - Kombucha improves digestion
• - Has antibiotic properties
• - Its tincture is recommended to rinse the mouth for the treatment of ulcerative stomatitis
• - Daily use of tea kvass half a cup 3 times a day for a cycle of 2-3 weeks improves the well-being of people suffering from sclerotic forms of hypertension, lowers blood pressure
• - Reduces and relieves headaches
• - Recommended for the elderly to improve well-being, especially those suffering from atherosclerosis
• - Useful for a number of intestinal diseases, constipation. It is especially useful for people leading a sedentary lifestyle.
• - Has an antimicrobial antibiotic effect. The strength of this property depends on the accumulation of a special antibiotic jellyfish, resistant to acids and heat, non-poisonous
• - Used to treat some forms of angina
• - Used for conjunctivitis, pustular skin lesions and as a bactericidal agent
• - Kombucha helps in the treatment of the liver and gallbladder
• - It is used to treat tonsillitis and tonsillitis
• - Useful for treating eye infections
• - Used together with other drugs in the treatment of scarlet fever, diphtheria, typhoid fever, influenza, acute respiratory infections, diseases of the ear, throat and nose
• - Infusion of the fungus slows down and alleviates the course of tuberculosis
• - Strengthens the central nervous system
• - Lowers blood pressure in hypertensive patients

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The antibacterial effect of kombucha is manifested in the treatment of the nasopharynx and oral cavity.

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To enhance the action, the solution is slightly heated. This should be done in enameled dishes (not in aluminum and not in galvanized!), And even better - in clay or glass.

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There are examples when an infusion of kombucha prepared in this way was used in the treatment of angina for daily rinsing. In such cases, water is added to the infusion in a ratio of 1:10. The nasal mucosa is washed with the same solution. In addition, mushroom kvass is drunk 2-3 glasses a day.

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With stomatitis rinse your mouth every half an hour.

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For the prevention of ARI also drink 3 glasses every day.

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With inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye or barley infusion of kombucha, diluted in a ratio of 1: 20, instilled 2-3 drops several times a day.

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Relieving cold symptoms they also use gauze swabs soaked in such a solution of kombucha. They are changed every half an hour.

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Alcoholic tincture is also very useful. prepared with concentrated kombucha. To do this, you need to take the longest stored (maybe for a month) infusion and add vodka to it in a ratio of 1: 4. Then infuse the drink for 2 weeks, strain, and then store in a dark, cold place. Drink this tincture 1 teaspoon 3 times a day as a prophylactic to eliminate the symptoms of a cold.

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Kombucha is used to make excellent homemade vinegar.

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To do this, the mushroom is poured with boiled water, tea leaves and sugar syrup and kept for 3 weeks. Do not forget to wash the mushroom periodically. Then the infusion is poured into a saucepan, boiled for about 40 minutes, filtered through cheesecloth and citric acid is added. You will receive a tool that you can used not only for cooking, but also for cosmetic purposes.

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The use of kombucha in cosmetic skin care

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It can be used to make a wonderful lotion for the care of porous oily skin, cleansing from acne and pustular lesions.

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To do this, pour a weekly solution of the fungus, soak a cotton swab in it and wipe your face with it along the lines of the skin. It is advisable to perform this procedure twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. You can add lavender flowers to the infusion of kombucha (a handful of flowers per glass of tea kvass) or lavender oil (in a volume similar to the volume of plants). Keep the lotion for three weeks in a cold place, then strain. Wash your face and take a bath by adding this solution to the water. Your skin condition will improve, and due to the antibacterial action of kombucha infusion, various rashes and redness should also go away, unless, of course, they are of an allergic nature.

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From the infusion of kombucha can be made toning mask for all skin types.

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They do it like that. First, clean your face and generously lubricate it with a natural-based cream. Then put gauze, abundantly moistened in a solution of kombucha and squeezed out so that the liquid does not drain, on your face. Lie down, rest for 20-30 minutes. Finishing the procedure, wash yourself with cool boiled water.

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Good cleanser serves as an infusion of kombucha, aged for a month.

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This is a kind of scrub and lotion at the same time, which can be used to wipe the whole body. First, wash your body well with soap, then rub yourself with infusion of the mushroom .. Lie down like this for about ten minutes, then wash everything off with clean water. After rubbing with infusion, you can do a massage, this will enhance its therapeutic and cosmetic effect.

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Not allowed to add bath infusion (a glass of kombucha infusion aged for at least 2-3 weeks).

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Stay in the water for 20-30 minutes.

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To kill bacteria from the skin

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You can wipe the armpits with gauze or cotton cloth moistened with infusion of kombucha. This is a very effective remedy for the unpleasant smell of sweat, preserving the skin's natural acidic environment.

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Cleanse the skin it is possible in another way.

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Wipe your face with cosmetic milk, rinse with warm water. Then soak a linen cloth well in the 2-week kombucha infusion, wring it out, place it on your face and cover it with a warm towel. Lie like this for ten minutes. After that, remove the napkin, wash your face with warm water and massage the skin vigorously.

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Kombucha infusion is also used for the treatment of the scalp.

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Rinse your hair with kombucha infusion after every hair wash, and they will become shiny. For oily hair, use a combination of a mushroom infusion with an infusion of nettle leaves. Dried nettle leaves brew at the rate of 2 tbsp. tablespoons in a glass of water, mix the resulting solution with mushroom kvass in a ratio of 1: 1. After washing your hair, moisten the Skin with this infusion and massage it along the hairline. There is no need to rinse your hair with water afterwards. If it is unpleasant for you to leave the infusion unwashed, rinse them, but not earlier than after half an hour.

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For oily hair you can prepare another infusion: take 1 teaspoon of sage, rosemary, thyme and horsetail, brew half a glass of boiling water and mix with half a glass of infusion.

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For brittle hair nettle leaves, chamomile and mushroom infusion are used, taken in the same proportion.

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For that to make your hair thicker, try to take care of them with mushroom kvass with the addition of dry burdock grass (2 tablespoons per half glass).

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Helps infusion of kombucha and dandruff. Rub it into the skin after washing your hair, hold for 20 minutes, and then rinse.

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Similarly, you can wipe your hands, torso, nails with infusion of kombucha. This helps to improve their appearance and your overall well-being.

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How to drink kombucha

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The taste of the resulting drink should be sweet and sour, refreshing. In no case is it sharp, neither with a pronounced alcoholic taste, nor tart. Otherwise, you either overdid it with sugar, or, conversely, put it in less than necessary. Maybe the brew was too strong or too weak. In addition, the taste of the drink depends on the duration of the mushroom in it.

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As incoming substances interact with food in your stomach, do not drink mushroom kvass immediately before a meal, during it or immediately after it, so that no mixing with food occurs. It is believed that after a hearty meal, if you ate fish, meat or poultry, two to three hours should pass, and after eating vegetables or fruits - 1-2 hours. But if you overeat, then to eliminate heaviness in the stomach, drink half a glass of kombucha infusion.

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You can drink tea kvass in the morning and in the evening - twice a day. Morning reception performs a stimulating function, evening - soothing, normalizing sleep.

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Before drinking normal mushroom kvass, it should be filtered, pouring through gauze folded in four layers. The most delicious is a drink aged for a week. Pour the drink into jars (or bottles), store them in a cool place. It tastes better when chilled.

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Although for medicinal purposes, it is worth using only black tea, to meet special taste needs or in individual cases, another type of tea is also suitable. For example, green tea contains more vitamins and caffeine, such a drink will be a real tonic. They can even rinse your mouth after eating, as it has a strong antibacterial effect.

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You can add tea with bergamot or herbs to infuse the drink.- especially mint and oregano. This has a calming effect on the nervous system. Sometimes honey is put instead of sugar, as a result, you will enrich the resulting drink with additional trace elements, and the taste will be close to the type of honey that you use.

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So, infusion of kombucha improves digestion, treats arthritis, has antibacterial properties, helps lower blood pressure, stimulates the immune system. In addition, being healthy and tasty at the same time, it diversifies the traditional and sometimes stingy set of drinks in your diet.

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Traditional medicine also advises using it with hemorrhoids, tuberculosis, furunculosis and edema . It is also used as an excellent general tonic, as well as for cosmetic purposes . Washing with infusion of kombucha helps to improve the elasticity of the skin and give it freshness. For dry skin, it is advised to use a five-seven-day infusion of the fungus, and for oily skin, a ten-day one.

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Where to get medicinal mushroom

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There are several ways to get it.

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• 1. It will take two tablespoons of tea leaves to pour one and a half liters of sweetened boiling water. After that, the jar needs to be placed at home in a place where direct sunlight does not penetrate. After about a week and a half, a small fungus will appear in the liquid, which must be carefully washed and transplanted into a jar of warm sweet tea.
• 2. Also, the mushroom can be purchased on special sites that sell them.
• 3. If you took a mushroom, for example, from friends, then you need to separate the layered film from the main mass, then transfer it to another clean jar and fill it with warm water. Do not pinch off pieces of the mushroom, as this method will only injure it. A jar of mushrooms should be kept overnight in an apartment at room temperature.

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How to grow kombucha:

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• It is not necessary to feed him right away, he must first take root in new conditions for him.
• Do not cover the jar with a lid, but only with clean gauze.
• If everything was done correctly, then the layered film should settle to the bottom of the can.
• After a day, you need to pour out the water and pour the mushroom with a pre-prepared solution. To do this, add tea leaves to boiled water, then dilute the liquid until it turns light yellow, then add three tablespoons of sugar. This recipe is for a three liter jar.
• After a couple of days, a colorless film should appear on the surface, which is barely noticeable at first, and then begins to grow.
• After a few weeks, the film thickness will increase to 10-12 millimeters. The infusion should remain transparent throughout the entire process of cultivating the fungus, while the film should exfoliate. Over time, its lower layer will darken and become brown-brown.

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A week after the start of growing the mushroom, the drink can be considered ready.

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How to care for kombucha

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You need to pour it through cheesecloth. Important regularly feed the mushroom, do it at least once every two to three days. The right drink should have a pleasant, somewhat sour taste and should not irritate the mucous membranes of the mouth. If you encounter a similar situation, simply dilute the liquid with boiled water in a ratio of 1: 2 or more if necessary.

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Once every two to three weeks, carefully remove the mushroom and rinse thoroughly in cool boiled water.. The jar also needs to be rinsed before returning the mushroom.

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Overgrown fungus can be peeled off, just do it carefully. The separated layer is washed and transferred to a new jar. After this, a new life of healing kombucha begins.

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Adherents of traditional medicine use different healing techniques. One of them is the production of kombucha (kombuhi, kombuti) - tea kvass. It is a complex of nutrient-producing microorganisms. Consider the methods and methods of growing kombucha at home.

The Latin name for the formation is Medusomyces gisevi. Consists of acetic acid bacteria and yeast in the form of gelatinous, multilayer plates. They float on the surface of the tea liquid and saturate it with substances (mainly carbohydrates, various types of sugars). If we add ethyl alcohol, yeast-like fungi, we get acetic acid.

The color of the substance is mainly fango - pinkish, smoky brown, dirty yellow. The hue depends on the conditions of microorganism care and the substrate. For example, in Japan they use algae - sea kale.

When mixed with other infusions, the medusa mycete will retain its original characteristics and will not absorb foreign components that have tannic or aromatic properties. Additional components allow you to get the desired chemical composition due to the fermentation of the fungus:

• after the introduction of honey, the medusa mycete produces malic, gluconic acids, choline, all kinds of alcohols;
• sweet black tea stimulates the production of caffeine, ethanol, vitamins C, D, PP, B, citric and lactic, carbonic and kojic acids.

The principle of fermentation is the production of alcohol by yeast when interacting with sugar. If, in addition to glucose, “feed” with various substances, it will be possible to prepare useful tinctures based on the resulting liquid. They have antibacterial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory properties. When taken correctly, the drink:

• relieve symptoms of colds, acute respiratory infections, flu, chronic ENT problems;
• cope with constipation, mild tuberculosis, dysentery;
• improve vision, memory, lower the concentration of cholesterol in the blood;
• normalizes metabolism, pressure, gastrointestinal tract, hair structure, skin;
• boosts immunity, energizes.

External use is recommended for people with warts, age spots and other neoplasms. On the basis of kvass, ointments are created, lotions are made, and not everyone can dry it for future use in order to use it in winter, without laboratory conditions.

How to grow at home

You will need large-leaf black tea or rose hips. The first option involves breeding microorganisms in a glass bottle or jar with a volume of 3 liters. If cleanliness is not taken care of, the medusa mycete will not grow, will get sick or die due to infection with pathogenic microbes. But sterilization is not required: rinse the container thoroughly under running water. It is good to use soda - it is washed off the remnants of detergent chemicals from the walls.

Cooking steps

Pour 5 tbsp into the brewing container. l. tea without a slide and pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. Insist until cool. Add 7 tbsp. l. granulated sugar, mix thoroughly, pass through gauze twice. Pour the solution into the prepared jar, cover with a breathable cloth. Put in heat at a temperature not lower than room temperature for 6-7 weeks. Watching the solution is not worth it, there is no need for care.

It is not difficult to determine how well fermentation is going: after 14 days of aging, the container spreads a vinegar smell. Then a film will begin to form on the surface of the liquid - the first layer of kombucha. Gradually, it will increase, and the medusomycete will grow.

Instructions for care and maintenance

If the cultivation and preparation of the medusomycete goes wrong, it is not washed, not fed - it will become moldy, deteriorate, turn into an unsightly mass and become useless. The drink will be similar to diluted vinegar. Pay attention to the following factors:

• fango thickness - about 1–3 cm;
• location - on the border of liquid and air;
• the volume of water does not change optimally;
• the presence of a substrate - strained tea leaves, sugar (per 1 liter - 2 tablespoons);
• accuracy - when top dressing, sugar does not touch the fungus, otherwise the integrity of the film will be broken, the microorganisms will get sick and die;
• cleanliness - monthly rinse the jar and jellyfish under running warm water.

Fango is propagated by gradually removing the top film. First, remove the formation from the jar, rinse. Move the carefully separated layer to another container with warm, clean water, cover with gauze or a thin cloth. It will grow safely on its own if it does not sink to the bottom - a sign of a medusa mycete disease. It is necessary to feed, add boiled water as needed, up to one level. It is better to put the container in a well-defined place.

When moving and changing the container, the layers do not deform, do not tear, do not bend - they are carefully placed on a flat surface. You can’t drag it sideways through the neck, you can’t fold it in half, the “cakes” will break. A full-fledged Japanese uterus can be born from a small piece with proper care and nutrition.

Diseases of the medusa mycete

Mechanical damage is visible to the naked eye. Places where sugar, excessively cold or hot water get on the “cake” are marked by the appearance of a brown coating. Then divide the fango and place it in the produced kvass for a short time so that the integrity, cracks and breaks of the thickets are restored. The quality of the medicinal drink will not suffer, since pathogenic reactions do not occur.

The solution becomes cloudy in the cold or in direct sunlight. Infection with blue-green algae occurs and kvass becomes unfit for consumption. Sometimes the layers become moldy or midges lay eggs on them if the container is poorly covered or the room is dirty. Fango gets sick and is thrown out.

Try to revive - rinse immediately, diligently and carefully separate the spoiled layers, remove pests. Process the jar at the same time. After that, the fungus emerges - the layers rise, lie near the surface and develop normally.

Preparation for use

If you properly care for the medusomycete, there are no special requirements for taking kvass. The only thing is to take it long before or after a meal, and also follow the dosage. Alcohols cause intoxication, although their concentration is low. A noticeably fermented drink or taken from a sick jellyfish is not suitable for the treatment or prevention of diseases. This is determined by an unpleasant odor.

Rules for storage and transportation

Fango grows without interruption. In the absence of observation, the "cakes" will gradually fill the entire jar. Peel and move to other containers in time, fill with clean water or decoctions of medicinal herbs: nettle, green tea, linden flowers, birch leaves, blackberries, plantain. Kvass will be more nutritious and healthier. But you can not use plants with essential oils: sage, currant, chamomile. The composition of the liquid will change and cause harm.

For this reason, compotes, juices, fruit infusions should not be added to a container with a medusomycete; pure sugar should not be replaced with jam or honey. All this is mixed with kvass already in a cup, immediately before use.

Fresh nutrient solution is supposed to be poured after removing the old one. It is not forbidden to leave a part at the bottom, then a new portion will ripen faster. For ready-made kvass, you need to find containers made of any materials other than metal. Do not fill it to the top so that there is room for foaming, as the drink continues to ferment and carbonate.

Shelf life is 1-2 months, strictly in the cold. Kombucha brings a lot of benefits, and find out in advance how to grow it from scratch, care for it and take it. Otherwise, there is a risk that the medusomycete will simply die from improper handling.

Kombucha care at home

Tea (Japanese) mushroom, also called tea jellyfish, is an unpretentious creature that needs a little for successful growth and productive life:

• glass container;
• indirect sunlight;
• adequate nutrition;
• warm;
• pure water.

Select a three-liter jar for the Japanese miracle, fill the container with weak, cooled, sweet tea, put it where it is warm. Do not leave the jar on the windowsill: the jellyfish does not like this. Drain the finished kvass on time, replacing it with a fresh portion of delicious tea. Bathe your Japanese occasionally in clean water. For this cute creature, he will gratefully give you a nutritious drink full of freshness, goodness, and health.

How to store

A three-liter jar is ideal as a home for a Japanese jellyfish. Glass is a material that does not change the properties of the liquid it contains. The diameter of the container is convenient, the body will fill its entire surface. The jar is easy to care for, it is convenient to change the solution. Through the walls of the glass container, you can clearly see what your useful pet needs.

Choose a bright place for a jar with a domestic jellyfish that is not illuminated by bright sunlight (this is harmful for the creature). The optimum temperature for the successful growth of the fungus is from 23 to 25 degrees. The inhabitant of the jar tolerates short-term drops in temperature easily, but a long-term cold snap is fatal for him. Growing up, the creature builds up layers, which can then be separated from each other. If the process is properly looked after, several pets can be grown from one pet for further use.

What to feed kombucha

The jellyfish-like organism does not produce the drink on its own. In symbiosis with it, on its lower layers, darker and almost opaque, a large colony of yeast microorganisms settles, which will revive the nutrient solution, make it comfortable for the fungus and useful for children and adults. Invisible creatures emit carbon dioxide, which the jellyfish needs, carbonating the liquid in the process. Both your pet and the army of bacteria living under the cover of the layered circle need food.

The simplest composition on which you can grow a healthy Japanese is high-quality tea with sugar. It is important to remember: particles of tea leaves and insoluble grains of sugar should not get on the body of the fungus. The instructions for feeding a slippery pet are simple:

• brew one and a half liters of weak sweet tea;
• cool the tea to room temperature;
• strain carefully;
• fill the tea lover with the resulting solution;
• after 4-5 days, the liquid can be drained and used;
• instead of the drained drink, add new sweet tea to the jar.

How to wash kombucha

Your pet loves to swim. You need to wash the body of the jellyfish mushroom with cool drinking water the more often, the warmer it is in your home. In the hot summer, this is done once every five to seven days, in autumn and winter it can be done less often - once or twice a month. Pour a large amount of water into a basin, bucket, or other container. Lower your pet there, let it swim for a couple of minutes. Wash the upper and lower sides of the body with gentle hand movements. Sometimes you have to remove the flakes that have moved from the bottom. You can wash the jellyfish mushroom under water flowing from the tap, but this must be done gently, carefully so as not to injure your pet.

Keeping Kombucha Healthy

In order for the use of a healing drink to be beneficial and enjoyable, it is important to know how to care for kombucha, maintaining the health of this exotic creature. A few important rules will help you:

• you need to feed the pet only with fresh tea;
• cover the jar with gauze to protect it from dust and fruit flies;
• regularly care for the jar and bathe your jellyfish;
• protect from mechanical damage;
• monitor the temperature in the room;
• observe if algae strands or mold have appeared in the liquid - in this case, the fungus needs urgent help.

Growing a Japanese jellyfish is also easy because it is resistant to various life misfortunes. A sick pet can be cured, and sometimes a dead one can be revived. A hardy organism can even be without moisture for some time. To heal or revive a dry Japanese mushroom, bathe it. While he is taking a bath, do a general cleaning in the home. Rinse and sanitize the jar thoroughly, prepare fresh tea, a little at first. When the mushroom comes to its senses, it will be possible to add more nutrition.

How to propagate kombucha

The jellyfish mushroom reproduces by division. With good care, the creature builds up layer by layer, some of them eventually begin to move away from the mother's body. To grow a new mushroom, you need to separate the exfoliating part, put it in a new jar of tea solution, and carefully care for it. It is impossible to divide the body across, the mushroom jellyfish inevitably dies. You should also not separate the lower layers, which are poorly preserved and get sick for a long time.

Leaving after division

For growing a young pet, instructions are not required. If you understand how to care for kombucha, it will not be difficult for you to grow a new one for you. It is not necessary to immerse the young shoot in a large amount of tea, let him master his half-liter of solution. Gradually, the amount of liquid can be increased. By dividing the Japanese jellyfish, you can rejuvenate. If the taste of the drink has changed, separate and discard the lower few layers of the fungus body. Mushroom kvass from a young Japanese jellyfish will delight you in winter and summer.

Video

An interesting and useful organism that looks like a jellyfish - a Japanese mushroom - lives in a jar on the kitchen table. You don't need complicated instructions to use the creature. With little care, it produces a healthy drink similar to kvass, especially tasty from the refrigerator. In order for an unusual pet to live well with you, find out the rules for caring for a Japanese exotic.