Content
Kombucha (zooglea) appears as a result of the interaction of yeast 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 get kombucha from friends, in Europe it is sold in pharmacies. You can find out about the origin, useful properties and varieties by reading the materials presented below.
What is "Kombucha"
Zooglea is a unique symbiosis of vinegar bacteria and yeast fungi. This large colony forms a layered structure capable of taking the shape of a vessel in which it lives: round, square, or any other.
From the lower part, threads hang down, similar to those of jellyfish. This is a sprouting zone that grows under favorable conditions.
It is best to grow jellyfish in a three-liter jar.
Where did the kombucha come from?
To understand where the kombucha came from, you need to familiarize yourself with the history. The first mentions of zoogley date back to about 220 BC. The Chinese sources of the Jin Dynasty mention a drink that gives energy and purifies the body.
The history of the kombucha tells that the drink came to European countries at the beginning of the 20th century from the Far East. From Russia, he made his way to Germany, and then ended up in Europe. The Second World War caused the popularity of the mushroom drink to plummet. The difficult financial situation, lack of food affected the spread of the medusomycete. Many people just threw it away.
Where does kombucha grow in nature?
Zooglea is a mystery of nature, which scientists are still trying to solve. The origin of the kombucha is not known for certain.
One of the versions says that if a kombucha cannot live in ordinary water, it means that it appeared in a reservoir filled with special algae, which gave certain properties to the water.
According to another version, the medusomycete was formed in the water in which the fruits floated, because not only tea, but also sugar is needed for its growth. This version is more plausible; the example of Mexican farmers can serve as its confirmation. They grow zoogley in artificial reservoirs 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 types:
- Chinese tea;
- Tibetan milk;
- Indian sea rice.
All of them are the result of coexistence of yeasts 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 kombucha is formed
To get a young specimen, the upper layer of the adult is carefully separated. The film is placed in a glass container with clean water, and at this time a tea drink is prepared in which the medusomycete will grow.
When sweet, but not too strong tea cools down to room temperature, it is poured into a three-liter jar and a young zooglea film 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 appendix will be 10-12 mm, upon closer examination, you can see that the structure has become layered, and hanging threads have appeared from below. After another week, the infusion is ready for use.
People have noticed that kombucha appears in the fruit juice. If you could not buy it or take it from friends, you can grow it yourself from scrap materials. You will need a thermos of any size and a rosehip. The container and the 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, a kombucha should grow in it, the diameter corresponding to the container.
A young zooglea is not yet ready to make 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 a pre-prepared and cooled tea drink. Tea should be strong, sweet, but without tea leaves. First, you will need no more than 0.5 liters of tea leaves, as the medusomycete grows, the amount of liquid is increased.
Where can I get Kombucha
They take kombucha from friends who breed it. Medusomycetes can be grown independently or purchased online. To prevent the zooglea from dying, it is important to properly care for it.
Care advice
In order for the drink not to over-acidify, to bring benefit to the body, and not harm, it is necessary to adhere to some rules:
- The mushroom should always be in the liquid, because without it, it dries out and can disappear.
- Air must enter the container with the tea drink, otherwise the mushroom 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.
- The 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 mushroom, it is necessary to monitor the quality of the prepared tea drink: it should not contain grains of sugar and tea leaves.
- The fungus needs periodic washing. After 3-4 days, take it out of the container and wash it 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 commonwealth of vinegar 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 the drink from zooglea popular.
