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How to get kombucha at home. How to grow kombucha at home? Video: how to grow homemade kombucha

Kombucha, from which an amazingly healthy drink is prepared, resembles a yellow-brown jellyfish with a dense upper part and a loose base from which thin long threads hang. The composition of the tea "jellyfish" includes yeast fungi and acetic acid bacteria, which turn ordinary tea into a carbonated infusion of sweet and sour taste, slightly reminiscent of kvass. The resulting drink, containing many organic acids, vitamins, enzymes, lipids, sugars and caffeine, has a beneficial effect on health and prolongs life - it is no coincidence that in ancient China it was called the elixir of immortality. Now we can prepare this magic potion at home and enjoy the refreshing, tasty and healing “tea kvass” every day.

Kombucha: step by step instructions

Prepare black, green or herbal tea in the following proportions: 1 liter. water, 2 tsp. tea leaves and 5 tbsp. l. sugar, insist tea for 15 minutes.
Strain the infusion and cool it to room temperature.
Place the mushroom in a jar, cover with cheesecloth and place in a warm, dark place. For young mushrooms, it is recommended to add 100 ml of tea infusion from the previous jar where the mushroom was infused.
After 5-10 days, a delicious drink is ready. Rinse the mushroom and dip it into a new jar of prepared tea.
If you want to get a spicy fizzy tea with gas, pour the finished infusion into a glass container, close tightly and keep in a cool place for 5 days.

Some tips for making kombucha

Do not use metal containers (except stainless steel) to prepare tea kvass to avoid a chemical reaction of acids with metal.
Do not cover the jar with a lid so that the mushroom can "breathe", use gauze or a napkin as an alternative.
The jar should be at a temperature of 25 degrees, since temperatures below 17 degrees and direct sunlight slow down the activity of kombucha and promote algae.
Strong tea should not be taken as the basis for the drink, as it inhibits the growth of kombucha.
You should make sure that the sugar is completely dissolved in the tea, and only then place the mushroom in the liquid, since sugar crystals cause burns on it. Grains of tea leaves or tea leaves can cause exactly the same effect, so the liquid must be well filtered and cooled - hot tea will kill the fungus.
From time to time, the mushroom should be washed with clean water - in the summer once every 1-2 weeks, in the winter - once every 3-4 weeks.
If part of the "jellyfish" has begun to turn brown, you need to carefully separate the damaged part, rinse the mushroom and use it further.

How to drink tea kvass

The most important rule of drinking a drink is not to mix it with food, as it speeds up the digestion process, and very soon you will want to eat again. You can take kombucha as a non-alcoholic aperitif 30 minutes before a meal, but most often doctors recommend drinking the “elixir of youth” 2 hours after plant foods and 3 hours after meat or fish. Reception of tea infusion in the morning on an empty stomach tones and energizes, and evening tea soothes and facilitates falling asleep.

How to store kombucha?

If you want to “rest” from tea kvass for some time and not use it, you should dry the mushroom in the right way. Put the "jellyfish" on a dry plate and turn it over every day, providing reliable protection of the fungus from midges. When kombucha turns into a thin plate, store it in a cupboard, and place it in tea before use - in a week it will come to life and will be in a "working" state again.

You can prepare an unusual tasty and healthy drink with the help of kombucha. Kombucha is known for its high palatability and numerous health benefits. You can even grow it from a small piece, but if you don't have one, we'll show you how to get a brand new kombucha at home.

Today's article will describe not only an effective way to grow kombucha, but also the basic rules for caring for it.

How to grow kombucha at home

To grow from scratch, you need to create a special nutrient medium. It is interesting that he appeared quite by accident: he just grew up in a cup with left tea. Since then, it has been used for several thousand years to make delicious drinks.

The main nutrient medium is brewed tea, sugar and water, which must be mixed in certain proportions. The most popular growing method will be described below.

Ways

So, how to grow kombucha at home. To do this, you need to brew loose leaf tea of medium strength and add 2 tablespoons of sugar (with a slide) to it for every liter of water (Figure 1).

Ready tea is filtered so that no tea leaves remain in the liquid, and poured into clean glassware.

Note: Tea bags and sugar substitutes are not suitable, as the body grows only on natural ingredients.

Figure 1. Features of growing

As a rule, it is grown in liter jars. Fill the container with tea only two-thirds so that the product receives enough air.

Growing conditions

For the successful cultivation of this unusual organism, certain rules must be observed.

Kombucha needs the following conditions(picture 2):

Sufficient amount of air: it is for this reason that it is impossible to fill the jar with liquid completely so that the growing biomass has enough oxygen;
Optimum temperature regime: cover the tea jar with a lid and store at room temperature;
Lighting: the product does not like direct sunlight, but it should not be placed in a dark place. The ideal option would be a place in the kitchen or in a room where there is enough light.

Figure 2. Growing technology

Within a week, a cloudy film should appear on the surface of the water, which indicates that the body has begun to grow. If this happens, the jar is left for about 2 months so that a sufficiently large biomass is formed inside.

rules

After you managed to grow the body yourself from scratch, you need to properly care for it. First of all, it must be transferred to a clean large jar, in which the drink will be prepared.

Before moving the product and the container itself, rinse with warm water. The jar is dried and filled with fresh sweet tea (about 2/3) and the raw materials are shifted. The neck is covered with several layers of gauze.

Figure 3. Proper care of kombucha

In the future, an adult specimen can be divided if it begins to exfoliate along the edges. It is not recommended to cut off or tear off parts of the biomass: despite the fact that a young specimen can grow even from a piece, the old one often dies from such manipulations.

The video shows in detail how to grow at home.

Home care

It does not require special care at home. The main thing is to put it in a suitable place with enough sunlight, but without direct sunlight, leave space in the jar for oxygen to penetrate, and drain the resulting liquid in time (Figure 3).

Watering

The drink that is formed in the jar has a characteristic sweet and sour taste. In addition, it is good for health, but you need to properly water it to get it.

Every three or four days, half of the liquid is drained, and a new portion of sweet tea is added, which serves as a nutrient medium (Figure 4). You can use both black and green tea, but it must be loose leaf.

Note: In no case should you pour tea leaves and sugar directly into the jar. The body grows only on brewed tea.

Periodically, about once every few months, it is recommended to drain all the liquid obtained, rinse the product again with warm water and lower it into a fresh portion of brewed tea.

Peculiarities

To make the drink tasty and healthy, you need to take into account some features of care. Firstly, the neck should always be covered with gauze so that insects do not get into the liquid.

Figure 4. Pouring kombucha

Secondly, you need to carefully monitor the condition of the fungus itself. If its surface has darkened or become covered with tubercles, you need to divide it into several new ones. This should be done carefully, gradually stratifying the biomass so as not to damage its tissues. After that, the resulting parts are washed with warm water and placed in separate containers.

rules

There are certain rules for growing and caring for a living organism (Figure 5):

It is better to take a three-liter jar so that the body has enough space and air;
The neck can only be covered with gauze, but in no case with a lid or film, as not enough air will flow inside;
Once every few days, half of the finished drink must be drained and the liquid supply replenished with a fresh portion of the prepared tea.

Also, the mushroom must be periodically divided, since in old specimens the production of liquid is reduced.

Useful properties and how to grow

If you have already provided the body with proper care and even received the first drink from it, you will be interested to know what features and beneficial properties it has.

Figure 5. Storage and cultivation of kombucha

Using kombucha is helpful in such cases:

Effectively fights excess weight, accelerating metabolism and removing salts and toxins from the body;
It has high anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to treat and prevent flu and colds;
Improves skin quality and fights acne;
An infusion based on it relieves pain from burns and promotes wound healing;
It has a diuretic effect and is used to prevent arthritis, arthrosis and atherosclerosis.

Since this organism grows on natural ingredients, it has practically no contraindications. However, people with obesity and diabetes should drink it with caution, people with acute fungal infections, and people with high stomach acidity can only prepare a decoction based on black tea and honey (instead of sugar).

Not so long ago, kombucha lived in almost every home. It could be found in a glass jar on the kitchen windowsill. And it is not surprising, because the drink, which was obtained from such a substance, was not only tasty, but also very healthy. And today we will tell you how to grow kombucha without anyone's help at home. Moreover, this process is not complicated and is available to everyone.

To date, kombucha is easier to grow yourself than to find. And all that may be needed for this lesson is a simple set of products, a little patience and knowledge of the basic provisions of the procedure.

Kombucha is a kind of substance obtained as a result of symbiosis of yeast product fungi and acetic bacteria. Usually this substance lives in the tea solution, turning it into a wonderful drink with a taste from childhood. Kombucha has many names, but the only definition that unites them all is "kombucha".

In appearance, this microorganism is nothing more than a dense film, which consists of several layers. It gives the sweet tea solution an original taste with sourness. In general, it resembles kvass. And if earlier this drink was consumed simply to quench thirst, then in the modern world it is used as a natural remedy with healing properties.

Useful properties of tea drink

The Chinese were among the first to grow and use kombucha. They called the drink, which was obtained in the process of life "kombucha", a magical elixir that gives health and longevity. And not in vain, because the list of properties of the microorganism is quite long.

Kombucha has a beneficial effect on the entire body and, in particular, helps:

balance the acidity of the stomach;
restore the microflora in the intestine;
increase the efficiency of the gastrointestinal tract;
eliminate constipation;
relieve hangover;
get rid of insomnia;
normalize cholesterol levels and blood pressure;
eliminate pain in the head that occurs against the background of neurological disorders.

In addition, kombucha promotes rejuvenation of the body and its healing from the inside. And also, this substance contributes to the treatment of diseases such as dysentery and kidney stones.

How to grow kombucha

There are at least two ways to grow kombucha. And depending on which method you prefer to try at home, you can get either a refreshing sweet-sour drink with a general tonic effect, or a miraculous drink for SARS, colds and coughs.

Method number 1

Based on this recipe, you can prepare a delicious drink with a refreshing effect and a beneficial effect on the whole body. By this method, a substance is obtained from ordinary black tea.

And before you grow kombucha from scratch, you need to prepare in advance:

disinfected (boiling water) jar with a volume of 3 liters;
gauze;
kettle for brewing tea;
7 art. l. Sahara.

It is also worth buying tea. It is strongly recommended to use large-leaved black varieties for these purposes. It is desirable that it be without additives.

It is worth noting that containers with which kombucha will come into contact should not be washed with synthetic substances intended for washing dishes. This is due to the fact that the body of the fungus does not like such substances and, as a rule, turns sour. It is best to use baking soda for washing and rinse the container well after it.

At the beginning of the procedure, it is necessary to boil 500 ml of water. Then you need to place in the kettle 5 tbsp. spoons of tea and pour them with boiling water, then close the teapot. In this form, you need to leave everything until the liquid has completely cooled, after which sugar is added to it, thoroughly mixing the tea leaves.

When the granulated sugar is dissolved, it is necessary to strain the mixture through a piece of clean gauze. The resulting sweet tea without tea leaves is poured into a jar. Then cover it with a new piece of clean gauze and put it in a warm place. It takes about 6 weeks to grow kombucha at home.

After this time, a barely perceptible sour smell, reminiscent of vinegar, will come from the jar. This is quite normal, because the process of oxidation has begun to occur in the bank.

After another week, the vinegar aroma will disappear.

In the meantime, a thin film will form on the surface, which is Kombucha.

The number of layers will increase every day. This will be the life of the substance that you managed to grow on your own at home.

Method number 2

For those who want to know how to grow kombucha to help maintain immunity during the cold season, this recipe will do. According to this method, the microorganism is grown from rose hips. However, the scheme of the process itself is similar to the previous one.

Before you start the procedure, you need to buy the main ingredient at the pharmacy - rose hips. Then, at home, prepare a thermos with a volume of at least 0.5 liters, dousing it with boiling water for disinfection. After all this, immerse 4 tbsp. l. berries and fill them with 500 ml of boiling water and close the lid tightly. In this form, you need to withstand the infusion for 5 days without opening the thermos. After the specified period of time, it is necessary to take a clean jar (3 liters) washed with soda and pour tea from rose hips into it.

Now you can start preparing the brew. You will need:

1 cup boiling water;
1 st. l. tea (black large leaf);
5 st. l. Sahara.

After mixing all the ingredients, you need to wait until the sugar dissolves and pour the mixture into a jar of rose hips. We cover the container with clean gauze and put it in a warm place, protected from light.

It will take more time to grow kombucha using this method. So, for example, a sour smell will appear after 14 days. And the film can be seen only after 5-6 weeks after that.

How to contain "kombucha"?

Kombucha grown at home, the substance is quite finicky. And an important point in the content of the microorganism is proper care.

If proper attention and care is not given to kombucha, the life process of the microorganism may not go as it should. This, in turn, will affect the taste of the drink and its properties. In some cases, under improper conditions, the fungus simply dies.

It is worth noting that the state of the fungus affects its "buoyancy". The mushroom may begin to sink to the bottom, while it should float all the time on the "cushion" of tea leaves. If this happens, immediately take a number of necessary measures.

Firstly, the lowering of the mushroom to the bottom indicates incorrect care manipulations. In other words, you should pay attention to the conditions of the microorganism. Kombucha will grow and grow only in sterile conditions and cleanliness provided without chemical detergents.

Secondly, the substance must be bathed. To do this, it is carefully removed from the jar and placed on a flat plate. Then the container is placed under the tap and slightly warm water is turned on. With a small pressure, fill the entire plate with the mushroom and set it aside for 2 minutes. After that, you need to return to the tea leaves. The tea drink is filtered through clean gauze and returned to the jar again. The washed mushroom is neatly placed on top.

It is very important to monitor the volume of the mushroom throughout the cultivation and replenish the tea leaves if you drain the drink. In addition, sugar crystals should not be allowed to fall on the substance, because after that the fungus can “get sick”.

Each of us at least once in our lives, but met with such an interesting product as kombucha. The Japanese call it seaweed, which looks like a jellyfish with a smooth top and a loose bottom, where the yeast bacteria are located, which are the basis for making tea. Let's talk about how to grow kombucha from scratch today.

The identity of the person who first grew this unique product has not yet been established. But this became known many thousands of years ago, successfully using it for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes to this day.

How to grow kombucha at home? There are several recipes for this, but the main and simplest one is, of course, from tea brewing, which is logical, based on the name. It is also grown from rose hips, apple cider vinegar, beer, herbs and a piece of layer, which will be discussed further.

Growing from scratch from tea

To create an optimal nutrient medium for the emergence and cultivation of the fungus, certain components will be required:

glass containers (3 liters), previously cleanly washed with baking soda;
pure (without additives) leaf black tea - 5 small spoons;
granulated sugar - 7 tablespoons;
piece of gauze or bandage.

Pour the prepared amount of tea into the teapot, insist and add sugar. Pour the tea leaves into the prepared container, which must be filtered beforehand and tied with gauze or a piece of bandage around the top of the can, placing it in a warm place, protected from direct sunlight.

After some time - from 1 to 2 weeks, you should smell the vinegar from the container. It will disappear after about 7 days, which will indicate the successful formation of the final product.

After a month and a half, you will see a pancake at the top with a mucous base. This is a young kombucha, which must be carefully transferred to another similar container filled with tea leaves (weak).

Growing with apple cider vinegar

Medusomycete (another product name) on apple cider vinegar is grown independently as follows:

Clean and dry apples (sour) are rubbed completely with the middle using a coarse grater. It should be about 400 grams.
The apple mass is placed in a pre-washed three-liter jar and poured with boiled chilled water.
Honey (150 g) and yeast (15 gram pack) are added to the composition.
The container (open) is placed in a dark place with daily stirring of the contents.

After 10 days, the mixture is squeezed out (several layers of gauze), and the liquid is poured into another similar container, covered with a clean natural cloth (thin) and left alone for 2 months.

The completion of cooking is marked by the clarification of the composition in the jar and the appearance of a jellyfish at the top, which has several layers. The finished mushroom must be transferred to a clean bowl, where sweet tea is poured and then proceed as in the previous method.

How to grow from scratch from a piece of layer

For this method of breeding the product, you will need a small piece of a ready-made mushroom.

For its growth, you need to prepare a special solution:

ordinary tea is brewed in the proportion of 1 liter of water to 2 tsp. tea leaves. At the same time, it doesn’t matter which composition you choose - black and green will do, the main thing is without additives;
put sugar in the tea leaves, no more than 50 g, stir until the sweet crystals are completely dissolved;
cool to room temperature and pour into a jar.

Important: the dishes must be perfectly clean, otherwise mold will appear and spoil the drink.

Place the existing piece of mushroom in the container and cover the top with gauze (fold several layers), put in a warm and slightly darkened room.

After 10 days, or maybe 7, you will be able to taste a tasty and healthy liquid. The finished composition does not need to be covered with a lid, it must breathe all the time.

Tea mushroom from rosehip infusion

Such a drink will be especially useful in the cold season, perfectly protecting the body from colds:

Pour dry mashed rosehip composition (4 tbsp) into the prepared thermos.
Pour 0.5 liters of boiling water over it and leave it alone for 4 days.
Pour the prepared rosehip infusion into prepared glass containers (3 liters), after filtering.
Add 5 tablespoons of granulated sugar to the drink, and tie the neck with gauze, put in heat and darkness.

Grow a mushroom on beer

Combine live beer (100 ml), wine vinegar (10 ml) and sugar (5 g), pouring the mixture into a container, covering the neck. Such a composition is infused similarly to the previous recipes, until a kind of film appears on the surface. As soon as it gains a thickness of 2 mm, it will immediately need to be transferred to a container where sweet tea has already been poured. After 7 days, the drink will be ready to drink.

Herbal kombucha

The preparation of a healing composition on herbs is similar to the previous one. But the herbs you choose based on the existing health problem.

Proportions - for 200 g of herbal collection, 3 liters of boiled water are taken, leaving the composition overnight. After that, add a little honey and put the jellyfish there. After 7 days you will receive a healing herbal infusion.

Which of the above options you use is up to you to decide, but each of them will help not only to enjoy a peculiar taste, but also fill the body with a mass of useful and necessary substances.

Proper Care

Growing a mushroom is only half the battle, after that it is also important to preserve it so that it can help all members of your family stay healthy for a long time.

Medusomycete is not just a mold, but also a living organism that requires certain care:

the jar where the mushroom is located must be absolutely clean, otherwise it will get sick and cease to be useful;
it is necessary to wash the body in layers, each separately once a month in plain water. And when exfoliating, it should be moved to another similar container, pouring fresh tea. It happens when the body of the fungus becomes thicker than 4 cm. In this case, each layer must be moved to a separate bowl;
each time after pouring to drink a drink, add a solution of boiled water, loose tea and sugar in the proportions of 2l / 4 tbsp / 1 cup, respectively;
when emptying the dishes, transfer the mushroom to the dishes, wash the container with soda and pour in a fresh composition, placing the washed organism there;
in no case do not pour sugar on the surface of the mushroom;
it is not necessary to fill the jar with liquid to the top, a sufficient volume is 2 liters;
the temperature in the room where this organism lives should be between 18-25 degrees;
if you have to leave home for a long time, put the mushroom in a bowl with plain water and refrigerate.

When you need to drain the brewed tea for the mushroom, determine for yourself to taste - for lovers of an acidic drink, it is recommended to do this every 4 days, for a less acidic composition - every 2.

Important: if the mushroom is sick, then it sinks to the bottom of the container. In this case, it will need to be cured, and only after that drink kvass.

Storage rules

Many people drink kombucha only during the summer. For long winter storage, the body is placed in polyethylene and placed in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.

You can dry the body and store in this state in a kitchen cabinet or refrigerator. To do this, it must be removed from the jar, washed and placed in a deep plate, covered with gauze or a clean piece of natural cloth. Turn it over periodically until completely dry.

To revitalize the fungus, simply prepare a classic tea drink recipe and place it there. Already after 7 days the fungus will come to life. But the first drink after this process will need to be poured out, and the next one is already suitable for consumption.

There are certain rules that will help keep the body in good shape for many years:

Periodically sterilize the container where the fungus lives.
Strain the drink with a plastic strainer.
The jar should be away from drafts and a lot of light.
Washing the body in the summer - 1 time in 7 days, winter - less often.
When pouring a new tea composition, make sure that grains of sugar and tea leaves do not get on the body.

And be sure to carefully inspect the body for the appearance of mold, damage and diseased areas. This will protect you from the undesirable consequences of drinking a low-quality drink.

About the benefits of kombucha

The main beneficial properties of a living organism are antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. That is, the drink obtained on its basis is able to help with various inflammatory ailments.

This is especially true of the entire gastrointestinal tract, where it is able to get rid of E. coli and pathogenic bacteria. And the drink normalizes the activity of the intestines and digestion processes, and also eliminates bad breath.

Kombucha is used for diseases of the liver and gallbladder. It is also effective as an additional remedy in the treatment of cholecystitis, enteritis, dysentery and enterocolitis.

Here is a list of ailments that this drink is “able to do”:

tonsillitis (in chronic and acute form), rhinitis (chronic) and colds;
any sore throat and stomatitis;
high blood pressure and atherosclerosis;
scarlet fever and conjunctivitis.

With the regular use of mushroom kvass in a relatively short time, the cholesterol level will significantly decrease, headaches will disappear and sleep will normalize.

With its help, skin problems in the form of purulent wounds, frostbite and burns are also healed. There is evidence that the drink helps even with such a serious illness as tuberculosis.

Kombucha is especially indicated for the elderly, as it helps to improve well-being, get rid of constipation, and strengthen the nervous system. At the same time, the drink charges with energy and good mood, prevents the development of acute respiratory viral infections, influenza and ENT diseases.

The fungus looks like a jellyfish that floats on the surface of a liquid. This is a huge colony of yeast and acetic acid bacteria, which are held together by cellulose cells. The scientific name of the colony is Medusomycete.

The photo shows an enlarged image of its surface under a microscope. Balls are yeast. The sticks are bacteria. The rest of the binder is cellulose.

From above, the colony looks smooth, flat. Below - loose and multi-layered, with hanging threads and new layers formed. It is from below that most of the active microorganisms are located, which process sweet tea and form kvass.

Upper microorganisms produce vinegar. The method of obtaining vinegar with the help of medusomycetes was called "Orleans". It was used in the 19th century on an industrial scale.

For the primary formation of a colony, a donor organism is not needed. The fungus is formed as a result of prolonged fermentation of brewed sweet tea (in the presence of acetic bacteria, several types of yeast microorganisms). The bacteria themselves enter the tea leaves from the air. However, more often Kombucha is passed to each other, dividing the jellyfish-like colonies into layers.

The environment for the vital activity of yeast and bacteria is Indian tea, which appeared in Russia only in the 19th century. Therefore, kvass itself appeared in various Russian provinces at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 30s and 40s, he was on the wave of popularity. After the war, it was forgotten, and again returned to wide use in the 80s of the last century.

In the countries of the East, where tea has been known for a long time, medusomycetes enjoyed well-deserved respect. They treated the sick, maintained the tone of the healthy.

What is this drink used for?

China- only noble rich families drank tea kvass. For commoners, the drink was not intended. He was given the following qualities: to maintain clarity of thought, tone, rejuvenate, as well as improve digestion, cleanse blood vessels.
Japan- tea kvass was popular with geishas, who used it to slim and remove spots and warts from the skin.
India- the drink was added to the bath for bathing babies with skin problems.
Europe (England, France and Prussia)- kombucha was recognized in the 19th century and began to be used to produce vinegar. To do this, the medusomycete was kept in large wooden barrels, where it reached enormous sizes.

The benefits and harms of kombucha

The medicinal properties of kombucha are determined by the components formed during fermentation. What secretes a colony of microorganisms during life?

Some of the dissolved sugar is fermented by yeast bacteria. Ethyl alcohol is formed, which other bacteria process into acetic acid. Another part of sucrose is processed into gluconic, oxalic, citric, and tartaric acid. A number of enzymes are formed (lipase, catalase, protease, amylase), some vitamins (C, B), caffeine is preserved (it comes from brewed tea).

The therapeutic benefits of kombucha come from acids, vitamins, and enzymes. Invigorating and tonic effect - contained caffeine.

What is useful kombucha for a person

Disinfects and stops the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms. Destroys dysentery bacillus, Staphylococcus aureus, pneumococcus, typhoid fever.
It removes toxins, which means it alleviates the condition with various poisonings - food, industrial, alcohol, and toxicosis of pregnant women.
Improves digestion, cleanses the intestines, treats diseases of the gallbladder and liver.
Forms the microflora of the digestive organs, restores the balance of microorganisms after chemotherapy, a course of antibiotics.
It counteracts infections with various inflammations: dental (gingivitis and periodontitis), skin (pimples, ulcers, fungus on the skin or under the nails, dandruff), ENT inflammations. With this treatment, tea kvass is used externally - for rinsing and rubbing.
Normalizes the state of blood vessels (dissolves sclerotic plaques and increases the elasticity of the vascular walls).
Reduces blood pressure.

The beneficial properties of kombucha are more noticeable than others are reflected in the work of digestion. Tea kvass removes bloating and colic, normalizes the movement of digestive juices (bile), removes stagnation. By suppressing the growth of pathogenic flora, it treats inflammation. Forming a normal intestinal flora, it creates conditions for the full absorption of food.

Kombucha contraindications

When can a fermented drink be harmful?

When peroxidation - if it has a strong pungent taste. There is too much vinegar in this drink. A small amount of acetic acid acts as an antiseptic and is used as an antidote. Too much vinegar burns the gastric mucosa, acidifies the blood, and destroys red blood cells. In addition, acetic acid destroys enamel. Therefore, it is better to drink acidic drinks through a straw.
When obsolete - dead layers supply toxic components. To prevent this from happening, the jellyfish colony is washed with water once a week and the old dying layers are removed in a timely manner.
While taking a number of drugs (antibiotics, paracetamol, analgin). Between drinking tea kvass and these medicines, at least 2 hours should pass.
Diabetics - due to the high sugar content.
People with high acidity, with a stomach or duodenal ulcer, can take tea kvass only in limited quantities.
You can not take a fermented drink for motorists while driving (kvass contains up to 2.5% alcohol, which is contraindicated for drivers in any doses).
For the same reason, you should not take tea kvass during pregnancy, breastfeeding.

How to use kombucha for weight loss

The weight loss effect is explained by the following factors:

Tea kvass stimulates the processes of cleansing, including the intestines. For many overweight people, the intestines look like a clogged pipe. Active biological substances clean the inner walls of fecal deposits and bring them out. It looks like loose bowels and frequent urination.
Tea kvass enzymes (lipase/, protease) stimulate the breakdown of fats.
The components of the tea drink reduce the feeling of hunger.

How to use kombucha for weight loss? Here are some popular recipes:

Insist jellyfish on green tea.
Insist on herbal decoction (nettle leaves, raspberries and currants, buckthorn bark, dandelion roots, fennel fruits, parsley and caraway seeds, mint leaves, corn stigmas).
Insist jellyfish on compote.

Drink ready-made kvass ½ or 1 glass (200 ml) half an hour before meals (3-4 times a day). You can also drink it in the morning right after waking up to stimulate bowel cleansing.

Is it possible to use kombucha during pregnancy

Is kombucha good for pregnancy? The content of ethyl alcohol (2.5%) causes controversy about the benefits of a tea drink. The drink contains the largest amount of alcohol at the beginning of fermentation (up to 2.5%). In addition, tea supplies caffeine, which is also not healthy.

Alcohol and caffeine are active substances. Even in small concentrations, they are able to cross the placenta. Therefore, despite the low content of these substances, it is not recommended to use kombucha during pregnancy.

In the 19th century, a carbonated drink was produced on an industrial scale. In the 21st century, it is drunk and bred at home. Making kombucha at home is easy.

For the cultivation of jellyfish, glass jars with a volume of 1 to 5 liters are used (depending on the size of the jellyfish). If the thickness of the colony is more than 1.5 cm - take a jar of at least 3 liters. To speed up fermentation - leave ¼ of the finished drink.

Tea is brewed, cooled and filtered. Proportions for brewing: for 3 liters of water - 6-8 tablespoons of sugar and 2-3 tea bags.

When using tea bags, tea can be left unfiltered. If you are brewing tea without bags, then after 20 minutes you need to filter the brewed liquid. Sugar can be added immediately.

Filtered sweet tea is poured into a glass container and a jellyfish mushroom is placed in it. The neck of the jar is covered with gauze and placed for fermentation in a dark place. Direct rays of the sun should not fall on the surface of the glass container. As fermentation bubbles appear. You can determine the readiness of the drink by the bubbles and a slight sour smell.

Kvass fermentation takes 2-4 days in summer and 5-7 days in winter.

How to care for kombucha

Proper care of kombucha at home determines the quality of the drink. After all, this is a living organism, and in response to care, it gives a tasty and healthy drink.

What is contraindicated with proper care:

A tightly closed jar or other container. Bacteria and yeasts need to breathe. Without access to oxygen, they die.
Hot water. Bacteria and yeast die in boiling water and just hot water (like other living organisms, protein structures). Therefore, before adding the mushroom to tea, it is cooled to room temperature.
Sugar - a colony of microorganisms feeds on sugar dissolved in water. If you pour sugar directly on the surface of the mushroom, burns (holes, depressions) will appear.
The sun's rays - heat up the liquid in which the mushroom floats, and this leads to the partial death of its colony. Therefore, you can not keep it on a sunny windowsill.
Metal containers without enamel, ceramic surfaces. The fungus must be stored only in containers made of inert material (glass jars).
Smoke of cigarettes. In rooms where they often smoke, the medusa fungus is covered with mold.

A fungus or a colony of microorganisms must be stored in a glass container, under a gauze bandage, in a darkened corner of the kitchen. An indicator of the health of the colony is the position of the "jellyfish" on the surface of the liquid. If the medusomycete does not float for a long time, it is necessary to inspect it and remove the dead layers.

Like any living creature, a jellyfish colony needs periodic washing. The mushroom is rinsed 1 time in 7-10 days in clean cool water. To do this, the medusomycete is taken out of the container with tea, placed in an enameled dish (bowl, pan), into which water is poured and drained several times. After that, the mushroom is inspected for old yellow layers (if any, they are removed). The washed mushroom is placed back in a jar of brewed sweet tea.

Where to get or how to make kombucha

Where to get kombucha? And is it possible to grow it at home without having a donor colony? It turns out yes. If there is no person in your circle of acquaintances who could offer you a mushroom, grow it yourself on the basis of ordinary tea leaves and sugar. How to grow kombucha at home?

To grow a colony, ordinary leaf tea leaves without aromatic additives are needed.
We prepare a glass container (jar) - wash it with soda or mustard (cannot be washed with synthetic degreasers, they leave a mark on the surface and do not allow microorganisms to gather in colonies).
For half a liter of boiling water, take 5 tablespoons of tea leaves and 7 tablespoons of sugar. Brewed, cooled and filtered. Pour into a glass jar. Cover with gauze on top.
After 7-10 days, the smell of vinegar appears. After it passes, and a thin film of mucus forms on the surface. This is the germ of the future fungus. The time required for the formation of a primary colony is 1.5-2 months.

For growing kombucha, you can also use green tea, rosehip broth, sweet compote.

Growing kombucha at home is available to everyone. The cultivation technology is simple and accessible even to a child. The finished colony is a thin film of living bacteria that will eventually grow into a large mushroom and bring you health. In order for it to bring you only benefit, you can not use the old sour drink.