Beneficial properties of kombucha: how to care for and use

There is a lot of talk about the beneficial effects of kombucha drink on the human body. And you may get the impression that it is immeasurable.

But in fact, kombucha is attributed either to the beneficial properties of its individual components, or to the effect that has been shown in experiments on animals and in vitro. Almost no one has seriously studied this product in clinical settings.

What is kombucha or kombucha?

This is a naturally fermented drink made from tea (black or green) and sugar.

To start the fermentation process of sweet tea, you need to add a SCOBY to it (SCOBY) - a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.

The drink originated in ancient China, where it was called “tea of immortality.” It has been popular for centuries in Europe, Japan and Russia. Not so long ago it migrated overseas, where it created a real sensation as another “superproduct”.

What composition of kombucha is responsible for its beneficial properties?

Kombucha is made from black or green tea. Therefore, the beneficial components of the drink largely coincide with those present in the brew itself. Other healing compounds are formed during the fermentation process.

Contains:

catechins with antioxidant activity;
amino acid L-theanine, which promotes relaxation;
stimulant caffeine;
glucuronic and glucaric acids, responsible for the detoxifying activity of the drink;
acetic acid, which destroys pathogens and helps fight obesity;
butyric acid, useful for detoxification and suppression of inflammation;
lactic acid, which nourishes brain neurons;
raspberry acid, which prevents the rapid onset of muscle fatigue and improves the appearance of the skin;
oxalic acid, which improves energy metabolism and suppresses the proliferation of cancer cells.

The kombucha drink is rich in probiotics - beneficial bacteria and fungi that support the functioning of the intestinal biocenosis.

Kombucha contains alcohol (ethanol) - no more than 0.5% in commercially available products and up to 3% in homemade versions.
There must be sugar, without which the fermentation process will not proceed.

Video about kombucha

Watch a detailed video on how to properly care for kombucha in a jar at home.

We recommend reading informative articles with the help of which you will learn how to properly care for prickly, but so attractive - cacti -, learn the basic rules for caring for fragrant - geraniums -, what care methods are used for flowering - cyclamen -, what are the optimal conditions for good growth - Kalanchoe—.

Dear readers, write how and why you use the medusomycetoma drink, what you use to grow it and how you care for it.

Why can you drink kombucha if you have diabetes?

In animal experiments, kombucha has been shown to have antidiabetic effects. Drink:

protects pancreatic β-cells necessary for insulin synthesis;
slows down the breakdown of food carbohydrates, preventing a sharp rise in blood glucose levels after eating;
helps prevent diabetes complications.

Although the findings look promising, scientists are not yet considering kombucha drink as a true antidiabetic agent.
Because to date no clinical studies have been conducted. However, there are no contraindications for its use by diabetics. But it is important to monitor the amount of sugar in the product, as the commercially prepared versions sold in the store may have too much of it.

Storing Kombucha

For the development of useful, valuable kombucha, it needs specific conditions of maintenance and subsequent storage.

The air temperature is no more than +25 degrees and a dark, secluded place. If the air temperature drops below +17 degrees, the mushroom will begin to lose its activity and will begin to overgrow with blue-green algae on top. Direct sunlight is completely destructive to it.
To use the drink, you need to prepare two glass jars in advance. The mushroom is grown in one, and the finished drink will be poured into the second. If it’s summer, you need to drain the infusion every 3 days, and if it’s winter, after 5 days. To store the finished drink you will need a refrigerator. If you do not replace the drink with fresh infusion in time, a film will be visible on its surface.
The thickness of a full-fledged kombucha should not exceed 4 cm. If the mushroom thickens, just peel off a piece of it and place it in another jar. This is how kombucha is distributed.
The most valuable and nutritious are the lower layers. To saturate the mushroom with “benefits”, it is enough to add herbs to the infusion, for example, nettle, birch, blackberry, plantain and more. You can use green leaf tea as a base.
The drink must be no older than 1 month. Beyond this limit, the drink will begin to accumulate vinegar. If the drink has become unsuitable for consumption, it can only be used externally for various purposes.

Car drivers need to be careful when drinking this drink, as it contains ethyl alcohol.

Benefits of Kombucha as an Antimicrobial Food

One of the main compounds that is formed during the fermentation of tea is acetic acid, which can destroy many pathogens. In addition to acetic acid, the drink contains large protein molecules and catechins, which enhance its antimicrobial and fungicidal effect.

In vitro experiments have demonstrated that kombucha:

destroys pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella choleraesuis serotype Typhimurium;
slows down the reproduction of Entamoeba cloacae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aeromonas hydrophila, Shigella sonnei, Staphylococcus epidermis, Leuconostoc monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, Campylobacter jejuni, Helicobacter pylori;
suppresses the spread of Candida albicans fungi.

At the same time, the antimicrobial activity of the drink does not affect bacteria that are beneficial to humans - probiotics.

Other healing properties of kombucha

Helping the intestinal biocenosis. The drink is made by fermentation (natural fermentation method). As a result of fermentation, microorganisms beneficial to humans - probiotics - accumulate in it. These are Gluconacetobacter, Acetobacter, Lactobacillus, Zygosaccharomyces. The intestinal biocenosis is involved in many processes from digestion to maintaining immunity. Therefore, the therapeutic effects of kombucha can be diverse.
Prevention of atherosclerosis. In experiments on rats, drinking kombucha has been shown to improve blood lipid profiles by helping to reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein (“bad” cholesterol) and increasing the amount of high-density lipoprotein (“good” cholesterol).
Cancer protection. In tissue culture experiments, it was found that the drink extract suppresses the activity of genes that promote the growth of cancerous tumors. There is no clinical evidence of such activity of the product yet.
Mental support. Some studies suggest that probiotics are useful in treating neurotic and depressive disorders. Since kombucha is rich in probiotics, it is reasonable to assume that it has this effect. But no research has been conducted on this matter.

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The magical abilities and benefits of kombucha, which was recently found in almost every communal apartment, have been known for a long time, but not everyone knows how to properly care for kombucha, so today we devote our topic to proper care for it. Previously, in other articles, we talked about the beneficial properties of this unusual crop, that kombucha is suitable both for the prevention of health and for the treatment of certain diseases, and also told us how to grow it yourself at home. Kombucha is absolutely not capricious, and it is very easy to care for, but certain rules are still worth following.

Rules for caring for kombucha:

the culture should be in a dark and warm place;

It is strictly forbidden to close the jar with a lid,

medusomycete (the scientific name of kombucha) must receive air;

It is forbidden to pour hot tea into a jar, because it may burst or you will scald the creature in it;

try not to allow grains of sugar and tea leaves to fall on the crop;

Before preparing a new infusion, be sure to rinse the mushroom; it should be washed with warm boiled water, or even better, warm filtered water;

It is advisable to fertilize Kombucha at least twice a week.

The most important thing is to wash it periodically. An important point is to remove all jewelry from your hands before you start rinsing it . This rule is required so as not to damage the culture and spoil the drink.

In winter, the sweet solution of kombucha must be changed once a week, in summer - twice a week. The infusion can be filtered through a bandage folded in several layers or gauze, then poured back into the bottle, where the washed mushroom can be placed. If the culture is not washed with water, it will become covered with dark spots and begin to deteriorate, and such an infusion can become hazardous to health, or even poisonous. Healthy “tea kvass” has a transparent color. The best option for caring for kombucha “zooglea” (another alternative name) would be to prepare two three-liter jars, thus making caring for the crop much easier. As the mushroom grows, it increases in thickness; you don’t need a knife to separate it; it separates perfectly on its own. It is recommended to separate new layers from it and move them into the bottle, leaving the lower layers, because they are considered the most useful.

Proper care of kombucha

Proper care of kombucha and timely care for it will allow it to live for many years, which will provide your family with a healing drink. It should be remembered that the medusomycete has its own personal self-defense and, finding itself in not very good conditions, it falls into “sleep”, thus saving its life. Which means that if you take poor care of it and regularly change its tea, the tea gib will simply fall asleep and will not give you a healthy drink. An important point is also maintaining cleanliness around the place where the culture will be located. The fact is that sweet tea infusion serves as a good environment for any bacteria and fungi. Therefore, hygiene rules must be present when working with mushrooms, this way you will protect the drink from harmful microbes. Be sure to keep the jars you use clean; if suddenly the kombucha becomes covered with dark spots or begins to deteriorate, it should be thrown away, since it will not produce a healing infusion. For washing, it is advisable to use rubber gloves or wash your hands thoroughly with soap. When preparing a new sweet solution, mix it with several glasses of the old infusion - this will allow the fungus to develop faster and prevent unnecessary bacteria from entering the drink.

What harms kombucha?

nicotine smoke, it kills him;

interaction with metal, so it is necessary to remove any jewelry from your hands. You can only use wooden, glass, plastic or ceramic utensils;

Unstable temperature readings also harm him; he prefers warmth, but not heat;

dust, it can cause infection,

the container must be covered with gauze secured with an elastic band;

insects, they like healthy kombucha, but it must be protected from them;

Do not make tea with essential oils, which may be present in some herbs.

Where to put an unnecessary mushroom.

The strained infusion of kombucha can be placed in the refrigerator in the summer. And if you have an extra medusomycete and there is no one to give it to, then it can even be used as fertilizer and fertilizer for plants. To do this, cut it into small pieces and bury it at a shallow depth. Focusing on these rules, you can easily care for kombucha and grow it at home without any problems, then it will delight you and your family with its divine taste and unsurpassed benefits, which is what I wish for you.

Source: https://samosoverhenstvovanie.ru

Does Kombucha Have Weight Loss Benefits?

Kombucha is a drink that promotes weight loss. You can't lose weight with it alone. But you can and should include diets for weight loss in your menu.

Improving the functioning of the intestinal flora. In people with significant excess body weight, the species composition of the biocenosis in the intestines is usually disturbed. These violations spur further weight gain. The drink helps normalize species diversity and thus helps you lose weight.
Slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates. Animal experiments have shown that kombucha can reduce the rate of breakdown of dietary carbohydrates. This helps to avoid a rapid rise in blood sugar after eating and the massive release of insulin that follows this rise. It is the abundant release of insulin that leads to the rapid formation of excess fat deposits.
Kombucha is considered a drink that energizes and lifts your spirits. This effect is useful for those who want to lose weight, as it allows them to move more and less often resort to harmful snacks out of boredom and nervousness.

How to grow kombucha at home from scratch

Ingredients:

7 glasses of water;
½ cup granulated sugar;
4 bags of black tea or 1 tablespoon of loose tea (for growing a crop from scratch, it is not recommended to use tea other than black);
1 cup store-bought kombucha (it is important that it is unpasteurized, unfiltered, and does not contain any flavorings, etc.).

The stages of cultivation are as follows.

Brew sweet tea and cool to room temperature. Remove tea bags or tea leaves.
Pour the tea into a large glass jar. And then pour in a glass of the ready-made store-bought drink. If there is sediment in the bottle with the purchased drink, this is good. Be sure to transfer it to your “sourdough”.
Cover the jar with several layers of gauze or a coffee filter. And leave at room temperature in a place inaccessible to direct sunlight. If you have a very bright kitchen, wrap a towel around the jar.
For the first few days, the mushroom “starter” will stand without showing any visible changes. Then bubbles will begin to rise from the bottom to the surface.

Gradually there will be more and more bubbles. And they will begin to form a transparent gel-like mass on the surface. The smell of the tea will take on a vinegary note.

Be careful! If your tea smells like cheese or rotten meat and/or you notice mold in it, immediately throw away all the starter. Even if you are not entirely sure that you see mold on your mushroom or cannot accurately determine whether its smell is normal or not, throw it away without hesitation.

Little by little, the gel-like mass will become thicker and thicker, and its transparency will disappear. When the thickness of the mass becomes 6-7 mm, and the transparency has virtually disappeared, the kombucha will be ready to be “brewed” to obtain a healing drink.

Moreover, it may have different thicknesses in different areas. The edges may be torn and there may be holes in some places. This is fine.

It takes 1 to 4 weeks for the mushroom to ripen. The time depends on the temperature in the room and the strength of the culture in the drink that you purchased in the store.

Basic rules for caring for kombucha at home

When you decide to start growing kombucha, you need to remember the basic rules of care:

Kombucha living in a jar should not be tightly closed with a lid. Instead, use a breathable cloth, napkin or several layers of gauze. A fabric cover will provide access to oxygen, but will block access for flies and other insects.
In order for the drinking tea mushroom to live and work for a long time, it needs to be cared for correctly. Kombucha is placed only in ready-made tea leaves with dissolved sugar. It is made from boiled water. Raw water cannot be added due to the high salt content.
It is unacceptable to pour undissolved sugar into a jar or pour in tea leaves with tea leaves. Solid particles stick to the body of the jellyfish and leave burns.
When preparing the tea leaves, you should not make it too strong. High concentrations of medusomycetes will inhibit growth.
Do not place kombucha in hot liquid. Flavored teas with fruits and other additives are not suitable for refueling. It is optimal to use pure loose-leaf tea that has not expired.
One of the important rules for caring for kombucha is compliance with the frequency of washing. The jellyfish is placed under running water. In summer the procedure is done more often, in winter – less often.
If the body of the jellyfish has changed color, brown spots or mechanical damage have appeared, this area is removed. The kombucha is washed and placed in a new resuscitation solution.

It is important to remember that in summer, at high air temperatures, kombucha works faster than in winter. You will have to pay attention to it more often and provide proper care.

Caring for tea jellyfish requires sterility and accuracy

Advice! If the drained tea drink is left in a jar at room temperature, after about 2 weeks a transparent layer of mushrooms will appear on the surface of the liquid. Over time, a new jellyfish will be born from this film.

The video shows how to care for kombucha and the beneficial properties of the drink:

Is it safe to grow your own kombucha at home?

Safely. In fact, the process of fermenting a crop is not much different from sauerkraut or apples.

And all that is required to successfully complete the process is hygiene and basic precautions. Otherwise, the drink may cause food poisoning.

So the jar into which the tea will be poured must be absolutely clean and dry. Like any kitchen utensils, and hands that come into contact with tea and mushroom on its surface. You should also not open the jar unless absolutely necessary. And everything will be wonderful.

Growing your own SCOBYs at home from scratch is no more difficult than starting cabbage.

Kombucha from black tea - growing at home

In order for the mushroom to form correctly and quickly, you should choose large-leaf tea leaves without impurities or additives.

As practice shows, the cheaper the tea costs, the better the kombucha will turn out.

If dust is found in a pack of tea, it is better to give preference to another variety.

Instructions for making kombucha:

Pre-clean the containers for growing mushrooms from dust and dirt. If the bottle is not clean, the kombucha will most likely die in the early stages of formation. You should not wash the bottle with dishwashing chemicals; it is better to use the old method - a sponge and baking soda.
The next step is preparing the tea leaves. For such purposes, about 5 tablespoons of tea leaves are poured into the kettle, which are filled with half a liter of boiling water. In this state, the tea should be infused until it has completely cooled. There is no need to pour heaping spoons of tea, 50 grams will be enough.
As soon as the brew has cooled, 70 grams of sugar are added to it, which must be thoroughly stirred until completely dissolved.
The broth is filtered using gauze or a metal strainer. The tea drink is placed in a three-liter jar. After this, a thick layer (preferably several layers) of gauze is placed on top of the jar.

This tea drink is sent to a secluded place for 6-7 weeks. If after 1-2 weeks you notice an unpleasant vinegar smell, just don’t worry. This phenomenon only signals the beginning of fermentation, during which a mushroom is formed.

After a few days, this smell will gradually disappear, and a thin film will form on the surface of the drink. And each new day will thicken this layer until a good kombucha is formed.

Watch a video on how to grow kombucha at home from scratch from Ivanovich

How to prepare a kombucha drink in a 3 liter jar

Ingredients:

3.5 liters of water;
1 cup granulated sugar;
8 tea bags or 2 tablespoons of loose leaf tea (you can take black, green or a mixture of these teas);
2 glasses of the previous drink (if this is the initial preparation, then you need to take the tea in which your culture grew, or borrow it from someone, or buy a ready-made drink in a store);
1 kombucha, grown at home from scratch or purchased at a pharmacy.

If there is a desire to give the drink additional flavor, you can add the following to the jar for making it:

1-2 cups finely chopped fruits;
2-3 glasses of fruit juice (natural);
¼ cup honey;
2 tablespoons of any spices, such as cinnamon.

Be careful with fruit juice and honey. Don't forget that they are an additional source of sugars, and preparing the drink without them requires the use of sugar.

We make tea. It should be 3.5 liters. Cool to room temperature and remove tea bags or tea leaves.
Pour 2 glasses of ready-made kombucha drink (or the medium in which it grew) into freshly brewed tea.
Now we transfer the mushroom itself into the bottle. Handle carefully with clean, dry hands. We do not use metal objects under any circumstances.
A SCOBY can occupy any position in a bank. Usually floats on top. However, it can sink to the bottom or gravitate towards the walls. These are all normal situations.
Close the jar with gauze, securing it with a rubber ring.
Leave at room temperature for 7-10 days in a place out of direct sunlight. If there is no such place in the apartment, cover the jar with something, for example, a towel.
After a few days, a new mushroom will begin to form in the tea. It usually floats on top and has a connection with the old one.

However, it may be that the mushrooms are completely separated or connected to each other only by dark threads. And they do not float on the surface. This is all normal startup culture behavior. Don't be afraid.

Problems begin when the drink takes on the smell of rot or mushrooms or cheese instead of a light vinegar aroma.

If, when such a smell occurs, you do not see traces of mold on the mushroom itself, then you need to transfer it to freshly brewed tea and start fermenting again.
If mold is also visible on the mushroom culture itself, you will have to throw everything away. And then grow the mushroom from scratch.

After 7 days, you can start tasting the drink to determine its readiness. Proper kombucha has a sweetness and tartness that tastes good.

To test, carefully pour from the jar. Do not place metal spoons or ladles in it.

When the drink is ready, remove the kombucha from it to use for the next batch.

Carefully transfer to a plate with clean, dry hands and inspect. If it becomes too thick, separate the lowest old layer from it.

Also, do not forget to select 2 glasses of the finished drink in order to use it again as a seed.

Pour the remaining amount into glass bottles and store in the refrigerator. Kombucha can be stored there for a month.

If you want to use different flavors (fruits, honey, spices), add them to the containers with the finished drink.

Never fill bottles to capacity. The drink may foam. He needs space.

For video instructions on how to maintain the viability of kombucha, see below.

How to propagate kombucha by piece

For optimal growth and development of the fungus, a 10% sugar solution with the addition of black or green tea infusion is required.

Method for preparing Japanese kombucha

So, to prepare an infusion of kombucha you will need: kombucha (sourdough), about 100 g of white refined sugar (5 level tablespoons), 2 teaspoons of green or black tea, 1 liter of water, 3-liter glass jar, elastic band or rubber band, gauze.

A not very strong infusion is prepared from sugar and tea. It is best to brew tea for at least 15 minutes. The sugar should be completely dissolved, and there should be no pieces of tea leaves. Loose leaf tea can be replaced with tea from bags. Fill the mushroom placed in a jar with only the cooled infusion, otherwise the mushroom will die. If the mushroom is young, then a little infusion from the jar where it was previously contained is added to the tea. The amount of infusion should be approximately 1/10 of the total volume of liquid.

After the mushroom has been placed in a jar and filled with infusion, the neck of the container is covered with gauze and secured with an elastic band. Gauze is needed so that the mushroom can breathe, and dust, plant spores, and small midges do not get into the jar. The jar is placed in a dark, warm place at home. It is recommended to infuse the mushroom for 4-10 days, after which it is ready for consumption. Fermentation time depends on air temperature. The higher the temperature, the faster it will infuse.

When the drink reaches (to taste) the desired acidity, the mushroom is removed with clean hands and washed under cold running water. Then they are put back into a jar with infusion prepared according to the same scheme.

How and where to store Japanese kombucha infusion?

The finished drink is poured into another container to the brim and closed with a tight lid. To make the infusion even better, it is allowed to ripen for several more days (optimally 5 days) in a cool place. Without air access, bacteria cease to perform their function, and yeast continues to work, producing gas. The result is an excellent carbonated drink. Before drinking, filter the infusion through cheesecloth or a strainer.

If the mushroom is already old and has reached a thickness of several centimeters, then its infusion can be drunk every day directly from the jar, while not forgetting to replenish the loss of liquid with a new portion of cold sweet tea.

The area of the mushroom depends on the area of the container in which it “lives”.

It is very convenient to have two jars, in one of which the mushroom will “live”, and the finished drink will be poured into the other. The infusion can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for quite a long time. At the same time, its healing and taste properties will not change at all.

The benefits of kombucha for the body: video

You can also share your skills in using kombucha for medicinal purposes at home. If you have questions, ask them in the comments below, we and other experts will answer them.

As the jellyfish grows, there are too many of them. This means that most of the jar is occupied not by the drink for which everything was started, but by the jelly mass itself. It makes sense to get rid of excess parts of the mushroom, leaving a fresh top layer and lower “beard”. This should be done only if the mushroom easily separates - do not tear or cut it.

Any mechanical damage can destroy the colony. Beginners often ask if kombucha can be cut to its diameter. The answer is no, it will still damage its integrity and disrupt the connections between microorganisms. Cases where a colony has survived such interventions are rather exceptions.

If you want to give kombucha to your loved ones, you can’t just pinch off a part - you need to wait for the “offspring” to separate and thus propagate it safely for the mother colony. You need to understand that this jellyfish is a friendly community of fungi and bacteria, and any violation of their composition can destroy it as a whole.

Tara	Three liter jar
Lid	Equipped with gauze to protect against dust
Filling	The liquid should occupy about two-thirds of the jar
Average thickness of old mushroom for stratification	About 9 cm
Average fresh layer thickness	3-4 cm

There is one option to grow a jellyfish from a piece - take a small fresh mushroom that has just separated on the surface of the old one. In this case, you will have to wait a long time for such a colony to get stronger and gain thickness, and also regularly change the tea solution. Of course, the container should be transparent and let light and air inside, but without direct sunlight, at room temperature.

Separating kombucha at home is not difficult if you understand the principle of the procedure.

Medusomycetes can reproduce by degeneration. If it is not taken out of the container for a long time, it sinks to the bottom. At this point, a thin layer is separated from the top edge. This is a reborn culture. The remaining part is discarded, as it produces a large volume of acetic acid.

To obtain a new infusion, the removed film is sent to fresh sweet tea leaves.

When the medusomycete reaches a thickness of more than 9 cm, it can be divided into parts. The procedure is carried out very carefully, since it is easy to harm an adult body.

Separate one plate or several. The amount depends on the thickness of the body. An excellent option is a transparent film that often forms on the surface of the medusomycete. It is carefully removed and placed in a new container with sweet tea. You can clearly see how to separate kombucha in the video.

Only dense organisms can be divided

On a mature mycelium, under favorable conditions, the light skin of a new mushroom will begin to appear in a few days. By the end of the second week he is ready for independent living. The process of reproduction of kombucha consists of dividing the mucous body into layers. How to properly divide and store it? This must be done very carefully, focusing on the following three points.

We find a cleft in the thickness of the body.
Peel off the top transparent film.
We place the independent organism in a separate jar and fill it with nutritious liquid. You can put the jar on the windowsill.

They also resort to dividing the fungus because of its aging. The lower darkening layers are removed, because the mushroom of advanced age begins to excessively produce acetic acid. Please note that domestic jellyfish should not be torn in half or cut into separate pieces.

How to pause kombucha mushroom?

What if you are going on vacation but don’t want to part with your kombucha?

If your absence will take no more than three weeks, “brew” the mushroom as described above and leave it at room temperature. It’s not worth drinking something that takes 2-3 weeks to prepare, as it will be too sour. From the resulting medium you need to take 2 glasses of liquid and the mushroom culture itself and put it back to ferment. Discard the rest or use as a disinfectant for kitchen surfaces.
If you plan to go away for longer than 3 weeks, transfer the SCOBY to a small jar. Pour in freshly brewed tea and a small amount of the tea drink itself. Cover the jar with gauze and place in the refrigerator.

Mushroom propagation

In rare cases, an old mushroom forms a new daughter one. A thin transparent film separates from it and sinks to the bottom of the jar. Then you can safely store the old mushroom in another container or throw it away. Fill the new mushroom with fresh solution and it will begin to grow. A thick and old mushroom begins to produce a lot of acid. It is suitable for making vinegar.

The mushroom can also be propagated in another way. Pour a little solution into another jar and place it in a bright place at room temperature. After some time, a thin film of microorganisms forms there. This is a new mushroom.

Source

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When is the best time to drink green tea, in the morning, before or after a workout?

Which tea is better to make it with?

Best on black. Especially a young mushroom that you put into fermentation for the first time after growing it.

As your SCOBY becomes more seasoned, you can diversify the teas. For example, take green or white. As well as different combinations of black, white and green.

In addition, you can use herbal tea, but be sure to add black tea to it.

It is prohibited to use teas with the addition of essential oils, as well as various flavors.

How to care for kombucha so that it lives long?

Culture lives for quite a long time. But it doesn't last forever. There always comes a time when the mushroom turns black and must be thrown away.

It is impossible to say exactly how long a SCOBY lives, since it depends on the conditions in which it exists.

To live longer, you must adhere to the following rules.

“Brew” in strict accordance with the recipe.
Try to use mostly black tea, as this type is the most nutritious for the culture.
Do not touch the mushroom with metal objects, especially aluminum (this metal significantly shortens the life of the crop and makes the drink from it less pleasant to taste).
Be sure to separate the old layers of the mushroom from the new ones (you can give them to friends). If you are greedy and make your mushroom look like the one shown in the photograph, it will quickly become unusable.

Instructions for making kombucha drink

First of all, you need to decide on the container in which the mushroom will be located. Usually at home they use a 3-liter jar. If possible, it is advisable to take a jar with a wide neck (do not use metal containers for preparing and storing the drink).

We prepare a not very strong sweet tea (approximately 5 tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of black or green tea per 1 liter of water) that tastes good. It is recommended to brew tea for at least 15 minutes.

We strain the tea. The sugar should be completely dissolved and there should be no particles of tea leaves.
Let the tea cool to room temperature. The culture will die if placed in a hot solution.
For young mushrooms: add a little mushroom infusion from the jar where it was previously kept as a “starter starter” to the tea (the amount of infusion should be approximately 1/10 of the total volume of liquid).
Place the mushroom in a jar. We close the neck of the dish with gauze or a paper napkin and secure it with braid or an elastic band so that the kombucha can breathe, but so that small flies and dust cannot penetrate into the jar. We place the jar in a dark, warm place - the ideal temperature for tea mushroom is about 25 °C.
After 4-10 days of infusion, Kombucha is ready for use. The fermentation time depends on the air temperature in the room - the higher the temperature, the faster the drink will be ready.
When the drink reaches the desired acidity according to your taste, remove the kombucha with clean hands, rinse it under cold running water and place it in a jar of cold sweet tea prepared in advance according to the same procedure.
Pour the finished drink into a glass container with a tight lid, filling it to the brim. To get maximum pleasure from the drink, let it ripen for several more days in a cool place (at least 5 days) - bacteria stop functioning without air access, and yeast continues to work if the container is tightly closed, the gas resulting from the activity of yeast will not be able to escape and you will get a delicious fizzy drink. Before drinking, strain the drink through cheesecloth or a plastic (not metal) strainer.

At an advanced age, the mushroom reaches a thickness of several centimeters (its area depends on the area of the container in which it lives) and allows you to drink the infusion every day directly from the jar that contains the mushroom (of course, you must remember to replenish the infusion with a new portion of cold, sweet tea).

It’s convenient to have two identical jars available: one will house the kombucha, and the other you’ll pour the finished drink into. In the refrigerator, hermetically sealed glass containers with tea mushroom infusion can be stored for quite a long time, maintaining their healing and taste properties.

You can clearly see how to prepare kombucha on the page - Preparing the drink and caring for kombucha (+ video)

Possible harm of kombucha: contraindications and side effects

A strict contraindication is allergies.
Since kombucha contains a lot of organic acids, it can negatively affect the condition of people suffering from stomach ulcers, gastritis with high acidity, esophageal reflux, and pancreatitis.
The drink is not indicated for people with histamine intolerance and mast cell activation disorder.
Doctors do not recommend using it for people with seriously compromised immunity. The product contains a lot of bacteria and fungi that are not pathogenic. But with true problems with immunity, they can have a negative effect.
Commercially available kombucha drinks sometimes contain excess sugar, which can lead to weight gain.
When drinking homemade kombucha, there is a risk of food poisoning, since sterilization rules are not followed.
The drink is not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Because its effect on fetal development and the quality of breast milk has never been studied.
A large amount of gases and FODMAPs compounds in kombucha sometimes provokes severe rumbling in the stomach, flatulence, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
Naturally fermented foods rich in tyramine, such as kombucha, can cause migraines in some people.