What is kombucha, how is it useful for humans, and how to grow it at home. Growing Kombucha

15.11.2019

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Water treatments for skin toning
While taking a bath, add a quarter liter of monthly extract of kombucha to the water. Stay in the water for at least 15 minutes to let the acid work on your skin. Infusion baths have a lasting regenerating effect on tired and dull skin.

Natural deodorant
In order to get rid of the unpleasant smell of sweat, first wash your armpits with soap, and then wipe with a towel dipped in a monthly infusion of kombucha. This is a very effective remedy. The infusion destroys bacteria that cause unpleasant odors, refreshes and tones the skin without disturbing its natural acidic environment.

Hair strengthening agent
Prepare one tablespoon of honey, one glass of 1 month old kombucha infusion. Heat the infusion, but do not bring it to a boil. Dissolve honey in it, then stir thoroughly. The resulting mixture must be evenly distributed over damp hair. If you want to lighten your hair slightly, use a decoction of chamomile flowers, to which add a monthly infusion of kombucha and honey. To dye your hair a reddish color, add one tablespoon of henna to distilled water, boil this mixture for ten minutes, then add to the infusion of monthly aging kombucha with honey.

How to infuse kombucha
A plate of kombucha must be placed in three liter jar after sterilizing it. You need to feed the mushroom with infused tea and sugar dissolved in it. The mushroom is infused for about a crescent, while it is desirable to maintain the temperature around 25 ° C. The jar should not be kept on the window, as excessive light slows down the vital processes of the kombucha. The same happens if the temperature drops (in addition, at temperatures below 17 ° C, blue-green algae grow in the mushroom, it acquires a dirty tint).

Sugar for infusion
There is no consensus on the amount of sugar. Some give one teaspoon per liter of solution, others advise diluting up to 125 grams of sugar. If the other conditions are met, the mushroom develops with any amount of sugar, the main thing is that it is present in the tea solution.Therefore, you need to add sugar to taste, but keep in mind that more of the mushroom's waste products are obtained from more of it, that is, the resulting drink will be more healing. The fungus burns and dies if undissolved sugar gets on it. It should be noted that sugar must be dissolved in boiled water: the calcium salts contained in raw water react with the waste products of the fungus (in particular, with gluconic acid), and calcium gluconate precipitates at the bottom of the jar.

Tea for infusion
The solution of which tea, black or green, to take for the nutrition of the mushroom does not have any decisive importance. This is important for the consumer of the mushroom infusion. If a person has low blood pressure or heartburn from green tea, black tea should be used for infusion. If black tea causes heart palpitations, green tea should be used instead. Can be added to tea different medicinal herbs(oregano, chamomile, mint), this only improves the beneficial properties of the mushroom infusion. But you cannot throw herbs directly into the jar with the mushroom - it will die. Adding honey to it enhances the effect of the infusion, but it must be added in moderation, otherwise the mushroom may die.

The jar must be covered with gauze so that dust and insects cannot get there. If all the conditions are met correctly, the infusion in the jar will be transparent all the time, and after a dozen days a new mushroom will form. Over time, the lower layers darken, which indicates old age and imminent dying, so they must be removed when washing the fungus. It is imperative to wash the mushroom: in the summer about once every half a month, in the winter - every month. It is impossible to permute the mushroom in solution, therefore approximately every half a month the drink is drained and corked into bottles. A new solution of sugar and tea is poured into the jar. If you want the mushroom to function faster after washing or separating the mushroom, as well as after draining the drink, you need to add about 10% of the previous one to the new solution.

Uses of Kombucha
We eat and drink in a hurry, move a little, constantly on our nerves ... The result of such a pace of life is a bunch of diseases. And it is not difficult to prevent the appearance of such a "gift" by using an easily accessible kombucha. Moreover, it is pleasant to drink a drink from it, it refreshes and invigorates, while it contains only natural ingredients. The drink is widely used in medicine and cosmetology. Although the remedy increases appetite, due to increased gastric motility, it allows the figure to remain slim and fit.

A person cannot yet prevent the aging process, but it is possible to slow down and slow it down. And, which has been proven for centuries of use, it is possible to do this with the help of kombucha. To do this, it is enough to take several glasses of infusion from it a day: its composition is a powerful prophylactic agent for almost all human diseases, which accelerate aging. About the use of kombucha in medicine and cosmetics can be said by a saying: it strengthens from the head to the tips of the nails. And this is correct, because even if the nails have become fragile, it is enough to hold them several times in the infusion of kombucha: the calcium balance will be restored, they will become healthy again.

Taking a mushroom drink, a person becomes mentally healthy. The drink calms, tones, mental fatigue goes away from it. Taking just one glass of tea kvass half an hour before a night's rest will allow you to forget about insomnia. It is much easier and faster to get out of a binge with this drink than with pills or pickle.

Kombucha also has a purely practical household use. At home, it has long been used to make vinegar. Moreover, if we used such vinegar for food purposes, then in India it was used to strengthen paints on fabrics. On an industrial scale, kombucha is grown not only for the production of a drink, but also for use in biological wastewater treatment. It should also be borne in mind that the increased attention to the mushroom on the part of scientists began relatively recently, therefore all its properties and possible areas of use have not yet been studied.

Kombucha treatment
If the fungus treatment in folk medicine has been around for several centuries, then official medicine began research in 1913.

Research on the action of the fungus in the field of therapy
It was then that the effect of the mushroom infusion on the healing of atherosclerosis, stomach and headaches was confirmed. In 1927, W. Geibner tested it on himself for the treatment of atherosclerosis with a positive result, and in 1958 L.N. Domestic scientists in the fifties also confirmed the effect of the infusion on reducing blood pressure and noted the effect of improving the condition of patients with tonsillitis the very next day after taking an eight-day infusion of the mushroom. It was also noted that a three-time intake of only 100 grams of infusion heals with gastritis and colitis. Experiments with animals have shown that instilling infusion into the eyes heals conjunctivitis, barley, and other infectious eye diseases. The positive effect of the infusion on the destruction of all harmful microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract was noted.

Surgical and Dental Practice and Kombucha
At first, it was noticed that cuts on the hands and feet with the formation of pus are quickly healed by the fungus. Then it turned out that even in deeper wounds, tissues were regenerated faster, cuts and lacerations were scarred. Kombucha began to be used for primary processing wounds, and then treatment. Healing after frostbite and burns began to take place much faster. Found that the infusion of the fungus stops the growth of metastases in cancer.

The strong bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect of the infusion has found application in dentistry. Bad breath is removed by rinsing the mouth with a half-monthly infusion, stomatitis disappears in a week with five daily rinsing. With periodontal disease, a four-day infusion is taken orally and the gums are rubbed with it.

Tellingly, kombucha, both in folk and traditional medicine, did not harm anyone. Even contraindications for use are conditional: well, who would think of using an infusion rich in sugars in diabetes mellitus, or driving, knowing about the alcohol content in the infusion.
Be healthy!

A carrier with a rough surface and hydrophilic properties, having an affinity for the culture of Kombucha, with biological adsorption of Kombucha, is loaded in layers into an open container, alternating with layers of film fragments of the Kombucha Medusomyces Gisevii Lindau culture. The nutrient solution is poured with the carrier immersed in it and kept under forced aeration at a temperature of 17-35 ° C for immobilization. In the production of a fermentation drink, a nutrient solution is prepared, filtered, cooled to a temperature of 17-35 ° C and poured into an open container with an immobilized Kombucha culture placed in it. The nutrient solution is fermented with forced aeration until the acidity reaches 3-7 units. As a carrier, crushed pieces of branches, shavings, wood chips are used, and as a nutrient solution, refined sugar - 5-12 wt.%, Black tea - 0.5-1.5 wt.% And drinking water - the rest. The invention makes it possible to ensure a reduction in the duration of processes, an increase in productivity and an improvement in the performance of a drink. 2 n. and 11 c.p. f-crystals, 1 tab., 2 ex.

The invention relates to the food microbiological industry and can be used in the production of a culture of "kombucha" and in the production of non-alcoholic and low alcohol drinks fermentation using the culture of "kombucha".

It is known to produce a drink based on kombucha at home, according to which a glass container with a volume of three liters is used as a container for cultivating a culture of "kombucha" and fermenting a nutrient solution. A nutrient solution consisting of not very strong sweet tea, about 5 tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of black or green tea infusion per 1 liter of water is poured into a container with a culture of "kombucha". The tea is cooled to room temperature and add sourdough - infusion of the mushroom from the jar, where the mushroom was previously contained, 1/10 of the total volume of the liquid. Next, the mushroom is placed in a jar, the throat of the jar is closed with gauze to prevent dust and small midges from entering the jar, but while providing air access to the jar. Next, the jar with the contents is placed in a dark, warm place at about a temperature of 25 ° C, for 4-10 days it is allowed to brew with the possibility of fermentation to the desired acidity, the time of which depends on the temperature. Then the resulting infusion is poured into another glass jar with a tight lid and allow to mature for several days, for example five, in a cool place. At this time, the bacteria cease to function without access to air, and the yeast continues to ferment the nutrient solution, saturating the drink with fermentation gases (carbon dioxide). The information presented is posted on the website http://combucha.ru/inctruktsiya_po_uhodu_i_prigotovleniyu_napitka_chaynogo_griba.html in the article “Combucha. Natural sources of health ".

There is also known a method for the production of a drink based on kombucha under industrial conditions (see RU 2153816 "Drink, a method for producing a cultured liquid of a kombucha and a method for producing a drink", IPC 7 A23L 2/00, A23L 2/38, A23F 3/14, published 08/10/2000.). In accordance with this method, the biomass of kombucha is grown on a nutrient medium from tea infusion with a sugar-containing product. The resulting culture liquid is used to prepare the base of the drink. The base consists of a culture liquid and tea infusion with a sugar-containing product. The base is kept under anaerobic conditions, which is accompanied by a decrease in mass fraction dry substances. This method was chosen as a prototype.

Both the first analogue and the prototype have the disadvantage that traditional production is based on a surface method of cultivating kombucha and preparing a drink using it. The surface method requires a long time to build up the biomass of kombucha and a long time to prepare the drink, which increases the production cycle and thereby limits the volume of production, increases the cost of the drink. Calculations show that the productivity of the fungus film during its surface cultivation is very low, and the rate of acidification of the culture liquid is 0.03-0.08 K / h, where K is the acidity of the fermented drink, which is taken as the amount in cm 3 0.1 mol / dm 3 of NaOH solution used to neutralize 100 cm 3 of the culture liquid (drink) sample, expressed in acidity units (acidity units).

The objective of the invention is to reduce the duration of cultivation of the microbial consortium of kombucha by using a submerged cultivation method.

The objective is also to shorten the duration of preparation of a drink based on the culture of "kombucha" by accelerating the fermentation of the nutrient solution using the in-depth method of preparing the drink.

The task of reducing the duration of cultivation of the microbial consortium of kombucha is solved as follows.

Take a carrier, which is used as organic and inorganic materials harmless to humans and any consumer of the drink and for the culture of kombucha materials with a rough surface and hydrophilic properties, having an affinity for the culture of kombucha (kombucha film), possessing biological adsorption of kombucha. As a carrier, for example, pieces of wood crushed to a size of 2 5 × 1 2 × 1 2 cm can be used, for example, linden, in the form of cylindrical bars from pieces of branches, chips, shavings, etc., which are pre-moistened to full moisture saturation. The carrier with a layer of 1-2 cm is loaded into an open-type container (cultivator, fermenter), with air access to the container, and a layer of film fragments of the microbial consortium of the Kombucha Medusomyces Gisevii Lindau of about the same size as the carrier is placed on the carrier layer. the amount of 2 10% of the volume of the carrier, then these layers are alternated several times until they fill the container. Next, the carrier with the fragments of the kombucha film, placed in a container, is poured with a mixture of the original nutrient solution and a previously fermented nutrient solution (culture fluid) in a ratio of 95 80%: 5-20% at a temperature of 17-35 ° C. The amount of the nutrient mixture, consisting of the nutrient solution and the culture liquid, is prepared in such an amount that is necessary to completely fill the carrier with film fragments with an excess of the liquid level above them by 0.5 1.5 cm. Accompanied by the process at a temperature of 17-35 ° With and forced aeration of the nutrient mixture by keeping the layers in the specified nutrient mixture, the culture of the Kombucha Medusomyces Gisevii Lindau is immobilized on the carrier. Forced aeration is carried out with an air flow rate of 2-8 air volumes per 1 volume of nutrient solution. Every day or once every two days during the immobilization process, the fermented nutrient mixture is replaced with a fresh nutrient mixture to intensify the immobilization process. The immobilization process is carried out until the surface of the carrier is completely overgrown with a transparent or opaque kombucha film, while the thickness of the immobilized film on the carrier surface will be at least 3 mm. The specified level of film thickness and its monolithic adsorbability and integrity over the entire surface of the carrier is an indicator of the normal immobilization of the Kombucha culture on the carrier. Further, the carrier with the immobilized Kombucha culture can be used either for further production of the culture (for a film using a new carrier), or / and for the production of a drink using the immobilized Kombucha culture. In this case, the nutrient solution is prepared from the following amount of its components, wt%:

Sources of nitrogen and growth factors are used as a growth component: berries, herbs, pieces of fruits and vegetables, black tea, green tea, coffee or their mixtures.

The task of reducing the duration of preparation of a drink based on the culture of kombucha is solved by the method of preparing a drink using a culture of kombucha, in which a nutrient solution is prepared, filtered, cooled to a temperature of 17-35 ° C, this nutrient mixture is poured into a container - an open-type cultivator with a in it with a culture of kombucha in the form of a monolithic film, the resulting composition of the fermentation system is kept at the specified temperature to ferment the nutrient solution until it reaches the specified acidity.

The difference between the proposed method of producing a drink from the prototype is as follows. The culture of the Kombucha Medusomyces Gisevii Lindau is used immobilized on the carrier. The carrier with the culture of Kombucha immobilized on it is placed in a container with the carrier immersed in a nutrient solution, for which a load or oppression is used, the nutrient solution is fermented under conditions of forced aeration with an air flow rate of 2-8 air volumes per 1 volume of the nutrient solution. In this case, a nutrient solution is used from the following qualitative and quantitative composition of its components, wt%:

This nutrient solution is additionally added with an infusion of kombucha (culture liquid) obtained from the previous fermentation of the nutrient solution in a ratio of 95 80%: 5 20%.

Fermentation is carried out until the specified acidity of the nutrient solution is reached in the range of 3-7 units. acidity.

Refined sugar, raw cane sugar, sugar-containing product in terms of the specified amount of the nutritional component, some types of carbohydrates and polysaccharides, such as potato and corn starch, can be used as a nutritional component. soy flour as well as their fermentolysates and hydrolysates or mixtures thereof.

As a growth component, nitrogen sources and growth factors are used: berries, herbs, pieces of fruits and vegetables, black tea, green tea, coffee, etc., or their mixtures.

Temperature range 17-35 ° С described technological processes is the normal fermentation range of the nutrient solution for which 28 ° C is the optimum fermentation temperature.

The presented methods are not limited to the proposed mode of forced aeration with an air flow rate in the ratio of 2-8 air volumes per 1 volume of nutrient solution, it can be changed in favor of a more costly mode with a large specific air consumption with significant volumes of nutrient solution used.

The presented methods are not limited to the proposed achievement of the acidity level of the nutrient solution in the range of 3-7 units. acidity. This range of acidity is 3-7 units. acidity was selected based on the recommendations of the tasting committee, which are subjective. For certain, for example medicinal, purposes, the acidity level may be less than the declared 3 units. acidity (for use by children and patients with gastritis) and more than 7 units. acidity (when used by patients with low acidity and in the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases oral cavity and intestines in humans and animals).

The following materials were used as a carrier: wood of various types of wood, Activated carbon, ceramics.

The methods were carried out as follows.

A nutrient solution was prepared in accordance with the following recipe:

The solution was prepared as follows. Sugar was added to the water in the indicated amounts, and it was heated until the sugar was completely dissolved. A measured amount of tea was added to the hot sugar solution and heated to boiling for brewing. The tea was infused for 15-20 minutes. Then the nutrient solution was filtered while hot to completely remove tea particles. The filtered nutrient solution was cooled to a temperature of 17-35 ° C. The specified nutrient solution was poured into an open-type container with a film of the fungus culture immobilized on a carrier in the form of linden bars, and the infusion of kombucha (culture liquid) obtained from the previous fermentation of the nutrient solution in the amount of 5-20% of the amount of the nutrient solution was added, and forced aeration was switched on with an air flow rate of 4 air volumes per 1 volume of nutrient solution. Under these conditions, the nutrient solution was kept in a container at a specified temperature to an acidity level of 4 units. acidity.

The table gives the conditions and parameters of the fermentation process in comparison with the prototype, which are as follows.

As can be seen from the examples, with the same composition of the nutrient solution, the weight of the nutrient solution, the area of the kombucha film, the mirror of the nutrient solution in the fermenter, the initial amount of the kombucha culture film, the duration of the cultivation of the kombucha culture in example 2, in accordance with the invention, the production performance improved dramatically, namely, the daily increase in the acidity of the nutrient solution, the increase in the biomass of the culture, the rate of its accumulation, and also the rate of acid formation increased, the duration of fermentation sharply decreased at the set final acidity, the productivity of fermentation of the drink increased, the specific productivity of fermentation of the drink, as from the area of the kombucha film, and from a unit of biomass, etc. Improvement of indicators indicates a greater efficiency of production of a drink based on an immobilized culture of kombucha by a deep method compared to a surface one.

Reducing the fermentation time of the drink is acceptable for its production on an industrial scale, large areas are not needed to install many containers to ensure the required volume of production, and the production cycle is shortened.

Table of comparative examples according to the prototype and according to the invention
Process parameters	Prototype	Invention
1. Method of cultivation	Surface	Deep
2. The composition of the nutrient solution (PR),%	2.1. Refined sugar	10	10
2.2.a Black tea	1,5	1,5
2.2.b Green tea	1,0	1,0
2.2.in Coffee	0,5	0,5
2.3. Water	88,5/89/89,5	88,5/89/89,5
3. Fermentation temperature, ° С	28	28
4. Aeration, (air volume / PR volume) / min	Natural	4
5. The total volume of the fermentation system (FS), l	1,4	1,4
5. Composition of FS mass, kg	5.1. PR weight	1,0	1,0
5.2. Kombucha Film Weight	0,41	0,88
5.3. Carrier weight (immobilizer)	-	0,7
Total total mass of FS	1,41	2,58
6. Daily increase in acidity PR, K	1,92	7,9
7. Rate of acid formation, K / h	0,08	0,33
8. Duration of fermentation PR at a set K = 4.0 h	50	12
9. Productivity of beverage fermentation, l / day	0,48	2,0
10. Specific productivity of fermentation of the drink from the volume of FS, l / l × day	0,34	1,11
11. The area of the kombucha film in the mirror of the PR of the fermenter, m 2	0,0133	0,0133
12. Specific productivity of fermentation of the drink from the area of the kombucha film, l / m2 × day	36,1	150,4
13. Specific productivity of beverage fermentation per unit of biomass, l / kg × day	1,2	2,3
14. The established initial amount of the film culture of kombucha, kg	0,7	0,7
15. Established duration of cultivation of a culture of kombucha, day	35	35
16. Increase in biomass of Kombucha culture, kg	0,34	0,81
17. The rate of biomass accumulation of the Kombucha culture, kg / day	0,0097	0,0231
18. Estimated duration of growing kombucha, day	103	43

CLAIM

1. A method for the production of a culture of "kombucha", in which a carrier with a rough surface and hydrophilic properties is taken, which has an affinity for the culture of kombucha, has a biological adsorption of kombucha, the carrier is loaded in layers into an open container, alternating with layers of film fragments of a culture of kombucha Medusomyces Gisevii Lindau, then a nutrient solution from nutrient and growth components is poured into the container with the carrier immersed in the nutrient solution and at a temperature of 17-35 ° C, accompanied by the forced aeration of the solution, the carrier with the Kombucha culture is kept in the specified solution, immobilizing the tea culture fungus on a carrier, while the nutrient solution is prepared from the following composition of its components, wt%:

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that pieces of wood in the form of cylindrical bars made from pieces of branches, chips, shavings, which are pre-moistened to full moisture saturation, are used as a carrier.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that refined sugar is used as a nutritional component.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that nitrogen sources and the growth factor — black tea — are used as the growth component.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that forced aeration is carried out with an air flow rate in the ratio of 2-8 air volumes per 1 volume of nutrient solution.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that 5-20% of the culture liquid from the previous Kombucha production process is added to the nutrient solution.

7. A method of producing a fermentation drink based on a culture of kombucha, in which a nutrient solution is prepared, filtered, cooled to a temperature of 17-35 ° C, poured into an open container with a culture of kombucha placed in it, the resulting composition of the fermentation system is kept at the specified temperature for fermenting the nutrient solution until it reaches the set acidity, characterized in that the culture of the Kombucha Medusomyces Gisevii Lindau, immobilized on the carrier and obtained by the method according to claim 1, is used, the carrier is immersed in the nutrient solution and fermented under forced aeration conditions, while the nutrient the solution has the following composition, wt%:

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that pieces of wood in the form of cylindrical bars made from pieces of branches, chips, shavings, which are pre-moistened to full moisture saturation, are used as a carrier.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that refined sugar is used as a nutritional component.

10. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that nitrogen sources and the growth factor — black tea — are used as the growth component.

11. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that forced aeration is carried out with an air flow rate in the ratio of 2-8 air volumes per 1 volume of nutrient solution.

12. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the fermentation is carried out until the acidity of the nutrient solution is 3-7 units. acidity.

13. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that 5-20% of the culture liquid from the previous fermentation process of the nutrient solution is additionally added to the nutrient solution.

(Manchu mushroom)

kombucha - a note to the mushroom fan

✎ What is Kombucha?

Tea mushroom, which is known all over the world and therefore is not called as soon as:

Manchu mushroom,
Japanese uterus,
Japanese sponge,
tea jellyfish,
tea kvass,
galley,
fango,

quite well distributed in Russia. Its scientific name is jellyfish due, precisely, to the resemblance to a jellyfish. Today it is cultivated throughout Asia and Europe and consists of microorganisms: acetic acid bacteria and yeast fungi. And he insists on tea leaves with sugar and, at the same time, always floats on the surface of the tea, similar to a multilayer yellowish film with processes like the tentacles of a jellyfish. However, despite its name, it does not fall under the concept of mushrooms.
Biologically tea mushroom is a community of various microorganisms belonging to the class of bacteria zooglea. Literally zooglea (from Latin zoo - animal and gloea - sticky substance or from Greek zoo - living creature and gloios - glue) is a living colony formed by the joint coexistence (symbiosis) of several types of organisms at once, which provide its high nutritional healing properties allowing him not only to prevent, but even to treat a variety of diseases.
Modern medicine treats this in different ways, someone admits it, considering it harmless to use, others, on the contrary, deny the healing properties. Well, as for Russian specialists, the vast majority of them share the opinion about the positive possibilities in using kombucha.
Of course, such conclusions cannot be called hasty, and they were not made from scratch. Thorough scientific research was carried out on this matter, other, alternative opinions and points of view were weighed and evaluated. And in order to make the only correct decision in using it, you should ask people who have had experience with it and have received a positive result for themselves.
The most common among all zoogles are:

teahouse (Manchu kvass),
dairy (Chinese (Tibetan) mushroom),
rice (Indian sea rice),
wine (Japanese mushroom).

They all differ in appearance and in the method of making drinks based on them. Tea and milk mushrooms more like a living organism, and rice or wine mushrooms are strikingly different from them.

✎ About the origin of kombucha

How the kombucha appeared is still a mystery. The version of mycologists engaged in such research is as follows: Ceylon is considered the official homeland, and it was from there that this culture spread first to India, and later to China, where it was considered a sure way to prolong life. After that, it penetrated into Manchuria, and from there to Eastern Siberia and further, throughout Russia, kombucha spread only on the eve of the 19th century.
It was brought as a trophy by participants in the Russo-Japanese War (this is the main version) and already from Russia, on the eve of the 20th century, "tea kvass" spread throughout Europe.
And in Central Russia, kombucha originally came from the Volga region and quickly spread throughout its territory, from where it moved to Belarus, the Baltic States, Ukraine and the Transcaucasus. And already at that time the Slavic peoples highly appreciated him original taste and health benefits. And by 1940, almost every family had tea kvass.
However, during the Great Patriotic War, he almost completely disappeared from the USSR. This is easily explained by the fact that during the war there was famine in the country and food (and especially sugar) was difficult to find, and without sugar it is impossible to prepare tea and mushroom infusion.
But immediately after the end of the war, the situation quickly changed and in the early 1950s, kombucha reappeared in many Russian families and European families, so much so that by the mid-50s of the XX century it became the most favorite drink in Italy. Well, in our (present time) it is freely sold and is extremely popular in many pharmacies in Europe.

✎ About the beneficial properties of kombucha

The original use of kombucha in Europe was for vinegar production at home. So, for example, in England, France or Prussia, vinegar was also made from it on an industrial scale (according to the so-called Orleans method) - in open wooden containers in which the fungus films reached a weight of 100 kilograms or more.
But not only for this they used kombucha. It was found that during the fermentation of acetic bacteria and of various kinds yeast that makes up kombucha is formed ethanol... And also, thanks to him, caffeine and various acids are present in his infusion: acetic, oxalic, lactic, citric, phosphoric and gluconic. And also, as a result of such fermentation, vitamins (C and D) are released. And this is only a small part of what the infusion of kombucha can be oversaturated during its fermentation.
Due to the variety of useful properties and substances, the infusion from it is able to solve many problems with human health, for example, treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, constipation or hemorrhoids) or relieve hypotension, tonsillitis and enterocolitis, or dysentery and scarlet fever.
It also acts as an antibiotic and can help treat flu, sore throat and acute respiratory infections, treat ear, throat, nose, and eye problems (conjunctivitis), and even heal infected wounds. But perhaps the most amazing thing is that this amazing mushroom is able to cope with such a terrible disease as tuberculosis. Of course, he will not completely cure him, but he will greatly ease the course and consequences of the disease itself.

✎ About the magical properties of kombucha

In addition to the fact that kombucha is recognized as useful, it is also credited with miraculous power.

It is believed that if you mentally ask for a kombucha, then it will fulfill any desire. And for this you need to contact him every day, early in the morning (at dawn) or late at night (before bedtime), making a secret wish, while uttering your request aloud, but always in a whisper, so that no one except the mushroom itself would hear it.
You need to do this for a whole week, and keep your "contract" with the mushroom in strict "secrecy" and remember that the mushroom itself must be placed at the head of the bed, but the desire to make a guess, firmly pressing the jar with its infusion to your chest ...

~ folk wisdom ~

Ravings of a madman! Not otherwise. But such a "syndrome" based on the tale of the goldfish did not appear out of nowhere, but thanks to (even if it does not seem ridiculous) the conclusions of experts in psychobacteriology. They argue that bacteria are able to store information, transferring it from person to person (and, apparently, from fungus to person! - author's note).

✎ About cooking kombucha

In order to prepare kombucha, you need to do the following:

Take capacity ( better bank, be sure to glass and larger in size), pour warm boiled water into it, add sugar and tea leaves (based on 100 grams of sugar and 2 teaspoons of tea leaves for 1 liter of water.

Pour the solution obtained in this way into a container in which the culture of kombucha is located. Only you can't put sugar directly on the mushroom itself, from this it can get burned or even die. Therefore, the liquid must be prepared separately, and honey or fructose can be used instead of sugar.

After combining the contents of 2 containers, the resulting infusion must be covered, but, in no case, not with a tight lid, but better with gauze folded in several layers and store this jar with infusion at an ambient temperature of + 25 ° C and away from direct sun rays.

Important note:

It is necessary to infuse kombucha:
summer- no more than 4 days,
in winter- no longer than a week.
When the infusion is already ready, it must be poured into another container, and a fresh dose of prepared water must be added to the vacated container (to the culture remaining in it) for re-infusion ...

~ folk wisdom ~

✎ Conclusions and conclusions

Kombucha should be taken care of and for this 2 times a week it should be rinsed with cool, but not very cold, water. And when he grows up, you can separate one or several of his layers, grow a new culture out of them and transfer it to personal property to close relatives, friends and acquaintances!

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

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

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

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

The benefits and harms of kombucha

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

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

Beneficial features kombucha:

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

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

With its many beneficial properties, kombucha has contraindications:

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

Growing technology

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

How to Grow Kombucha from Scratch:

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

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

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

Dividing and growing kombucha

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

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

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

Kombucha care and disease

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

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

How to care for kombucha:

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

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

Video about growing kombucha at home

The first mentions of the mushroom are found in Chinese written sources during the Han dynasty. It is about 250 BC and the drink from it was called the elixir of health and immortality. The word "kombucha" (kombucha) comes from Japanese tea from seaweed kombu - "kombu-cha", which was mistaken for the product of kombucha.

Kombucha became popular in Russia after the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). According to one version, it was brought home by soldiers returning home. However, there is evidence that kombucha was used in the 19th century by the inhabitants of Irkutsk. With the help of the mushroom drink, they strengthened their health.

Kombucha, aka Japanese mushroom, medusomycete, or even Medusomyces gisevi, but in everyday life just a "mushroom" is a combination of acetic acid microorganisms and a colony of yeast fungi. From the USA to Europe, a fashion came to us to call kombucha "kombucha" (from the Japanese word "kombucha"), but in Spain and southern France it is called "hongo".

The body of the fungus is disc-shaped, dense, smooth and shiny on top, a colony of fungi and bacteria lives in the center, which process sugar, and the bottom of the medusomycete is a growth zone consisting of hanging filaments formed by colonies of bacteria. The mushroom is constantly growing, filling all the space allotted to it, therefore, on an industrial scale, its body weight can reach 100 kg.

The more layers a mushroom has, the stronger and healthier it is, but the more difficult it is to manage - it is more difficult to remove it from the jar, rinse it properly. If your mushroom has grown fat, remove one or two layers and present them to other kombucha lovers, let them grow.

The mushroom lives in a transparent glass container and feeds on sweet tea. The variety of tea can be any, and instead of sugar, you can add honey or fructose. You can replace tea with herbal infusions, but you cannot use those types of tea and herbs that contain a lot of essential oils (for example, sage, pepper, chamomile, wild currant, and a number of others). From such infusions, jellyfish can get sick.

The yeast that lives in the fungus ferments sugar to form alcohol and carbon dioxide, and fungal bacteria oxidize ethyl alcohol to acetic acid... Thanks to these processes, an 8% solution of sugar in tea turns into a sweet and sour slightly carbonated drink - "tea kvass".

The main components of the infusion of jellyfish on sweet black tea are gluconic and kojic acids, lactic, acetic and carbonic acids, small amounts of citric and malic acids, sugar, caffeine, up to 2.5% ethanol, vitamins of group B, C, D, PP , various aromatic substances, protease enzymes, amylase and catalase.

Why is kombucha useful?

Kombucha, aka Japanese or jellyfish mushroom, was brought to Russia by soldiers after the Russo-Japanese War. It is one of the best remedies for the treatment of liver and gallbladder diseases. The fungus increases the activity of the digestive glands, effectively treats atherosclerosis and sore throat, normalizes blood pressure and sleep.

The body of the Kombucha resembles a jellyfish, which is why it was nicknamed by the people. On top of the mushroom is absolutely smooth, and on the bottom there are countless yeast bacteria, which do the main work (prepare a medicinal and tasty tincture).

Kombucha is a biological substrate that contains yeast and acetic acid fermentation products. In appearance, it is a mucous layered film that floats on the surface of a nutrient medium, for example, juice or tea. The liquid in which the mushroom lives turns into a carbonated drink like kvass. The mushroom can fill any container and eventually reach a hundred kilograms!

The beneficial properties of kombucha have been known for a long time in eastern countries.

Japanese geisha drank it to maintain a slim figure, used it to remove warts and remove age spots on the face and body, rinse the hair with a solution after washing. In Indonesia, this natural medicine was used as an effective antidote for various poisonings.

The benefits of kombucha for the body are due to the presence of a large number of biologically active substances in it. Infusions based on it contain organic and carbonic acids, wine alcohol, polysaccharides, proteins, sugars, aromatic oils, vitamins of group B, B1, C, P, enzymes. Found also substances similar to ascorbic acid, and valuable trace elements (calcium, iodine, zinc). Even in kombucha, bacteria with antibiotic properties were found. They are able to kill or significantly slow down the development of many pathogenic microbes.

Contraindications

The opinion that a drink using kombucha is absolutely safe and healthy for almost everyone is wrong. It also has contraindications. One of them is related to the way it is grown.

After all, this mushroom is very fond of sugar. Actually, its normal growth assumes the presence of liquid, usually it is weakly brewed tea, with a sugar content of up to 9%. This concentration is unacceptable for people with diabetes. So they are just contraindicated in kombucha.

Various fungal diseases, as well as obesity, can, for the same reason (the presence of a large amount of sugar), become a contraindication in the use of this product.

It is worth being careful with the infusion and people who have a not entirely healthy gastrointestinal tract. The acidic component of the fungus can provoke an exacerbation of gastritis, stomach ulcers. Duodenal ulcer can also make itself felt.

Another feature of kombucha is that the alcohol content, albeit small, serves as a warning to those taking medication. Indeed, many of them are absolutely incompatible with alcohol and their combination with a drink, which is also called tea kvass, can lead to unpleasant consequences.

For example, you cannot combine a drink with some types of antibiotics. Especially with the so-called group of fluoroquinolones (nolicin, tsiprolet, others).

Do not use with this product and the drugs familiar to many - analgin and paracetamol. The combination of these medicines with the alcohol in the kombuche it can lead to bone marrow destruction. Such an explosive mixture also damages the liver. The combination of some components of the medusomycete and the named drugs negatively affects the nervous system.

Combining a strong infusion of Japanese mushroom, this is another name of the product, with antifungal drugs, most often causes a headache. Sleeping pills and tranquilizers become more toxic in the company of tea kvass.

Do not take a mushroom infused with green tea when the pressure is low.

How to grow kombucha at home

Ingredients

5 tbsp. l. black tea without additives and flavors
0.5 l boiling water
7 tbsp. l. Sahara

Preparation

Pour boiling water over the tea and let the tea brew steep, then add sugar and stir.
Thoroughly wash a liter jar with baking soda or sterilize in the microwave.
Strain the tea leaves through cheesecloth into a prepared jar.
Cover the jar with a fresh layer of cheesecloth and place in a dark place.
After 4-6 weeks, the characteristic vinegar aroma will appear, and then a thin layer of mushroom will form on the infusion surface.
Carefully remove the mushroom and transfer it to a three-liter jar filled with weak tea.
Once a week in the summer, rinse the mushroom with boiled warm water... In winter, it is enough to carry out the procedure every 3-4 weeks.
Transplant the mushroom periodically into another jar, sterilized or washed with vinegar.
Store the jar in a dark, draft-free place, away from direct sunlight.

Kombucha care

You can buy kombucha via the Internet - there are sites that send it by mail or deliver it to your home by courier. In addition, you can ask your friends for help - those who already have it will be happy to share this with you. useful product, since the mushroom body, with proper care, multiplies well and requires regular division into layers.

Kombucha is less demanding to care for than milk mushroom, but this does not mean that you can forget about it. It should be remembered that it does not like direct sunlight, so do not store it on a windowsill. Rinse warm boiled water and fill it with a new solution according to the following scheme: in the summer - once every 3-4 days, in the winter - once every 5-6 days. In addition, the mushroom body does not tolerate boiling water and is very hot water, and also begins to die if you place it where the temperature is below 17 degrees.

A jar of kombucha cannot be closed with a lid - it must breathe. Cover the container with gauze, folded in 3-4 layers, and fix it with an elastic band so that dust does not get into the liquid and insects do not make their way. By the way, when you pour out the finished drink, do it also through cheesecloth or through a strainer so that the exfoliated particles of the mushroom do not end up in your drink.

In addition, regularly inspect the mushroom body - too dark, brown top indicates that it is starting to get sick. Small holes that appear on it, as well as a change in position, are considered an alarming factor - a healthy mushroom easily sticks to the surface, and a damaged one sinks to the bottom or stands on an edge.

It is impossible to use the infusion of sick kombucha, as it is fraught with serious poisoning. If the lower layer of the mushroom body is still healthy, then carefully separate it, rinse it, fill it with warm boiled water (25 degrees), hold it in it for 1-2 days and start breeding again, that is, place it in a sweet tea solution and leave it for 3-4 day. At first, the mushroom may lie on the bottom, but when the fermentation process is in full force, it will rise to the surface.

Treatment of diseases

The beneficial properties of the drink serve as a powerful antibiotic. Fermented tea works against a number of pathogenic microorganisms and is used for therapeutic purposes. Indications for the use of tea are as follows:

Oncology. The beneficial properties of the drink inhibit the growth of malignant tumors and are effective in preventing cancer (for example, of the pancreas or breast).
Diabetes. Kombucha inhibits and lowers blood glucose levels. It also has a healing effect on the pancreas, liver and kidney function by reducing the concentration of urea in the blood in diabetes mellitus. However, it is necessary to consult an endocrinologist on the possibility of using such a drink for various forms of diabetes, since it is prepared in a sweet environment, it must be diluted mineral water and dose the use.
Arthritis. The unique drink offers significant advantages in the treatment of all forms of arthritis. The presence of hyaluronic acid in tea supports the structure of the cartilage, reduces soreness of symptoms, and provides elasticity to the joints by expanding the connective tissue.
Stomach ulcer. Antioxidants and phenols (organic compounds) in tea offer an effective treatment for stomach ulcers and relieve symptoms of the disease.
Digestive problems. Kombucha is an excellent probiotic that stimulates digestive functions, maintains intestinal health, and relieves constipation and diarrhea.
Overweight. The drink speeds up metabolism, activates metabolism and, in general, ensures the correct functioning of digestion. Therefore, using kombucha for weight loss will be effective.
Many women consume kombucha during pregnancy. The properties of the drink contribute to the healthy development of the fetus in the womb. However, you can take tea kvass only in the absence of serious diseases and according to the doctor's recommendations.

Treatment of colds with infusion of kombucha

In almost all cases of colds, a tincture made in water will come to the rescue.

Monthly infusion of kombucha should be poured into a glass or earthenware container, poured with vodka from the ratio of eight parts of vodka to two parts of kombucha. Insist for 10-15 days in a dark place. Strain and refrigerate.

If you have a cough, the most important thing is to find the cause. It can be a cold, enlarged glands, flu. Perhaps it is associated with the use of a product that irritates your nervous system. When the cause of the cough is found, you can also look for a way to eliminate it. But the cough itself can be eliminated by gargling with sage broth, eucalyptus oil, lemon juice and honey, as well as grinding the throat with glycerin and baking soda.

The cough will stop when the source of irritation is removed. But if a cough is only a symptom of a disease, then it is necessary to eliminate the cause, and not suppress the cough. One of better ways toning the body - hot baths followed by cold showers and eat more antioxidants - onions, garlic, chives and ginger.

Kombucha slimming

Kombucha helps to normalize metabolism and improve bowel function, resulting in weight loss as well. To get a visible effect, you need to drink 3 glasses of infusion every day one hour before meals. But losing weight just with this drink will not work. This method works in combination with other remedies.

To lose weight on kombucha, you must spend at least a 3-month course. At the same time, after each month, you need to take a break for one week.

You can prepare an infusion of teas for weight loss, which will help enhance the effect.

A very useful and tasty drink is obtained from kombucha, cooked in herbal decoctions. You can use nettle, black currant leaves, lingonberry, raspberry, nettle, rose hips, yarrow. To prepare broths, 2 tablespoons of the mixture are poured into 1 liter of water.

Kombucha in cosmetology

If your nails are ingrowing, use a kombucha compress. Peel off the mushroom and wrap one part of the finger with the ingrown nail, cover cling film, and on top put on two socks - regular and woolen. Three procedures are enough to completely soften and remove the nail.
To accelerate hair growth, strengthen it and make it thicker, rub the infusion of kombucha into the scalp, massaging it.
Rinsing your hair with tea kvass after shampooing will give your hair shine, softness and rich color.
To strengthen hair, a drink made from kombucha can be taken orally, drinking it in turn with meals.
To get rid of dandruff, after shampooing, using gauze, moisten the skin and hair roots with the infusion of the mushroom, and after 30 minutes, wash your hair again.
You can make a hair mask by stirring a tablespoon of honey in a glass of mushroom infusion. The heated mixture is applied to damp hair, and after 20 minutes, rinsed with an infusion of chamomile flowers.
Acne is advised to be treated with lotions from infusion of kombucha.
To make a mask for nails and skin of hands, mix in equal proportions olive oil and infusion of the mushroom.
For dry skin, prepare a mask, the components of which will be warm tea kvass (4 tablespoons), wheat bran (3 tablespoons) and honey (3 teaspoons).
If you mix 1 to 1 mushroom infusion and still mineral water, you get a tonic for the face. Wipe your skin with it twice a day after washing your face.
You can use the kombucha drink as a natural deodorant, rubbing the infusion over the areas that sweat the most.