A rather simple organism, which appeared as a result of the antagonistic relationship of yeast fungi with acetic acid bacteria, is one of the most popular and strange "creatures" grown at home. The appearance of zooglea (kombucha) is the most unattractive and even frightening, but the pleasant-tasting, lightly carbonated drink formed as a result of its vital activity has no analogues in terms of its rich vitamin composition and a huge range of healing properties.
Where to get kombucha and how to use it correctly? All answers on the topic - next.
What is a medusa mycete?
Kombucha (otherwise, medusomycete) is a constantly functioning symbiote whose body is formed due to the unique and mutually beneficial relationship of two types of bacteria. Even by the appearance of the liquid floating on the surface in a jar of kombucha, you can determine its two main components:
- Upper, mucous part - looks slightly convex ordomed, to the touch - smooth, slippery and uniform, resembling the body of a jellyfish. Formed from a colony of yeast microorganisms.
- Lower, fibrous part - does not have a dense structure, easily separates and moves freely around the bank. These are acetic acid bacteria that could be called parasitic on the body of a yeast fungus if the unique environment they create did not feed the host organism as well.
Through the continuous work of acidic bacteria, the primary nutrient liquid - sweet tea in a jar - is gradually transformed into a complex enzyme composition, including a minimal amount of ethyl alcohol. The action becomes possible due to the main catalyst - sugar, therefore, it is not recommended to replace the traditional sweetener with any analogues, including honey. How much sugar does kombucha need for catalysis? In fact, the process starts already with one tablespoon, but to improve fermentation and get a pleasant taste, you will have to put at least five spoons.
Composition of "kvass" of jellyfish
The only environment in which the medusomycete feels most comfortable is moderately strong tea brewing, which combines such important and necessary elements for the growth of the fungus as vitamin C and caffeine. Only by receiving sufficient nutrition and the ability to produce new fibers of the lower productive layer, Kombucha can synthesize a valuable drink, the benefits of which have been known for several decades.
Compositionfinished product obtained as a result of the vital activity of zooglea:
- organic acids: kojic, citric, malic, oxalic, acetic;
- vitamins: C, D, B;
- ethanol;
- enzymes: zymase, lipase, carbohydrase, levansucrase, catalase;
- lipid complex: fatty acids, sterols, foefatides;
- mono- poly- and disaccharides;
- pigments: chlorophyll and xanthophyll;
- tannin;
- natural antibiotics.
It should be noted that the beneficial properties of kombucha and the amount of valuable substances in the drink are unstable. They depend on the quality of care, the location of the container with the jellyfish (temperature and light conditions) and the properly prepared nutrient medium (tea). How to care for kombucha to get the most benefit from its use and what are these benefits?
Benefits of Kombucha
To get a positive result, kombucha (mushroom kvass) should be consumed regularly and at least 100 ml per day. It is this amount of a drink drunk by an adult that will be sufficient to maintain a good tone of the walls of blood vessels and prevent the formation of atherosclerotic growths in them.
In addition to the strengthening and supporting effect on the cardiovascular system, the beneficial properties of Kombucha also apply to other pathological conditions of the human body:
- Staphylococcus aureus infection;
- intestinal disorders, dysbacteriosis, toxic poisoning;
- metabolic disorder (includingnumber, at the cellular level);
- lowered immunity;
- weakness of the nervous system;
- low hemoglobin;
- colds.
Enzymes and antioxidants in the composition of the drink will help to cope with migraines, the negative effects of radiation therapy, diseases of the genitourinary and pulmonary systems. It is recommended to drink kombucha for tuberculosis, chronic otitis and laryngitis, inflammation of the maxillary sinuses and joint diseases.
Externally, the infusion is used for compresses and washes with barley and conjunctivitis, hemorrhoidal bumps and non-healing ulcers, with stomatitis and after complex tooth extraction. Drinking the infusion in a warm form is recommended before bed for those who suffer from insomnia or neurosis.
The benefits of medusomycete infusion are undeniable, but where can I get kombucha? It is almost impossible to find it in free sale, except perhaps "from the hands", from people who are specially involved in its breeding. Is it possible to make kombucha from scratch and how to start the process?
How to grow zooglia yourself
A common 3-liter jar made of transparent glass is considered a universal container for growing kombucha at home, which should be washed well before use. After the container is prepared, proceed directly to the brewing of tea infusion, in which the mushroom will form.
How to make kombucha:
- for 3 liters of water take: 5 tbsp. spoons of loose leaf tea and 5-7 tbsp. spoons of sugar;
- brew strongtea, infuse it for 15 minutes;
- strain the finished solution through three layers of gauze;
- fill the jar with sweet tea just below the level of the “shoulders” and wrap gauze around the neck so that air can freely penetrate inside.
How to care for kombucha? The container is placed in the kitchen separately from other products and out of places lit by the sun. Normally, on the 9-11th day, an unpleasant, sour smell appears from the jar, which lasts 2-3 days. On the 15-17th day from the moment the nutrient base is poured on the surface of the liquid, it will be possible to see a thickened cloudy layer - this will be a young mushroom, which in no case should be disturbed. Zooglia must be allowed to grow for at least another 30 days, and preferably a month and a half, and only then for the first time take it out of the jar and change the nutrient medium to a new one.
It is impossible to use the drained liquid obtained during the long time of the formation of a medusomycete.
Proper care of kombucha
Periodic care for medusomycetes consists in washing the body of the fungus once a week under running water and replacing the finished slightly carbonated drink with a fresh tea solution. It is very important not to forget to strain the tea and completely dissolve the grains of sugar in the hot liquid. Tea leaves or unmixed sweet crystals adhering to the delicate substance of zooglea can cause burns on the mucous surface of the yeast body and even lead to the death of the fungus.
It is not necessary to prepare a strong tea every time - it is enough and the one insisted for the usu altea drinking. The only condition is that the tea substrate must not be placed in disposable bags. The amount of sugar is also adjusted to taste, starting from the absolute minimum - 1 tbsp. spoon for 0.5 liters. tea solution.
Before transferring the mushroom to the renewed nutrient medium, it is allowed to cool to 20-25 ° C, and the mushroom itself is washed under a stream of slightly warm running water from plaque and excess mucus. In winter, the “bathing” procedure is carried out less frequently than in the warm season - on average, once every three weeks.
The jar is kept in a shady place, controlling that the ambient temperature does not fall below 20 ° C, which is comfortable for the medusomycete. Under such conditions, the period of "ripening" of kvass will be 3-4 days. Without fail, at least once a week, it is required to refill the jar, adding at least a third of the volume of fresh liquid, otherwise the fungus will be poisoned by its own decay products.
Kombucha with rose hips and medicinal herbs
How to grow directional kombucha and is it possible? In some cases, people have to use decoctions of medicinal fruits for a long time, the effect of which on the body gradually decreases. The concentrated acidic environment of the medusomycete is able to stimulate the usual infusion, bringing a large amount of its own benefit to it and significantly enhancing the healing properties of the plant substance.
For a tasty and rich vitamin drink, use the fruits of hawthorn, wild rose or honeysuckle. A liter of decoction is prepared from 2/3 cup of sorted fruits. The liquid is infused for a day under the lid, thenfiltered and poured into a 3-liter jar, where about 1.7 liters of sweetened tea leaves are added next. The jar neck is tied with gauze, and the mushroom, as in the recipe with regular tea, takes about two months to form.
They take care of kombucha as in the first case - periodically draining the spent infusion and replacing it with fresh tea solution, with the only difference being that 30% of the filtered liquid will be a decoction of the selected fruits.
Mushroom reproduction
Along with the question of how to grow kombucha, many people ask - how to correctly divide it into several independent medusomycetes so as not to damage the main organism? You need to remove the entire top layer and only with your hands, without the help of a knife or other devices. If the plate of the fungus is torn, it will die, and the same thing if you try to exfoliate the still young, not ready to divide zooglia.
The readiness of a mushroom for reproduction is easy to determine - it will thicken significantly in size and will look like a puff pastry pie. In this case, the mushroom is removed from the jar, washed, and the “dome” is carefully separated right under running water. Then the old mushroom is transferred to a fresh tea solution, and the young one is left in a container with clean boiled water for one day. After 24 hours, you can transplant into a separate "tea" environment and it. If everything is done correctly, the young body will expand significantly in the first three days and form a large number of gas bubbles around the emerging body.
Mistakes when growing a mushroom
Beginners who do not yet know all the nuances of how to care for kombucha often make mistakes that lead to illness or even death of the organism grown in the bank. Most often, the rapidly changing color of the medusomycete and the violation of its natural structure helps to understand the cause of the oversight.
The mushroom has darkened or brown "blots" have appeared on it:
- The nutrient fluid has not been replaced for a long time, and the body began to self-oxidize. Kombucha that has sunk to the bottom of the jar will also mean that the tea solution needs to be replaced immediately.
- Medusomyces is hard to breathe - maybe the fabric covering the neck of the jar is too dense, or the vessel was accidentally closed with a nylon lid.
- Heterogeneous spots on the top of the zooglea often mean burns from adhering tea leaves or grains of sugar. The fungus dies from such damage, so the damaged layer will have to be removed and discarded.
- The fungus "froze" and stopped developing. This happens when the temperature around the jar is below 20 ° C. If the mushroom is “hot”, it will react in much the same way, but at the same time it will anticipate the disease with vigorous activity and surround itself with a layer of bubbles.
- Wrong dishes for mushroom storage. If metals are present in the container, the fungus will oxidize itself and make the drink unusable. An ideal vessel for the life activity of an acetic acid culture is a glass jar.
- Medusomycete was “boiled” by pouring from above, right on the surface of the fungus, too hot tea solution. If aquickly take action and exfoliate the fungus, removing the “dome” affected by burns, then the main part of the body can be saved.
For a number of reasons, the medusomycete can "tip", turning its smooth side to the bottom of the jar. This will not immediately affect the he alth of the fungus, but the oxidation of the drink will stop immediately. The mushroom should be carefully turned over with your hands and carefully inspected for damage to the mucous surface.
How to drink "mushroom kvass"
Use kombucha, like any other remedy that actively affects the body, you need according to a certain scheme, in which only the amount of drink consumed will vary. A person with a he althy stomach can drink up to three glasses of "homemade soda" per day - 200 ml in the morning and another 200-400 ml during the day, splitting the entire volume of medicinal kvass into 3-4 doses. For children, the elderly or those who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, a single dose should be reduced to 30-50 ml of the drink.
Drink the infusion not earlier than an hour after a meal, when the main part of the food is already digested, or 30-40 minutes before a meal. The duration of the course is up to 2 months, after which you need to rest for a couple of weeks and allow the body to “respond” to the treatment.
Kombucha in cosmetology
Kombucha's unique, vitamin-rich, acidic environment acts on the skin in two ways at once:
- as a natural antiseptic - stopping the growth of bacteria inlayers of the epidermis;
- as a natural antioxidant - slowing down the aging process by stimulating blood microcirculation in the upper and middle layers of the skin.
In the first case, it is enough just to wipe the problem areas of the skin - acne or areas of increased sebum formation in order to notice the result in a week. Large pores will noticeably shrink, micro-inflammations will go away and the number of comedones will noticeably decrease. With regular (morning and evening) rubbing of the face with chilled kvass, problem skin will stop giving out a greasy sheen and react with rashes to any changes in hormonal levels or environmental irritants.
To restore elasticity to aged or tired facial skin, use a slightly warmed drink. A gauze compress is impregnated with liquid and applied to the entire face, from time to time slightly pressing the gauze to the skin. The time of the whole manipulation is from 10 to 25 minutes, the number of procedures is unlimited.
With pronounced signs of aging - wrinkles and age spots, it is recommended to use the mycelium of the fungus, that is, the top removed layer of the substance, which is completely applied to the skin surface and kept for about 20 minutes. After such a compress, it is recommended to immediately wash yourself with warm boiled water and apply a moisturizer to the skin.
