Tea mushroom benefits and harm, preparation at home | A photo

Tea mushroom, also widely known as a comable (latch. kombucha), Japanese mushroom or erroneously Tibetan mushroom, is a colony of bacteria and a special culture of yeast, which belongs to the Scoby (Symbiotic Cultures of Bacteria and Yeasts), that is, to the group of symbiotic cultures of yeast and bacteria. Therefore, despite the name, tea or Japanese mushroom, but in fact it is not a mushroom.

Description

As mentioned earlier, to call a tea mushroom a fungus is an exaggeration. Since it actually consists of bacteria, special cultures of yeast and other fungi living in symbiosis with each other. The most important yeast are Schizosaccharomyces Pomba and Saccharmycodes Ludwigii, and the main bacteria involved in symbiosis is Acetobacter Xylinum. Its presence is important because it forms a moving pulp network, strengthening the connection between bacterial cultures and mushrooms.

The drink obtained as a result of the fermentation of tea with sugar “tea fungus” is called combach. This drink has been known for more than 2000 years and, most likely, originated in China. Its healing properties were also known to the Japanese and Koreans. The commercial got along the trading route to Eurasia, and from there to Europe.

Although the drink produced by a tea mushroom has already known for many centuries, scientists “discovered” it only at the beginning of the 20th century. The first messages were received by Eurasia. During the First World War, he was called a “miraculous drink”, he helped with headaches, pain in his stomach and especially regulated the work of the intestines.

Studies conducted between 1925 and 1950 confirmed the beneficial effects of combination on the regulation of digestion, reducing the level of cholesterol, cleansing the body, prevention of atherosclerosis, diabetes and slowing down aging, but their methodology remained quite unclear. In 1951, a study was conducted in Eurasia, which showed that the frequent use of combuchi correlates with increased resistance to cancer, which was confirmed by tests in the 1960s. They also demonstrated the cleansing effect of the comable and improve the operation of the immune system with prolonged use of the drink. The results of these experiments were confirmed by later research in Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands. Studies of the properties of the comables continue to this day, and we still learn something new about tea fungus.

Appearance

The tea mushroom does not look very attractive-it looks like a gelatinous, similar to a tortilla of white or light orange masses. When added to the sweetened tea, he begins to ferment. As a result of this process, a sweet and sour, hissing and refreshing drink with interesting taste qualities is obtained. Its color can vary from light gray to dark brown, depending on the type of tea that you have chosen.

Tea mushroom has the shape of a disk its size corresponds to the size of the vessel. This disc is called mother. During fermentation, thin flakes are formed from the maternal part the socalled daughters that can become independent crops capable of metabolism. Every time the daughter stands out from her mother, the mother becomes a little thinner and weaker. If you feed them for a long time, they will become thicker and stronger.

How everything happens

The fungi and bacteria in the composition of the combi work together: yeast turns sucrose into fructose and glucose, producing ethanol, bacteria turn glucose into glucuronic acid, and fructose into acetic acid. Caffeine and other similar tea compounds stimulate the production of cellulose bacteria. Acetic acid stimulates yeast to the production of ethanol, and ethanol, in turn, contributes to the growth of bacteria and their production of acetic acid. Both ethanol and acetic acid suppress the growth of other bacteria, thereby preventing the pollution of the fungus and drink with dangerous organisms. The production of lactic acid, vitamins of group B and folic acid using combi are also documented.

Beneficial properties of a battalion drink

Drink of a combach is characterized by a very rich composition. It contains organic acids (vinegar, milk, apple, ascorbic, gluco, glucorous, oxalic), vitamins of group B (B1, B2, B6, B12), minerals (zinc, magnesium, calcium, iron, copper), ethanol (up to 2 %), caffeine, carbon dioxide, proteins, fats, polyphenols and sugar. Due to the content of such a large number of compounds, the drink of the combach, of course, has many useful properties, although most of them have not yet been confirmed by scientific research.

The following useful properties can be assumed:

A drink of tea fungus is recommended for many ailments, such as insomnia, lack of appetite, memory loss, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, weakness, chronic fatigue syndrome, premenstrual syndrome, rheumatism, arthritis, diabetes and even AIDS and cancer.

Combuche also shows many valuable properties in external use, which allows you to use it in production, for example:

Drink of a battery is considered one of the most delicious ways to strengthen and detoxification of the body. Although the taste of the battleship drink is not obvious, it resembles sweet and sour, pickled apples, drink its real pleasure and a great way to quench thirst. The taste of tea mushroom is shiny, slightly dry, like slightly chilled, carbonated tea.

Drink of a commercial is a living probiotic drink. Like natural apple cider vinegar, it contains organic acids (vinegar, milk and glucine, apple). You will find organic acids and:

Combuche acts as a natural probiotic, which positively affects digestive processes and immunity. The source of the best properties of combi are mainly living cultures of bacteria, which have a very positive effect on digestion, accelerate metabolism and help reduce weight.

In the commercial, you can also find vitamins of group B (B1, B2, B6, B12) that invigorate us during mental work and study, improve the mood.

Combuchee contributes to the cleansing of the body, and thanks to glucuronic acid supports the liver function. It also has antioxidant properties (thanks to polyphenols and vitamin C).

Harm

Although a drink from tea fungus is considered healthy, sometimes there have been cases of adverse reactions from its use. Rare cases of lactic acid acidosis, renal failure, liver damage, skin allergies and rash, nausea and vomiting were reported. Given this, it is recommended to be careful when using fermented tea and buy a tea mushroom only from reliable manufacturers who support high hygiene standards during production.

Insufficient amount of data on the action of combi means that the use of this drink is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women.

Also, the drink contains a lot of sugar and alcohol, so it is not recommended to use people with:

To exclude harm from the commercials, do not use more than 120 ml of the drink per day. Be careful with increased acidity of gastric juice. A strong drink is prohibited for drivers.

The taste properties of a drink from a tea mushroom

Tea mushroom perfectly quenches thirst, it has an interesting taste, and drinking it gives many daily pleasure. This is one of the reasons why the tea mushroom is sometimes called “tea champagne”.

The commercial should be well cooled and drunk immediately after opening. Light sinning of tea fungus proves the freshness of the drink. The product is still alive and still wanders. In the case of a tea fung, live fermentation is responsible for the most valuable properties of the combination that support the digestive system. Also, thanks to the fermentation of the combach, it turns out tasty, carbonated and refreshing.

Tea mushroom at home

The culture of the comable is formed in the process of fermentation. With each bait on the surface of the old comable, a new layer grows (independent culture of bacteria and fungi), which can be easily separated. This may be necessary for:

When preparing kombuchi, it is important to choose organic and healthy tea leaves. Mint or chamomile leaves are useless here. You can choose, for example, White, Ceylon, Red, Kukich, Pu-Erch or Green Tea. Avoid those that are rich in essential oils, as this can interfere with the fermentation process.

Important during production:

Cooking from scratch (recipe)

Medical comable can be bought or grown with your own hands. There are several ways to grow tea fungus at home.

According to the traditional recipe, a tea mushroom is prepared from scratch at home, focusing on the next algorithm of actions:

Combuche “Wild Rose”

To increase benefits, use the commercial combination recipe at home with rose hips. Prepare in the following order:

From a piece of combi

The cheapest and fastest way will be to prepare comables from a borrowed piece:

How much sugar is used

As mentioned above, sugar is food for the “mushroom”. Both too much and too little harmful to him. If there are too few of it, fungi and bacteria will not be able to produce a sufficient amount of metabolites (including acids), and all this can, for example, moldy. If there is too much of it, excessive growth of yeast will occur, which will violate the entire Scoby ecosystem, and all this will be thrown out.

The optimal amount is near a cup (215 g of sugar) to a 4-liter jar. That is, for a liter jar of approximately 1/4 cup sugar-about 2.5-3 tablespoons.

The best is light reed sugar because it contains pure sucrose. It is permissible to use other more useful types of sugar (for example, honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, coconut sugar), but this can be done, for example, every 2-3 enzymes, and not every time. The combination with various sweeteners weakens the “mushroom” slightly, so it should be restored during 2-3 consistent enzymes with conventional reed sugar.

Do not use erytritis, xylitol, stevia or other similar sweeteners. Eritrite and xylitol are the socalled sugar alcohols, they have antibacterial and antizero properties. And for growing yeast and bacteria, which are components of the “fungus”, they are absolutely not suitable. Despite the fact that stevia is very good for health, but it does not have sucrose (or any simple sugars), so its use will lead to the hunger of the “fungus”, which means this option is also not suitable for feeding the comable.

Other important factors that determine the enzyme of tea fungus

Other factors also affect the healthy development of the mushroom.

Water

It can be from the crane, but filtered. A large amount of chlorine prevents the growth of Scoby and, therefore, fermentation, so keep this in mind (many watering waters, unfortunately, contain a large amount of chlorine). You can use mineral water or water from a well if you have access.

Tea

This is a very important factor for the development of SCOBY and the enzymes of the combi, as Scoby is nitrogen and thein, which are contained in tea. The best is black tea or, possibly, a mixture of black and green (half and half or 70-80% green). Studies have shown that Scoby flourishes best on black tea, so keep it in mind.

As for the alternative to tea, there are studies that say that a sufficient amount of nitrogen is provided by Echinacea and Cube, as well as Melissa. In addition, the researchers also studied the enzyme of combi with coconut water. These are interesting studies, but, as in the case of combining with sugar, you can conduct one enzyme, for example, with coconut water (in this case you no longer need to sweeten it), and 2-3 more enzymes again with tea. Thus, Scoby (“mushroom”) will develop in a healthy way.

Mushroom

During fermentation, it takes on the shape of a vessel in which it is grown. “Mushrooms” with a thickness of about 0.5 cm are most effectively fermented. If the mushrooms are thin, they need to be fermented longer (this can be done in a separate container where you can feed such small mushrooms with tea and sugar until they “grow”). If you do not want to “grind” in this way, just make sure that the fermentation cycle has at least one mushroom that is thicker (there can be several, even thin and small).

It is also necessary to pay attention to the color of the mushroom and its general view. Young “mushrooms” are lighter and tougher (higher concentration of cellulose), and the old ones are darker (they acquire the color of black tea). It is generally accepted that each “mushroom” is suitable for about 4 enzymes, after which it should be thrown away. In practice, it turns out that with each subsequent fermentation of “mushrooms” it becomes almost twice as much, so you can discard those that look like the most.

Important! Although the tea mushroom will change the color during subsequent enzyme (it will go into the color of the tea infusion), spots similar to mold, hairs, blue-green-gray bleaching are definitely unacceptable. If you notice at least one of these signs, immediately throw the entire mushroom along with the liquid. Mold poisoning can be very dangerous.

How to drink it correctly

Drink of the commercial has a strong effect on the entire body, so it should be consumed gradually, starting, for example, from one teaspoon per day. Headaches may occur first, which may be associated with the process of removing toxins and cleansing the body. Safe consumption of not more than 118 ml of a battalion drink per day is considered to be consumption.

Overdose of the commercials

Since cases of unfavorable symptoms caused by the use of too much of the battleship were recorded, it should not be drunk for a long time or in large quantities. Two cases of situations that are caused by the use of too large the number of comables are known (at one time they were published in the press):

Sometimes reports of other side effects caused by use of more than 0.5 cups of combi per day, such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, allergic reactions and liver damage.

What are the contraindications for the use of comables

Due to the content of alcohol in the battleship drink, it should not be drunk for children and pregnant women, and due to the presence of sugar, it is also not recommended for diabetics. In connection with the possibility of side effects, special caution should be observed for people:

How to care

The tea mushroom is quite unpretentious, so some special and thorough care is not required.

If the drink does not need to be prepared for some time, the mushroom layer can be dried. It is placed on a plate and turned over daily. Kombucha storage after drying is carried out in the cabinet, in Dali from sunlight.

If you need an infusion, put the mushroom in sweetened tea for a week. She will begin to grow again.

It is recommended to start using a combination after analysis of possible contraindications. With this approach, a refreshing drink will only benefit the body.

Storage and use of mushrooms

They say that the mushroom should be thrown away after each fifth enzyme. There are those who completely deny this. Of course, it is better to replace tea for safety, as well as a jar in which a mushroom is stored. It is recommended to pour freshly prepared cold sweet tea into the container every 4-6 weeks, add 1/3 of the old brine there and place mushrooms there. Thus, the bracket receives food and retain all its properties, and we have a fresh product.

So the mushroom can be stored up to 6 months. There are those who believe that in this way you can save your scoby for 36 months. But manufacturers do not recommend this risk. In addition, you can divide the mushroom and dry the part to use in the right time.

Store the finished comable in bottles with a sealed lid, in the refrigerator. The most delicious tea is stored in the refrigerator until a week. After that, he begins to become more vinegar. It all depends on how often the bottle is unscrewed/opens. If the bottle was not open at all, the comable will remain the same tasty even after three weeks. When storing a drink from a tea mushroom in the refrigerator, stimulation occurs, as a result of which even more bubbles are produced, as after the first days and stages of enzyme.

Opinions of doctors about the comable

Unfortunately, there are not many scientists who have taken up the study of the influence of the battalion drink on health. Researchers from the bromatology department of the faculty of toxicology and bromatology of the Lodzi Medical University belong to this small group. According to the researchers, the drink of the commander has a number of most important properties:

therefore, they argue that the drink of their tea mushroom can be considered as a natural food supplement.

In turn, scientists from India also conducted a study of the properties of the drink of the commander. In 2003, researchers from the defense institute of physiology and related sciences in Delhi gave enzyme tea to rats that received a dose of lead acetate. They found that it strengthened the immune system of rodents, weakened by oxidative stress (as a result of poisoning of lead acetate), and reduces DNA damage. Thus, the results obtained suggest that the drink of the commercial can have powerful antioxidant and immunomodulating properties.

Unlike them, other researchers from India, whose results were published in 2010 in Food magazine & Function, argue that a drinking mushroom drink can help in the treatment of stomach ulcers. Researchers gave mice suffering from peptic ulcer, a drink of a commander, which was fermented for four days. In the end, they found that the drink prepared in this way was as effective as omeprazole, the drug used for peptic ulcer.

However, these are only laboratory studies with the participation of animals, which only suggest that the drink of the combach can have the healing properties. There is no scientific data convincingly proving that the tea mushroom has healing properties. It can be considered only as a dietary supplement, although in this case caution should be observed, since after its use many side effects were registered.