Tea mushroom

The name “kombucha” is known to many since childhood. The popularity of this mushroom in the eighties and nineties of the last century was huge not only in our country, but throughout the world. It is not for nothing that many popular names have been attached to this strange living product: Japanese mushroom, tea kvass, medusa mycete, tea jellyfish. In the United States, kombucha was called “kombucha”, in Spain and France – “hongo”. In Japan, it is called “kotya-kinoko”, which translates as “kombucha”.

Medusomycete is a product consisting of yeast fungi and acetobacteria. China is considered the birthplace of this mushroom, since the first information about it appeared in Chinese writings as early as the third century BC. Tea kvass gained worldwide popularity in the twentieth century. He came to Russia after the war with Japan.

The tea jellyfish looks very much like a real sea jellyfish. Once in any container, kombucha grows over the entire surface of the nutrient medium, which is tea. When grown for industrial purposes, this fungus can reach enormous sizes and weigh up to 100 kg.

Mechanism of action

The fungus begins to grow as a result of the reproduction of yeast fungi and acetic acid fermentation of the nutrient medium. Medusa mycete microorganisms use molecules of caffeine and tea tannins to build their framework, which consists mainly of cellulose.

Yeast breaks down carbohydrates into carbon dioxide in the course of its life, and acetic acid bacteria present in the medium convert ethanol into acetic acid. As a result of these chemical transformations, a slightly carbonated drink with a sweet and sour taste is obtained – tea kvass.

Chemical composition

The origin, growth and development of kombucha is largely determined by the type of tea used. The chemical composition of the resulting tea drink will also depend on this. So, a drink obtained by using black tea as a nutrient medium will contain more tannins, and green tea will contain more vitamins and caffeine. In addition, there will be more purine bases in green tea kvass.

The drink obtained as a result of fermentation of tea infusion contains:

• carbohydrates (sucrose, fructose, glucose, cellulose);
• organic acids (acetic, lactic, citric, oxalic, glucuronic, phosphoric, kojic, malic, pyruvic);
• enzymes (amylase, lipase, protease, carbonic anhydrase, catalase);
• lipids (fatty acids, sterols, phospholipids);
• proteins and purine bases;
• pigments (chlorophyll, xanthophyll);
• antibiotics;
• tannins;
• alcohol and aldehyde;
• resins;
• alkaloids;
• glycosides;
• vitamins;
• minerals.

The use of only 100 ml of tea kvass can provide the human body with the daily intake of vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) and vitamin D (ergocalciferol).

Useful Properties

The richest composition of kvass from jellyfish provides a huge range of properties that are beneficial for the human body, which it exhibits when ingested and applied externally.

For the digestive system

The tea drink stimulates the production of digestive juices, thereby promoting digestion. The enzymes contained in it reduce the load on the digestive glands (salivary, gastric, pancreas, liver).

The vitamin composition of tea kvass inhibits the reproduction of pathogenic intestinal microorganisms and maintains normal intestinal microflora. Due to the high concentration of B vitamins, Japanese mushroom kvass improves immunity and body resistance.

Regular consumption of this infusion in food reduces inflammatory reactions in the organs of the digestive tract. Fiber and other polysaccharides of the drink prevent the absorption of cholesterol from the intestines, absorb and remove toxic substances and toxins from the body, prevent bloating and normalize stools.

For the condition of the heart and blood vessels

Tea kvass, when taken orally as a remedy, normalizes heart rate, reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, tones the walls of venous vessels and has an anti-inflammatory effect.

Its components help to reduce the concentration of cholesterol in the blood. Due to the anticoagulant effect, the drink improves microcirculation in tissues.

For the general condition of the body

Tea drink normalizes metabolism in the body, which has a positive effect on the general condition of a person, increases his vitality and improves mood. Drinking the drink at night in a warm form has a calming and hypnotic effect.

Promoting hematopoietic functions, kvass from jellyfish increases the amount of hemoglobin in the blood and immunity. Taking a tea drink inside has a powerful antioxidant and detoxifying effect on the human body. Literary sources contain information about the anti-cancer properties of this kvass.

External products based on this drink improve the condition of the skin and its appendages (hair, nails), relieve inflammation, and reduce allergic dermatological reactions.

Harmful properties

The active substances that are contained in this drink in large quantities, with some diseases and conditions, can also exhibit harmful properties.

In order not to aggravate the patient’s condition, the use of tea kvass is contraindicated in inflammatory diseases of the internal organs in the acute phase.

Possessing high acidity, the infusion of medusomyces is contraindicated for use in gastritis with high acidity, gastric and duodenal ulcers in the acute stage.

The drink is contraindicated in gout and urolithiasis, because it contains oxalic acid and purine bases.

You can not drink the Japanese mushroom infusion before work that requires a quick reaction and concentration, for example, driving a car, operating conveyors and conveyors.

The sugary compounds that make up the drink increase the concentration of glucose in the blood, so its use is not recommended for diabetics.

The active compounds of kvass can interact with the active ingredients of various medications, so its use is prohibited simultaneously with painkillers, antipyretics, sedatives, hypnotics, tranquilizers, antacids, anticoagulants and antiaggregants.

Contraindications to the use of this drink are reduced blood clotting (deficiencies of coagulation factors, thrombocytopenia, pancytopenia).

The acids of the tea drink are easily oxidized and can react with the dishes in which it is infused, so the Japanese mushroom cannot be grown in ceramic, metal or earthenware.

Tea kvass, due to the content of alcohols and aldehydes, is contraindicated in childhood, during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

The use of the drink is prohibited for individual intolerance and allergies.

Application in folk medicine

The multiple beneficial properties of the drink based on the Japanese mushroom allow traditional healers to successfully use it in the treatment of various chronic diseases:

• ENT organs and upper respiratory tract (bronchitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, otitis media);
• digestive organs (gastritis with low acidity, pancreatitis, bile stasis, constipation, dysbacteriosis);
• organs of the excretory system (pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, cystitis);
• various forms of tuberculosis;
• iron, folic and B12 deficiency anemia;
• exhausted states.

The influence of the components of the drink on vascular tone and heart rhythm makes it possible to use it for atherosclerosis, arterial hypertension, arrhythmia, transient disorders of cerebral circulation, multiple sclerosis, senile dementia, migraines. The anticoagulant effect of kvass is useful for thrombophilia, varicose veins, thrombophlebitis.

Traditional healers recommend a tea drink for use in the initial stages of oncological diseases. It improves the well-being of cancer patients after chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Benefits for weight loss

It is recommended to introduce a drink from medusomycete into the diet of people who are struggling with overweight. The substances contained in it improve the breakdown and absorption of nutrients, which normalizes the digestion process and heals the intestinal biocenosis. Fiber and other polysaccharides in kvass prevent constipation, which often accompanies the process of losing weight.

In order for the Japanese mushroom to contribute to weight loss, the infusion on it must be taken, adhering to certain rules:

1. You need to insist a tea drink for a diet on green tea.
2. Drink one hour before a meal or two hours after a meal.
3. Single dose – 1 glass (250 ml), maximum daily dose – 6 glasses.
4. The duration of the continuous course should not exceed 1 month.
5. A break of at least one week is required between courses.
6. The use of the drink does not replace dietary nutrition and physical activity.
7. The calorie content of the drink should be taken into account when calculating the daily calorie content (according to the glucose content in 100 ml).

With proper use of tea kvass in one month, you can get rid of 7 kg of weight.

External application

The use of a drink from Japanese tea as a remedy for external use is indicated for inflammatory diseases of the eyelids (conjunctivitis, barley on the eyelid), skin (dermatitis, furunculosis), burns, purulent wounds, trophic ulcers, varicose veins. Tampons soaked in tea kvass are used for hemorrhoids. The organic acids of the drink soften dry calluses and reduce the pain of heel spurs.

The imposition of compresses with an infusion of kombucha is indicated for mastitis, subcutaneous abscesses, bruises, arthritis, insect bites. Tea kvass is also often used in cosmetology for the manufacture of lotions, tonics, masks, balms for problem skin, hair, and nails.

How to grow

Kombucha bacteria are aerobes, meaning they cannot live without oxygen. Therefore, in the process of growing jellyfish, it is very important that the infusion has constant air access. The process of growing kombucha looks like this:

1. Wash and rinse thoroughly a glass jar (preferably a 3-liter one).
2. On purified boiled water, you need to prepare weak (black or green) tea with sugar (2 tsp tea, 1 liter of water, 50 g of sugar). Strain so that the infusion is transparent.
3. Tea should be large-leaf, without flavors, dyes. Sugar must be completely dissolved in tea.
4. Put a Japanese mushroom at the bottom of the prepared container, pour tea at room temperature.
5. Cover the neck of the jar with gauze. Leave in a lit place, avoiding direct sunlight on the mushroom.

At first, the jellyfish will lie at the bottom of the jar, but as it grows and matures, it will rise to the surface. The drink can be consumed no earlier than after 7 days. Until then, it contains a lot of sugar. It is also not worth overdoing the infusion for longer than 10 days, since acetic acid will progressively accumulate in it.

After draining the kvass into the jar with the mushroom, it is necessary to add freshly prepared tea. Every week or every two weeks, a new layer will appear in the jellyfish. Layers can be separated: this is how its reproduction is carried out.

If in the process of growing a jellyfish sank to the bottom, it needs to be treated. To do this, it is taken out of the container, while the old infusion is drained, and the jar is thoroughly washed. The body of the fungus is examined. The dark layers are separated and discarded. The remaining jellyfish is dried, and then dipped in freshly prepared tea infusion at room temperature. If after a few days she did not rise to the surface, this means that she died. It is strictly forbidden to use tea kvass obtained by insisting on a dead mushroom.

If the drink is planned to be made for regular consumption, then it is better to prepare two glass containers at once: the mushroom will grow in one and the drink will ripen, and the finished tea kvass will be stored in the other.

How to drink

For medicinal purposes, it is necessary to take the drink in a warm form (but not hot) half an hour before meals or 2 hours after it. The volume of drink consumed per day is about 0,5 liters, which must be divided into three doses. The course of treatment is 1,5-2 months with a further monthly break.

Tea drink can be combined with other folk remedies (with decoctions or infusions of medicinal herbs, beekeeping products, mummy).

The drink should be slightly carbonated and sour. The appearance of a sharp sour taste, the smell of alcohol or vinegar indicates that the fermentation process has been disturbed. Such a spoiled drink should not be drunk.

Conclusions

Kombucha (medusomycete, Japanese mushroom) is a popular remedy in folk medicine. In addition to good taste, a drink infused with jellyfish has many useful properties. Admirers of traditional medicine recommend drinking tea kvass for diseases of the digestive tract, circulatory system, kidneys and urinary tract. Its use is also useful for metabolic disorders, to improve the composition of the blood, to increase the tone of the body.

The Japanese mushroom promotes weight loss, allowing, under all conditions, to lose up to 7 kg of excess weight per month. On the basis of this drink, various products are made for external use in diseases of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and joints. In cosmetology, with its use, cosmetics are prepared to improve the condition of the skin, hair, nails. In order for a Japanese mushroom drink to bring maximum benefits, it must be grown correctly. With proper care, tea kvass will be a useful and effective healing drink for all family members.

Some components that make up the tea drink are harmful in certain diseases and conditions, which must be considered before starting to use it.