How to grow mushroom tea at home. Unique properties of jellyfish

A drink based on kombucha refreshes well on hot days and saturates the body with vitamins and minerals. useful substances. How to cook it yourself? Let's figure it out.

How to grow tea mushroom at home?

There are several ways to prepare it. For traditional version you will need tea, sugar and apple cider vinegar.

Step-by-step instruction:

make a brew of 1 tbsp. l. tea and 0.5 liters of boiling water, let it brew;
add 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar and 100 g of sugar;
pour this infusion into a three-liter jar;
the jar does not need to be closed with a lid, it is enough to tie it with a piece of gauze;
a jar of infusion must be placed in a warm place where the temperature is maintained at + 23ºC- + 25ºC.

In a three-liter jar, the mushroom will have enough space to grow freely. It is important to choose the right place to store the infusion, since the jar cannot be moved during the ripening of the mushroom. It is also necessary to exclude the possibility of sunlight on the jar. This traditional way grow kombucha from scratch.

After 3 weeks, a thin film is noticeable. An indicator of the full ripening of the fungus is the smell of vinegar. The film thickens up to 1–2 mm. The infusion can be drained, replacing it with sweet tea. It is important not to deform the fungus itself, it will compact only after a couple of months.

The surface of the fungus becomes porous over time. After six months, the mushroom reaches the required consistency. It needs to be washed monthly. warm water. With the help of such a mushroom, you can cook a healthy tea drink daily.

Other recipes on how to quickly grow kombucha

For its preparation, not only tea is used, rose hips and apple juice are well suited.

Tea drink based on rose hips - real treasure vitamins. It will help strengthen the immune system and will be a reliable prevention of seasonal colds. To prepare it you need:

in a thermos make an infusion of 4 tbsp. l. fresh or dried rose hips and 0.5 liters of boiling water;
close the thermos and let the drink brew for 5 days;
pour the infusion into a three-liter jar, add brewed black tea made from 2 tbsp. l. tea and 2 tbsp. steep boiling water;
add 5 tbsp. l. Sahara.

From apple juice the mushroom is obtained like this:

let the juice settle at the bottom of a three-liter jar for about 2 months;
then mix this infusion with black tea brew (1 tbsp per 0.5 l of boiling water);
add 3 tbsp. l. Sahara.

In the following stages, the process does not differ from the previous recipes.

Knowing how to grow kombucha, you can enjoy a healthy and refreshing drink all year round.

Medusomycete cultivated for a very long time, lives in all parts of the world, easily adapts to changing conditions and adapts to them quite successfully, withstanding a relatively wide range of temperatures, assimilating various nutrient media and various sugars. The functions peculiar only to yeast fungi and acetic acid bacteria make it possible to rebuild the metabolism and survive adverse conditions due to internal reserves. But when planting a mushroom at home, remember that this is your friend who will always come to the rescue with its healing properties, and, despite its unpretentiousness, needs proper care.

The mushroom grows in layers. They often “share” it, tearing off a “piece” from the main body, arguing that it is completely little piece enough to develop and grow new mushroom. Ah, how untrue. Yes, a fungus will grow in you, but the donor, injured by the “breaking off” of the flesh, will also be sick for a long time, and it is difficult for the recipient to increase, having a small sprout surface. Therefore, you need to carefully separate the daughter film, transfer it to a clean jar, fill it with warm water, and so transfer it for reproduction.

Having brought home the long-awaited "process", do not rush to place it in a nutrient medium. Leave the layer of the daughter film filled with warm water at room temperature for a day, covering the jar with a double layer of clean gauze. You will have time to prepare dishes for the new tenant, think about the composition of his growth medium. During this time, do not feed him with tea solution and do not put sugar, let him get sick and adapt. At this time, the fungus is very susceptible to external influences, gauze is simply necessary, because if a fly sits on it, it will certainly die. The fungus will die if instead of gauze it is covered tightly with a polyethylene lid, it will suffocate.

An indispensable condition: keep the mushroom in a glass container. It is better not to wash it with detergents, thoroughly pour boiling water over the jar and do not rush to pour it out, let the dishes stand with it for a while. Do not use tap water to prepare culture medium, this water contains a large number of chlorine and even boiled jellyfish "do not like it." The best option is spring water. But in the current state of ecology, even spring water should be filtered. Another option is filtered water. Today, many homes have both stationary filters and pitcher filters, and, finally, you can still use drinking water, which is sold in plastic five-liter bottles. Use the same water to wash it.

Since at one time kombucha was in almost every home due to its unpretentiousness, they used to cook it without much fuss: the leftovers from daily tea parties were poured into a three-liter jar with mushrooms, adding “to taste” there granulated sugar. And the resulting infusion was drunk at any time, pouring directly from the jar in which the mushroom floated. healthy organisms such "use" will endure. But let's not forget that tea kvass is primarily health drink. And since the infusion of medusomyces is a medicine, then it must be prepared in compliance with sanitary standards, and kept in accordance with the necessary conditions.

Drain the infusion, rinse the mushroom, prepare the nutrient medium in a clean room with thoroughly washed hands. Express the infusion through sterile gauze, pouring it into clean, doused with boiling water. glassware. For the normal growth of the fungus, a two- or three-liter glass jar is suitable. But sometimes a large amount of infusion is needed (for example, for baths), then five- and ten-liter bottles are used. It is very important that they have a fairly wide throat - this makes it possible, without injuring, to remove the body of the fungus for washing.

Kombucha should be kept in a room where the average room temperature is stable at normal humidity.

Methods for preparing a nutrient medium for kombucha

The most universal and frequently used method is the following.

Prepare a one percent tea infusion by adding dissolved sugar to it in a ratio of 1:10 to the tea infusion, place the mushroom in this nutrient medium.

Boil 1.5 liters of water, remove the pan from the heat and add 5 g of black or green tea (1-2 teaspoons) to the water, insist for 15 minutes, then add 70 g of sugar, stirring, completely dissolve it, cool to room temperature. In no case should the mushroom be placed in a hot solution, in which case it will die. Do not pour undissolved sugar on the mushroom: this will injure the body of the fungus, and it will hurt.

Often, instead of sugar, honey is added to tea, as it enhances the antiseptic properties of the infusion. In this case, it is added to the tea leaves after it has cooled to room temperature. However, it should be noted that a high concentration of honey inhibits the vital activity of the fungus. The content in honey of a whole bunch of useful substances, trace elements and mineral salts makes the drink infused on it unique in its own way, enhances its antibacterial effect, energetic influence on the body.

Tea is brewed in the usual way, but take at least two liters. The nutrient medium is prepared at the rate of 1 teaspoon of tea and 100 to 125 g of sugar per liter.

If black tea causes palpitations, you can use other types of tea, such as green tea. It is also possible to use teas with additives, rosehip tea (the dosage is approximately the same). However, it should be remembered that the kvass of the fungus inherits the properties of tea almost without change. And if some black tea causes a heartbeat, then green tea can cause a sharp drop in pressure, which in itself is not very good, but for hypotensive patients it can become a serious nuisance. Green tea can provoke pain, heartburn in stomach diseases.

The fermentation process is accelerated, and the effectiveness of the effect of the infusion increases if you add to it apple infusion. Dried fruits are used in winter. They are soaked overnight in warm boiled water, then boil for no more than 10 minutes and insist 1.5-2 hours. Cooled to room temperature, the infusion is added to the nutrient medium of the fungus. In summer, instead of dried fruits, use fresh apples. First, this solution has beneficial effect on the vital activity of the medusomycete itself, and secondly, the resulting drink effectively restores metabolism and immunity.

Tea is sometimes replaced with a solution of coffee, pea or soy flour.

For 1 liter of hot water - 1 tablespoon of instant coffee.

For 1 liter of warm boiled water - 1/2 teaspoon of this or that flour. The rest of the components are unchanged. The drink has a specific taste, as they say, "for an amateur."

Care and cultivation of kombucha

The first days, adapting, the mushroom lies at the bottom of the jar. After a few days, it will definitely emerge, it will be raised to the surface by bubbles. carbon dioxide produced by yeast fungi. If this does not happen, then your jellyfish does not have enough heat for the fermentation process. Place it in a warmer place, avoiding a sudden rise in temperature.

If you place an already mature mushroom on the bottom of the jar, then within 2-3 days a transparent skin of a new mushroom will begin to form on the surface of the liquid. Immersed in water, it is almost invisible, but after a few days it thickens and turns into a kind of elastic cover, consisting of an elastic mucous mass. If the conditions are favorable, then on the 8-10th day a new, usable fungus is formed. At good conditions the infusion remains transparent throughout the entire process of growth of a new fungus, its film begins to exfoliate. As time passes, its lower layer darkens, strands hang from it. With aging, the lower layers can be removed if the remaining ones are enough for the growth of the body.

An overgrown and well exfoliating mushroom can be carefully peeled off, washed with slightly warm boiled or filtered water, and placed in another jar with a nutrient solution for further cultivation.

The infusion reaches its first "maturity" in 3-4 days in summer and in 5-7 days in winter. But it should not be forgotten that for therapeutic use infusions of different “ages” are needed, from 3-4 days to 15 days or more.

On the third - sixth day, the drink acquires a pleasant sweet and sour taste, has a pleasant aroma, and is carbonated. If the fermentation process is lengthened, the acidic character of the drink comes to the fore. After fourteen to fifteen days, the infusion resembles dry wine.

Ready kvass is filtered and poured into clean bottles, tightly closed with corks and placed in a cool place.

Kombucha infusion is rarely used in pure form. This is possible if, after the first "maturity" (3-4 days of fermentation), you gradually strain the kvass, adding a weak infusion of tea with a ten percent sugar content. Usually, the infusion is diluted in a ratio of 1:2, 1:3 or more, depending on its concentration. The drink should not irritate the mucous membranes of the mouth, esophagus and stomach.

Remember! The fungus should be washed regularly with water. In the summer you will do this procedure in one to two weeks, and in the winter every three to four. Carefully remove it from the solution (that's why you need a fairly wide mouth of the jar!), Rinse carefully and thoroughly in cool boiled or filtered water, then place it back into the infusion.

Once a month, arrange a good "bath" for your ward. To do this, pour out all the liquid from the jar, thoroughly rinse the jar in running water with baking soda, rinse with boiling water. Rinse the jellyfish, see if it is necessary to separate the already grown layers. Place the updated fungus in a new solution of tea with sugar, add about ten percent of the old drink to it to speed up the fermentation process. In such an environment, he will recover faster.

The fungus should not be allowed to rest in the solution (for this it is necessary to wash it), as a rule, the result of this is the darkening of the upper film and the fungus dies.

How to grow kombucha from scratch...

Growing mushrooms from black tea

If you only need kombucha for a tasty drink that has a general tonic effect, you can grow kombucha only from black tea. You will need a three-liter jar, gauze cloth, teapot, boiling water, sugar and large-leaf black tea. Moreover, tea leaves should be the most usual, without any additives - the cheaper, the better.

The first thing to do is to wash the three-liter jar very carefully, which will become the place of residence of your mushroom. This is a must, as kombucha loves cleanliness. Otherwise, he will die, never having time to grow. And another very important point: in no case do not use synthetic detergents to wash the jar - ordinary baking soda is enough.

Place five tablespoons of black tea in a teapot and pour half a liter of boiling water over them, leave until the tea has completely cooled. Then add 7 tablespoons of sugar to the tea, mix thoroughly and strain with gauze. Pour the sweet strong tea leaves into a three-liter jar, cover it with gauze cloth on top and put it in a warm place for about a month and a half.

Somewhere in a week and a half, a strong vinegar smell will appear - this is completely normal, you will have to be patient a little. After 5-6 days, the smell will practically disappear, and a thin film will form on the surface of the liquid - this is Kombucha. Every day it will be thicker and thicker - the growth of the fungus does not stop all his life.

Growing a mushroom from rose hips

If the task of your kombucha is not only to remove thirst, but also to take care of your health, it is best to give preference to growing from rose hips. Such kombucha is a real find in the cold season, during the season of flu and colds, as well as in the spring, when beriberi is activated. The principle of growing is the same as from simple tea leaves, but there are some nuances, which we will talk about now.

First you need to prepare an infusion of wild rose. To do this, you can use both fresh and dried fruits, which are sold in any pharmacy. Place four tablespoons of wild rose hearths in a thermos, pour half a liter of boiling water over it and cover with a lid, leave for five days.

After the rosehip infusion is ready, you can proceed directly to growing the mushroom. Wash a three-liter jar, pour rosehip infusion and pre-prepared tea leaves into it - at the rate of a tablespoon of large-leaf black tea per glass of boiling water. Add 5 tablespoons of sugar and mix thoroughly, leave for a day.

Then strain with a gauze cloth, rinse the jar and again fly the infusion into the jar. Cover the jar with gauze cloth, previously folded in several layers, and place in a warm, dark place. Further, the process will develop according to the standard scheme - in about two weeks a strong vinegar smell will appear, which will soon disappear. And the fungus itself is formed in one and a half to two months.

Kombucha Care

Growing kombucha at home from scratch is half the battle. The second equally important half - proper care for mushroom. Otherwise, you risk getting delicious drink but something resembling vinegar. And even worse - Kombucha grown with such care will simply die.

By the way, there is an excellent indicator of the health of kombucha - it should always be on the surface of the water. If your mushroom sank to the bottom, or after topping up the tea leaves, it refuses to rise again, it is very likely that it got sick. If Kombucha got sick, you made a mistake in care. This means that it must be treated, and in all cases, without exception, the treatment is the same - cleanliness and proper care.

Liquid volume

As you remember, initially there is a small amount of liquid in the jar - about 0.5 liters. But when the mushroom has already grown, there should be much more liquid - about three liters. It goes without saying that kombucha is not your decoration and you will drink it. So, do not forget to regularly add fluid.

To do this, you can use already sleeping tea leaves - fill it with boiling water, cool and add sugar, then pour it into a jar. Sugar should not be very much - no more than two tablespoons per liter of liquid. If necessary, it is better to add sugar to a cup with a drink.

Many people do not filter tea leaves - they just add it. There is no harm in this for the mushroom, it will just not be very convenient for you to drink the drink later. But there will be no harm only if all the sugar is completely dissolved - in no case should grains of sugar come into contact with the surface of the fungus.

bath day

Once every two to three weeks, be sure to arrange a bath day for kombucha. Remove the mushroom itself very carefully from the jar, put it on a wide plate, trying not to deform it much. Carefully strain the liquid in which the mushroom was located with gauze and pour into a clean three-liter jar.

Otherwise, the fungus will start to hurt - at first it will turn brown, and then it will begin to delaminate altogether. It is very difficult to save such a mushroom, and in most cases it is easier to grow a new one. A drink from such a tea fungus is not recommended at all, because it not only loses its benefits, but moreover, it becomes dangerous to health. Remember that the infusion of kombucha should always be exceptionally transparent.

Storage of kombucha

One more necessary condition kombucha health - its proper storage. Firstly, the temperature - it should be high enough only when growing kombucha. Then optimum temperature should not exceed 18 degrees. Secondly, illumination. Light is simply necessary for the normal life of kombucha, and daylight hours should be at least 8 hours. But direct sunlight must be avoided, so don't repeat the very common mistake of placing a jar of kombucha on a windowsill.

Benefits of kombucha

It is impossible not to mention, at least briefly, useful properties kombucha - after all, it’s not for nothing that you mess with it, after all?

metabolism and the immune system

The first thing to talk about is vitamins. There are much more useful substances in the kombucha drink than in the most expensive vitamin and mineral complex. Vitamins, minerals, carbonic, lactic and other acids, minerals, enzymes - this is not a complete list. Therefore, it is not surprising that a tea fungus drink has the most positive effect on the functioning of the immune system and normalizes metabolism.

digestive tract

You suffer from gastritis, colitis, peptic ulcer stomach and duodenum, dysbacteriosis? Just one glass of kombucha drink, drunk on an empty stomach, can improve the situation in just a week. And its regular use contributes to a complete cure. By the way, the drink very well eliminates even the most severe heartburn.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in growing and caring for kombucha. Therefore, if you set out to grow this miracle mushroom yourself - go for it, because the benefits are obvious!

The jellyfish-like zooglea living in a jar of tea in various photos surprises with a white-yellow and brown-pink palette of shades. This symbiotic organism, which combines acetic acid bacteria and several types of yeast, is called a medusa mycete by scientists. Learn the main secret about kombucha: how to grow it from scratch in your kitchen. Medusomycetes are acquired for the production of kombucha. It is a pleasant, sweet and sour drink, reminiscent of kvass from tea and has a healing effect.

How to grow kombucha at home

Hostesses who are thinking about how to make kombucha a permanent resident of the house are advised to acquire glass vessel with a wide mouth. You won't find a better three-liter jar here. Wash her baking soda, rinse well. Procedure:

The water for the nutrient fluid is boiled to avoid sedimentation. Let cool.
Black tea is brewed and the tea leaves are filtered out.
Carefully stir the sugar. For 1 liter of boiling water, take 2 tsp. tea, 50-100 g of granulated sugar.
The vessel is filled with liquid to the narrowing part.
Cover with gauze so that air passes, clean in a secluded corner with room temperature.
It is unacceptable for tea leaves or granulated sugar to stick to the body of the kombucha, otherwise rotting will begin.
A jar of zooglea is carefully protected from the sun's rays.

The grown mushroom in 7 days already reigns on the surface. It's time to drain the kombucha into a separate jar. The drink is also filtered through several layers of gauze, but covered with a lid. Then the vessel is hidden in the refrigerator for storage. The fungus that continues to produce kvass is protected from mold, washed once a week with warm boiled water. They also worry about the level of liquid in the jar, adding nutrient sweet tea. A drink that has stood to a high concentration of acetic acid is not suitable for consumption.

Breeding kombucha: how to grow from scratch yourself:

How to grow kombucha from almost nothing? Prepare tea leaves (5 tablespoons of black tea per 0.5 liters of boiling water). Allow to cool, filter through a gauze filter into a clean three-liter jar, add granulated sugar - no more than 7 tbsp. l.
The mixture is covered with a couple of layers of gauze, put in a dark place in the kitchen and “forgotten” for a month and a half.
The vessel with the infusion will remind you of itself in about 10 days with a sharp vinegar smell, which soon disappears. After another 5-6 days, a fungal film will appear on the surface. Over time, it will become a multi-layered "jellyfish".

How to grow kombucha from rose hips:

It is useful to know one more secret about kombucha: how to grow it from scratch using rosehip infusion. Kombucha from it is saturated with vitamins. For infusion, dried fruits are measured or collected directly from the bush. Brew (for 4 tbsp. Rose hips 0.5 liters of boiling water), cover with a lid.
After 5 days, pour into a jar, add a strong tea leaves (1 tablespoon of black tea per glass of boiling water). Dissolve 5 tbsp. sugar and again leave for one day.
Then the strained infusion is covered with dry gauze, cleaned in a dark place. If everything is done correctly, after two weeks the mixture also begins to signal a vinegar smell. The film of the fungus will become visible to the human eye in 1.5-2 months.
Grow further a new fungus as a normal medusomycete. Rosehip broth is again added to the jar with tea leaves.

Video: how to grow homemade kombucha

Medusomycete is an example of survivability and productivity: it grows a new layer every 10 days. It is interesting to watch how to grow kombucha at home. One or two films, or even a small part of the body, are enough to breed zooglea. The "process" is settled in a separate vessel with liquid. If the sunken mushroom suddenly dies down at the bottom of the jar, then it produces a translucent "daughter". The newborn film is also insisted on. Only the darkened body of the zooglea is thrown away, while the dried one quickly comes to life in nutritious tea.

Symbiotic organism: Kombucha or tea jellyfish (Medusomyces gisevii) was known as early as 250 years before the beginning of our era, in the Han Dynasty in China. The Chinese called it the elixir of health and immortality.

This mushroom is familiar to many Russian people. Previously, it was an indispensable attribute of philistine and rural houses. Like many zoogleys with healing properties, he came to us from Asia.

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

Ceylon is considered the birthplace of kombucha, from where it spread to India, and then moved to China. Already from China, zooglea appeared in Manchuria and Eastern Siberia. Another name of Kombucha testifies to the oriental origin of kombucha. Scientifically, it is called jellyfish (Medusomyces gisevi) for its resemblance to jellyfish.

However, not all researchers share this version of the origin and distribution of kombucha. Some are sure that as such it originated in Tibet. Others point out that the ancient Greeks knew about its properties. Set the actual history of this medicinal mushroom now it is unlikely. However, it is known how kombucha ended up in Europe.

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

In Russia, Kombucha took root especially well in the Volga region, in the central provinces. He also found his niche in Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltic states. It was also transferred to the Transcaucasus.

From European countries Germany was the first to learn about kombucha. It happened at the beginning of the 20th century. It was also there that the first truly scientific description of an organism was compiled. It was made in 1913 by the German mycologist G. Lindau. This is where the history of the long-term and constant study of kombucha begins.

In England, France and Prussia, vinegar was made from a drink made with kombucha. Produced in open wooden barrels, the films of the fungus at the same time reached gigantic sizes. A patent was even obtained for the production of vinegar in this way. It was used and how regular drink, and therefore was called mushroom kvass, tea kvass. So he became known in Russian families.

Interested in the specifics of this zooglea and researchers. They found that the liquid obtained as a result of fermentation has a positive effect on the condition of a person with high blood pressure, reduces the risk of atherosclerosis. good effect found in some cases with acute gastrointestinal diseases. On the basis of kombucha, even a special antibiotic was isolated - jellyfish (E.K. Naumova). Infusion of the fungus was prescribed for stomatitis. Since the middle of the last century, they started talking about its bactericidal action.

People used a drink from kombucha not only as such, but also with medicinal purposes- to get rid of all sorts of colds, maintain strength, give the body a tone. “Refreshing”, “sour”, “invigorating” - this is what all those who have tried it have said about it more than once. This drink was drunk for headaches, intestinal disorders. In Japan, for example, it was also used to maintain a slim figure. Vinegar obtained from it was rinsed with hair to give it shine. Its effect on the elderly was considered especially useful. Mushroom kvass improved the well-being of the elderly and old people. "Prescribed" this drink and constipation.

Later, already in the heyday of biology, it was found that such a drink has pronounced metabolic properties, restoring normal conditions in cell membranes, which ensures the effect of well-being.

Description of the species

Kombucha is a kind of symbiotic organism consisting of two components: a fungus (mycobiont) and an algae (phycobiont). Kombucha is a symbiosis of acetic acid sticks and yeast. Kombucha along with kefir mushroom refers to the zoogley fungus. Yeast fungus ferments sugar with the formation of alcohol and carbon dioxide, and acetic acid bacteria oxidize alcohol and convert it into organic acids. The result is a flavored drink with a pleasant sour taste, reminiscent of tea kvass.

The fungus is a thick layered mucous film floating on the surface of a liquid nutrient medium - sweet tea or juice. Kombucha tends to fill the entire free surface of the nutrient medium, therefore, in industrial environment it can reach impressive sizes - up to 100 kg. At home, it is placed in glass jars from half a liter to five liters filled with sweet tea.

This mushroom, as already mentioned, looks like a jellyfish. Therefore, it often causes some alertness, and sometimes even discomfort. Its upper part is shiny, dense, the lower part is hanging threads. It is in it that the sugar solution and tea leaves turn into a healing drink.

For proper cooking this drink requires sugar, as for Indian sea fungus, and tea brewing. That is why this zooglea is called kombucha.

Its film is yellowish-brown in color and floats on the surface of a sweet black tea infusion. The liquid may contain glucose, sucrose, fructose. The type of tea does not matter, but it should be without additives and it is black.

In addition, a number of components are distinguished in the composition of the drink obtained with the help of kombucha:

ethanol;
Sahara;
organic acids: acetic, oxalic, citric, malic, pyruvic, phosphoric, etc.;
ascorbic acid;
thiamine;
enzymes: lipase, protease, amylase, etc.;
fatty acids, etc.

Growing mushrooms from black tea

If you only need kombucha for a tasty drink that has a general tonic effect, you can grow kombucha only from black tea.
You will need a three-liter jar, gauze cloth, teapot, boiling water, sugar and large-leaf black tea leaves. Moreover, tea leaves should be the most usual, without any additives - the cheaper, the better.

The first thing to do is to wash the three-liter jar very carefully, which will become the place of residence of your fungus. This is a mandatory requirement, since Kombucha loves cleanliness very much, otherwise it will die without having time to grow. And one more very important point: in no case do not use synthetic detergents to wash the jar - ordinary baking soda is enough.

Somewhere in a week and a half, a strong vinegar smell will appear - this is completely normal, you will have to be patient a little. After 5-6 days, the smell will practically disappear, and a thin film will form on the surface of the liquid - this is Kombucha.
Every day it will be thicker and thicker - the growth of the fungus does not stop all his life.

Growing a mushroom from rose hips

The principle of growing is the same as from simple tea leaves, but there are some nuances, which we will talk about now. First you need to prepare an infusion of wild rose. To do this, you can use both fresh and dried fruits, which are sold in any pharmacy. Place four tablespoons of wild rose hearths in a thermos, pour half a liter of boiling water over it and cover with a lid, leave for five days. After the rosehip infusion is ready, you can proceed directly to growing the mushroom.

Wash a three-liter jar, pour rosehip infusion and pre-prepared tea leaves into it - at the rate of a tablespoon of large-leaf black tea per glass of boiling water. Add 5 tablespoons of sugar and mix thoroughly, leave for a day. Then strain with a gauze cloth, rinse the jar and pour the infusion into the jar again. Cover the jar with gauze cloth, previously folded in several layers, and place in a warm, dark place. Further, the process will develop according to the standard scheme - in about two weeks a strong vinegar smell will appear, which will soon disappear. And the fungus itself is formed in one and a half to two months.

Kombucha - top dressing

You need to feed an adult healthy mushroom regularly, and systematically drain the finished solution. In the summer, this should be done every three to four days, in winter period once every five to seven days. In order to speed up the fermentation process as much as possible, add one glass of the finished infusion to the prepared solution.

An adult mushroom processes the infusion faster than a sick or young fungus. It is not recommended to overexpose the infusion, as the top layer will immediately begin to darken, and the fungus may die from this.

Do not forget that the mushroom must be washed in boiled water three times, each time the solution is changed. This must be done very carefully, in order to damage the fungus.

It is strictly forbidden to use a sweetener instead of sugar, or raw sugar, because these actions inexorably lead to the death of the fungus.

Ready infusion can be stored in the refrigerator for four to five months.

Teas for infusions:
Black tea solution
If you prepare a solution on black tea, you can get a very high percentage of glucuronic and lactic acids, and purines that can normalize the body's metabolism. A huge amount of phenol and essential oils have bactericidal effects. This infusion perfectly fights fat deposits and removes excess cholesterol.

Green tea solution
Able to help fight kidney stones, gallstones and bladder. He will have huge amount vitamins P, K, B2, which are responsible for the freshness and elasticity of the skin, normalization of blood circulation, strengthening of hair. Thanks to unfermented green tea and the content of tannins in it, cancerous tumors do not develop.

In addition, this infusion is very effective in various vascular, intestinal diseases, and as an antibacterial agent.

Despite the fact that most people prefer black tea, the mushroom itself is very fond of green tea. In it, he lives longer and grows much better.

herbal teas
When preparing an infusion for kombucha, it can be used as herbal preparations, and mixtures. To do this, you need to take two liters of water and five tablespoons of the herbal mixture. You can use two teaspoons of tea, and the rest is grass. Before straining the herb, it is recommended to infuse for about one hour.

The use of various plants
Blackberry leaves and nettle, mother and stepmother, plantain, strawberry and birch leaves, white blackthorn, green tea, lime blossom.
Nettle leaves, rose hips and green tea.
Oregano, yarrow, starfish, snapdragon leaves, any tea.
Snapdragon, common yarrow, bear's eye, nettle, any tea.
Raspberry leaves and leaves wild berries, blackcurrant and blackberry.
You can not take plants that have a huge amount of essential oils, such as sage, pepper, chamomile, wild currant, etc., as such an infusion will adversely affect your health.

Kombucha Care

Growing kombucha at home from scratch is half the battle. The second equally important half is the proper care of the mushroom. Otherwise, you risk not getting a tasty drink, but something resembling vinegar. And even worse - the kombucha grown with such care will simply die.

If Kombucha got sick, you made a mistake in care. This means that it must be treated, and in all cases, without exception, the treatment is the same - cleanliness and proper care.

Liquid volume

To do this, you can use already sleeping tea leaves - pour boiling water over it, cool and add sugar, then pour it into a jar. Sugar should not be very much - no more than two tablespoons per liter of liquid. If necessary, it is better to add sugar to a cup with a drink. Many people do not strain tea leaves - they just add it. There is no harm in this for the mushroom, it will just not be very convenient for you to drink the drink later. But there will be no harm only if all the sugar is completely dissolved - in no case should grains of sugar come into contact with the surface of the fungus.

bath day

Put the plate with the mushroom in the sink and gently rinse with warm (but not hot) water, leave it in the air for a couple of minutes. Then also carefully transfer the kombucha to a jar and cover with a gauze cloth. That's it, the "puzzle" of kombucha is over. It would seem that a completely simple procedure, which is very simple to do, and it is thanks to it that your kombucha will be healthy. Otherwise, the fungus will start to hurt - at first it will turn brown, and then it will begin to delaminate altogether. It is very difficult to save such a mushroom, and in most cases it is easier to grow a new one. A drink from such a tea fungus is not recommended at all, because it not only loses its benefits, but moreover, it becomes dangerous to health.

Remember that the infusion of kombucha should always be exceptionally transparent.
A special sign of the unfavorable state of kombucha is its darkening. The top film turns brown. This means that the zooglea is dying. So, she stood in the infusion or you did not wash it properly. Prevent the situation by breeding new kombucha.

You can grow and propagate kombucha in another way. It is not necessary to separate new layers. Approximately 1 liter of a 10-day infusion is removed in a warm place. A thin film forms after two weeks. From it the zooglea of Kombucha is formed.

The taste of the resulting drink should be sweet and sour, refreshing. By no means harsh, nor pronounced alcoholic taste, nor tart. Otherwise, you either overdid it with sugar, or, conversely, put it in less than necessary. Maybe the brew was too strong or too weak. In addition, the taste of the drink depends on the duration of the mushroom in it.

Storage of kombucha

Another necessary condition for the health of kombucha is its proper storage.

Firstly, the temperature - it should be high enough only when growing kombucha. Then the optimum temperature should not exceed 18 degrees.

Secondly, lighting. Light is simply necessary for the normal life of kombucha, and daylight hours should be at least 8 hours. But direct sunlight must be avoided, so don't repeat the very common mistake of placing a jar of kombucha on a windowsill.

For proper storage mushroom and obtaining a drink rich in useful substances, a suitable environment for this zooglee is needed - filtered sweet black tea. This serves as further evidence that the fungus appeared where the tea bush grows - in Asia. The stronger the tea is, the more vitamins will be in the desired product.

Beneficial features

The fungus does not assimilate the aromatic, tannin and other substances of tea, but cannot live without it. Here is such a paradox! Without tea, he cannot, for example, synthesize acids. Actually, the secret of making this healthy and fragrant kombucha drink is very simple: water, tea, sugar, air, a secluded place plus care and cleaning.

The fermentation process is initiated by yeast. As a result, ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide are formed from sugar. Then bacteria come into play. They oxidize alcohol, and the resulting acetic acid stops the fermentation process.

It turns out a liquid in which there is still unfermented sugar, carbon dioxide, tannins (they are contained in the tea brew you used), jpynnbi vitamins B and vitamin C. This infusion also contains organic acids (lactic, carbonic, gluconic, kojic, etc.), enzymes, aromatic substances. As scientists have found out, according to the number of acids included in such a drink, it is equal to ordinary kvass. However, its more pronounced in comparison with kvass positive properties it gets thanks to the combination of gluconic and kojic acids.

It is very important to take care of the normal intestinal microflora. Bacteria beneficial to the human body stimulate the processes of its defense. They are responsible for the removal of toxins and waste products - the main enemies of bacteria that protect us, the most important of which is Escherichia coli (intestinal bacterium).

The intestinal microflora determines how successfully the body can cope with negative factors, including those that cause disease and aging. The poisoning of the systems working in our body is manifested in bad breath, constant headaches, digestive difficulties, rheumatic diseases, and immune system disorders. Eczema and cancer - seemingly so dissimilar ailments - arise due to a weakened immune system, damage to healthy systems as a result of negative impact toxins. Kombucha contains acids necessary for the body and flushes out microbes that lead to these terrible consequences. It is very important that at the same time it is completely natural and safe.

- Ripened tea kvass contains sucrose, glucose, fructose, wine alcohol.
— Kombucha contains beneficial acids: gluconic, citric, lactic, acetic, malic, kojic, as well as enzymes, B vitamins, vitamins C and PP, sugar, caffeine.
- Kombucha improves digestion.
- Has antibiotic properties.
- Its tincture is recommended to rinse the mouth for the treatment of ulcerative stomatitis.
— Daily use half a glass of tea kvass 3 times a day for a cycle of 2-3 weeks improves the well-being of people suffering from sclerotic forms of hypertension, lowers blood pressure.
- Reduces and relieves headaches.
- Recommended for the elderly to improve well-being, especially those suffering from atherosclerosis.
- Useful for a number of intestinal diseases, constipation. It is especially useful for people leading a sedentary lifestyle.
- Has an antimicrobial antibiotic effect. The strength of this property depends on the accumulation of a special antibiotic jellyfish, resistant to acids and heat, non-poisonous.
- It is used to treat some forms of angina.
- Used for conjunctivitis, pustular skin lesions and as a bactericidal agent.
Kombuka is a concentrated kombucha that is made from kombucha. The use of this drug has had a beneficial effect in senile phenomena, especially in atherosclerosis.
— The drug "Medusin" has an antibiotic effect.
Kom-Bancha drink is made on the basis of Japanese green tea, it is sweet in taste and is intended to restore the health of alcoholics and drug addicts. The same drink was recommended for cancer patients to recuperate those patients who have lost their appetite. The drink is also suitable for diabetics.
Kom-Chungmee drink is made from Chinese green tea and is used all over the world to help with diabetes, prostate and kidney problems.
- Kom-Sencha drink based on green tea helps with cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, high blood cholesterol. It has a tonic and calming effect.
- Kombucha helps in the treatment of the liver and gallbladder.
- It is used to treat tonsillitis and tonsillitis.
- Useful for treating eye infections.
- Used together with other drugs in the treatment of scarlet fever, diphtheria, typhoid fever, influenza, acute respiratory infections, diseases of the ear, throat and nose.
- Infusion of the fungus slows down and alleviates the course of tuberculosis.
- Strengthens the central nervous system.
- Lowers blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

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

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

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

Although only black tea should be used for medicinal purposes, other types of tea are also suitable for special taste needs or occasions. For example, green tea contains more vitamins and caffeine, such a drink will be a real tonic. They can even rinse your mouth after eating, as it has a strong antibacterial effect.

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

Since there are many people involved in the cultivation of kombucha, a lot of evidence has been collected that this organism as a whole is very unpretentious. Therefore, you should not have any particular difficulties in caring for him.

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

Medicinal and cosmetic effect of kombucha

Once again, we list the cases when the infusion of kombucha has a preventive, and sometimes even a therapeutic effect:

diseases of the liver and gallbladder;
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
vegetative-vascular dystonia;
tonsillitis;
conjunctivitis;
chronic enterocolitis;
influenza and SARS;
gastritis;
wounds;
constipation.

In addition, the doctors who conducted the research believe that it is appropriate to drink such an infusion for tuberculosis. It also serves as a supportive agent in diseases of the central nervous system.

For treatment gastrointestinal diseases, as well as diseases of the gallbladder, the drink should be prepared in the above way and drunk regularly. Exactly the same recipe should be used in case of headache, insomnia.

The antibacterial effect of kombucha is manifested in the treatment of the nasopharynx and oral cavity. To enhance the action, the solution is slightly heated. This should be done in enameled dishes (not in aluminum and not in galvanized!), And even better - in clay or glass. There are examples when an infusion of kombucha prepared in this way was used in the treatment of sore throats for hourly rinsing. In such cases, water is added to the infusion in a ratio of 1:10. The nasal mucosa is washed with the same solution. In addition, mushroom kvass is drunk 2-3 glasses a day.

With stomatitis, rinse your mouth every half hour.

For the prevention of acute respiratory infections, they also drink 3 glasses every day.

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

When removing the symptoms of a cold, gauze swabs soaked in such a solution of kombucha are also used. They are changed every half an hour.

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

In addition, excellent homemade vinegar is prepared from kombucha. To do this, the mushroom is poured with boiled water, tea leaves and sugar syrup and kept for 3 weeks. Do not forget to wash the mushroom periodically. Then pour the infusion into a saucepan, boil for about 40 minutes, filter through cheesecloth and add citric acid. You will receive a product that can be used not only for cooking, but also for cosmetic purposes.

It should be said that the range of cosmetic use of kombucha is quite wide. Diluting it in water, they can wash oily hair. From it you can make an excellent lotion for the care of porous oily skin, cleansing from acne and pustular lesions. To do this, pour a weekly solution of the fungus, soak a cotton swab in it and wipe your face with it along the lines of the skin. It is advisable to perform this procedure twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. Your skin condition will improve, and due to the antibacterial action of kombucha infusion, various rashes and redness should also go away, unless, of course, they are of an allergic nature.

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

Kombucha - natural cosmetic

Kombucha infusion is natural natural remedy skin care. It stimulates its excretory functions, improves blood circulation, smoothes and tones the skin. This product finds a surprising variety cosmetic application, providing both therapeutic and cosmetic effects during many procedures.

Sebum and sweat, covering the skin with a thin layer, create an acidic environment that is unfavorable for many microorganisms that cause various skin diseases. The skin, which is naturally acidic, thus performs an important protective function in relation to the entire body.

The vast majority of soaps violate this protective shell of the skin, since alkali is involved in it. If your scalp or body itches, it usually means that you have used a cleanser that is too strong and that it has altered the natural acidity of your skin. When as detergent acid is used, the skin receives natural product corresponding to her natural needs.

Therefore, after washing with soap, it is very good to rinse or wipe the skin with an infusion of kombucha for a month or even longer. This infusion has proven to be effective remedy for skin care, thanks to which its acidic environment is restored. In addition, it is valuable because it has a soft and very delicate effect on the skin.

For elimination acne you can add lavender flowers to the infusion of kombucha (a handful of flowers per glass of tea kvass) or lavender oil (in a volume similar to the volume of plants). Keep the lotion for three weeks in a cold place, then strain. Wash your face and take a bath by adding this solution to the water.

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

It is not forbidden to add an infusion when taking a bath (a glass of kombucha infusion is aged for at least 2-3 weeks). Stay in the water for 20-30 minutes.

To kill bacteria from the skin, you can wipe the armpits with gauze or cotton cloth moistened with infusion of kombucha. These are very effective remedies for bad smell sweat, preserving the skin's natural acidic environment.

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

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

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

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

To make your hair thicker, try taking care of it with mushroom kvass with the addition of dry burdock herb (2 tablespoons per half glass).

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

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

Contraindications

With increased acidity of the stomach, stomach ulcers are not recommended.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in growing and caring for kombucha. Therefore, if you set out to grow this miracle mushroom yourself - go for it, because the benefits are obvious!

General Precautions

Know the measure, because during fermentation, the mushroom produces alcohol.
Do not use a highly concentrated solution.
Do not replace sugar with substitutes.