Contents
Kombucha (zooglea) appears as a result of the interaction of yeast fungi and bacteria. Medusomycete, as it is called, is used in alternative medicine. With its help, a sour-sweet drink resembling kvass is obtained. You can take kombucha from friends, in Europe it is sold in pharmacies. You can learn about the origin, useful properties and varieties by reading the materials below.
What is “kombucha”
Zooglea is a unique symbiosis of acetic bacteria and yeasts. This large colony forms a layered structure that can take the shape of the vessel it lives in: round, square, or any other.
Threads similar to the threads of jellyfish hang from the lower part. This is a growth zone that grows under favorable conditions.
It is best to grow jellyfish in a three-liter jar
Where did kombucha come from
To understand where Kombucha came from, you need to familiarize yourself with the history. The first mention of zooglea dates back to around 220 BC. The Chinese sources of the Jin Dynasty mention a drink that gives energy and cleanses the body.
The history of kombucha tells that the drink came to European countries at the beginning of the XNUMXth century from the Far East. From Our Country he made his way to Germany and then to Europe. The Second World War led to the fact that the popularity of the mushroom drink declined sharply. The difficult financial situation, the lack of food affected the spread of medusomycete. Many people just threw it away.
Where does kombucha grow in nature
Zooglea is a mystery of nature that scientists are still trying to solve. The origin of Kombucha is not known for certain.
One of the versions says that if kombucha cannot live in ordinary water, it means that it appeared in a reservoir filled with special algae, which gave the water certain properties.
According to another version, the medusa mycete formed in the water in which the fruits floated, because its growth requires not only tea, but also sugar. This version is more plausible; the example of Mexican farmers can serve as its confirmation. They grow zooglea in artificial ponds filled with chopped figs.
The origin of kombucha is not always associated with tea, it is believed that it could appear in fermented berry juice or wine.
Varieties
There are 3 varieties:
- Chinese tea;
- Tibetan dairy;
- Indian sea rice.
All of them are the result of the cohabitation of yeast and acetic bacteria. There were versions that this is the same mushroom that grew in different liquids, but later it was proved that their origin and composition are different.
How is kombucha formed?
To get a young specimen, carefully separate the top layer of an adult. The film is placed in a glass container with clean water, and at this time a tea drink is prepared in which the jellyfish will grow.
When sweet, but not too strong tea has cooled to room temperature, it is poured into a three-liter jar and a young film of zooglea is placed.
Every 2 days, a weak tea infusion is added to the container, the sugar content of which should be about 10%. After 21 days, the thickness of the young process will be 10-12 mm, upon closer examination, you can see that the structure has become layered, and hanging threads have appeared from below. A week later, the infusion is ready for use.
People have noticed that kombucha appears in fruit juice. If you could not buy it or take it from friends, you can grow it yourself from improvised materials. You will need a thermos of any size and rose hips. The container and fruits are thoroughly washed, poured over with boiling water. Rosehip is poured with boiled water and left in a hermetically sealed thermos for 60 days. For 0,5 liters of water, 20 fruits are required. After 2 months, the thermos is opened, Kombucha should grow in it, corresponding in diameter to the container.
The young zooglea is not yet ready for the production of a tea drink. It looks transparent and not too dense. It is washed with cold boiled water, then placed in a three-liter jar and poured with pre-prepared and cooled tea drink. Tea should be strong, sweet, but without tea leaves. First, no more than 0,5 liters of tea leaves will be required, as the medusomycete grows, the amount of liquid is increased.
Where can you get kombucha
They take kombucha from friends who breed it. Medusomycete can be grown independently or purchased online. So that the zooglea does not die, it is important to properly care for it.
Care instructions
In order for the drink not to peroxide, to bring benefits to the body, and not harm, it is necessary to adhere to some rules:
- The fungus must always be in the liquid, because without it, it dries up and may disappear.
- Air must enter the container with the tea drink, otherwise the fungus will suffocate. It is not recommended to close the lid tightly. To prevent insects from entering the container, its neck is covered with gauze folded in several layers and tied with an elastic band.
- The place for keeping the jar with the medicinal composition should be warm and darkened. Direct sunlight is unacceptable.
- High temperature leads to the death of the tea organism. Therefore, it is impossible to fill the mushroom with hot liquid. The prepared solution should cool at room temperature, only after that it is added to the jar.
- In order not to violate the integrity of the fungus, it is necessary to monitor the quality of the prepared tea drink: it should not contain grains of sugar and tea leaves.
- The mushroom needs periodic washing. After 3-4 days, it is taken out of the container and washed in cool boiled water.
Proper care and timely separation of the young film allow you to enjoy a tasty and healthy drink all year round.
Conclusion
Kombucha is a community of acetic bacteria and yeasts. This union is born in the presence of two components: tea leaves and sugar. You can buy it from friends or through online stores. Useful properties and pleasant taste make zooglea drink popular.
