Kombucha is a popular ingredient from which the well-known kombucha and effervescent kvass are made. Such a specimen can be preserved for the winter. If you store kombucha correctly and take proper care of it, you can make an excellent drink from it that can be consumed in both summer and winter.
In this article we will look at how to preserve kombucha until next summer, what to do and what to do if mold appears on its surface. Let's consider the rules for breeding and storage in the event of a long-term lack of control over the development of the specimen. In this article we will analyze why the kombucha sank to the bottom of the jar and became moldy and how to separate it at home.
Where can you store kombucha?
The appearance of medusomycetes may seem unpresentable to some people, but do not forget that this culture is good for health and is highly valued in many countries. Do not avoid touching the mushroom while caring for it. It will not be possible to damage a fully mature crop: it has a fairly dense structure and is quickly restored.
To maintain the viability of kombucha (kombucha), it must be placed in water with the addition of tea leaves and granulated sugar. Medusomycete does not feed on tea, but develops well in it. This effect cannot be achieved with ordinary water.
For the culture to perform well, it is necessary to achieve a 10% concentration of sucrose (100 g per 1 liter). Before placing the medusomycete in tea, it must be strained. If you pour sugar directly onto a mushroom, it may begin to rot.
Usually black varieties of tea are used to prepare the infusion, but green tea with various natural additives will not spoil its taste. Only herbs with a high content of essential oils should not be used: chamomile, sage, wild currants. In such a drink, undesirable chemical reactions will occur that can adversely affect human health.
The finished tea should be cooled to room temperature, poured into a large glass jar, place the mushroom in it and cover the neck with gauze to prevent insects and dust particles from getting into the infusion. You cannot seal the jar with a lid; the culture needs oxygen. Metal containers are not suitable for storing kombucha.
It is recommended to store the jar in a shaded place. The container should be illuminated for about 7–8 hours a day. The optimal temperature is from 20 to 25 0C. If the jar is exposed to direct sunlight, blue-green algae may begin to develop in the water. This microscopic vegetation releases toxic substances that can cause the death of kombucha.
How to drink kombucha correctly without harm to health?
Drinking mushroom is an extremely versatile remedy that can help for medicinal purposes in a huge variety of diseases.
Many people ask the question “how much kombucha can you drink per day?”, to which there is no specific answer. The method of taking it directly depends on what goals the person is pursuing. Nutritionists say that for preventive purposes or in the treatment of minor illnesses, it is optimal to take kombucha on an empty stomach in the morning .
One dose per day is enough to maintain the body in normal condition and provide it with protection from many diseases.
However, most often people are interested in how often they can drink kombucha for various diseases.
In such cases, it is generally recommended to take the tincture three times a day.
Time and frequency of reception
The first time it is drunk in the morning, before the first meal. It is first recommended to experimentally find out how taking it on an empty stomach affects the condition of the stomach: sometimes it happens that after such a intake a person experiences discomfort in the stomach. If this is the case, you should move the first dose of the substance to later in the day, after breakfast.
Doctors recommend taking kombucha between meals. The optimal intake would be a few hours after a heavy lunch with meat, or a couple of hours after a light lunch of vegetables.
If you drink a glass of kombucha 40 minutes before a meal, you can prepare your body for the meal, which will facilitate faster digestion of food and obtain the maximum amount of nutrients. The last dose is recommended to be taken a couple of hours before bedtime. This will help set the body up for rest and sleep, as well as get rid of poor health, which can prevent you from falling asleep on time.
Dosages
Another important aspect of taking the substance in question is the dosage. This question is purely individual: most often, use in folk medicine involves drinking a third of a glass of the substance in its pure form (about 150 ml).
In traditional medicine, kombucha is often diluted with additional substances, which can significantly improve its taste. At this stage, you should listen to your own body, which itself will make it clear in what form the use of the medicine is more effective.
However, you must adhere to one rule - do not take more than six glasses of the substance per day (about 1 liter). This is the daily norm, exceeding which is fraught with negative consequences for the body.
The regimen for taking kombucha is simple, there are no special restrictions, drink no more than 1 liter per day. The best option is 3 times a day, 1 small glass (100-150 ml). Preferably 30 minutes before or after meals.
Effects
It is also worth noting that at first after taking the substance in question, some consequences may be observed in the form of unpleasant sensations or slight dizziness.
You should not be afraid of this, since these symptoms indicate that the active substances of kombucha have begun to actively act in the body. In a few days, your health will return to normal, and after a few months of regular use, you can feel significant progress, manifested in an improvement in the general condition of the body, increased performance and other positive effects.
How to preserve kombucha for a long time
There is no need to throw away your kombucha if you want to take a break from drinking the drink or go away for a long time. Culture can be preserved in several simple ways.
In solution
If you have the opportunity to care for the mushroom at least once every two weeks, you can simply put it in weak tea and place it in a well-ventilated place, for example on a balcony or in a pantry. Every 14 days it is necessary to wash the medusomycete and replace the solution with a fresh one. It is advisable to use cool boiled water for rinsing; the mushroom may die in hot liquid.
In a refrigerator
Before placing the mushroom in the refrigerator, it must be washed and placed in a plastic bag. It is recommended to store the crop in the fruit and vegetable compartment. Once cooled, kombucha enters suspended animation, temporarily stopping all vital processes. In the warmth, the medusomycete wakes up and begins to produce the drink again.
The mushroom cannot be frozen; ice crystals will form inside it and the culture may not recover after such intervention.
Drying
The kombucha must be washed, placed in a clean, dry container and covered with gauze. We must remember to periodically turn the kombucha so that mold does not form under it. After the culture has completely dried, it can be placed in the refrigerator or on a cabinet shelf. If you put kombucha in sweet tea, after a week it will return to its previous state. The first infusion should be drained, and then you can use the mushroom as usual.
External use of kombucha
Special mention should be made of the external use of kombucha. Most often it is used to treat fungi on the nails .
In this case, it is necessary to apply a small piece of the lower layer of kombucha to the affected nail. A similar method can be used to treat other skin diseases - warts, various allergies, irritations, and the like.
A compress made from the lower layer of the fungus is extremely effective in treating ingrown toenails. The procedure involves applying it to the affected area and wrapping it with film. Then it is recommended to wear two socks and leave the compress overnight. Improvement in well-being will be observed after the third procedure.
Kombucha is also actively used to combat scalp diseases - dandruff, seborrhea and the like.
For effective treatment, rub the substance into the hair roots or use it as a rinse.
How to store kombucha if you are not using it yet
If you don’t want to drink a kombucha drink yet, you can pour weak tea over the mushroom and place it in a cool, dark place. Every 2–3 weeks, the solution must be updated, not forgetting to wash the culture.
It is important to cover the jar with several layers of gauze, otherwise insects may appear in it, especially in the second half of summer. A liquid containing sugar and a small amount of alcohol attracts fruit flies. If they lay larvae in the mushroom, it will no longer be possible to restore the culture; the number of parasites will increase every day. The only way out is to grow a new kombucha from a well-strained drink.
Diseases and problems
Before drinking kvass, you need to make sure that the mushroom is healthy and floating on the surface. It should be smooth and translucent, without foreign inclusions.
Like any other living culture, medusomycetes can get sick. To easily cope with emerging pathologies, you need to regularly pay attention to the appearance of your kombucha. This will allow you to detect the problem in time.
The culture has grown too big
An increase in kombucha volume indicates that the crop is doing well and is being properly cared for. But large kombucha takes up too much space, and it becomes difficult to catch and rinse. You can carefully remove the oldest layers, this will not kill the medusomycete.
The mushroom sinks to the bottom
A healthy culture floats on the surface of the liquid, but sometimes you can notice that it lies at the bottom and does not float up. This behavior is typical for aged mushrooms that have decided to raise a successor and retire. The film on the surface of the infusion is the young culture. It must be transferred to a clean jar of tea.
Old kombucha plants are not recommended for making drinks because they produce a lot of acid. Such mushrooms are only suitable for the production of vinegar.
The drink matures very slowly
If the medusomycete is cold, its development is inhibited. To reduce the preparation time for the drink, you need to move the culture to a warmer place.
A brown coating has appeared
A brown film indicates neglect of caring for the mushroom. The culture needs to be washed, the top layer removed from its surface and in the future try to pay more attention to kombucha.
The mushroom is covered with small spots
Stains on kombucha are damage caused by grains of sugar and particles of tea leaves. There is no need to treat the medusomycete, but in the future you should dissolve the granulated sugar more thoroughly and strain the tea leaves.
Mold has formed
If the kombucha becomes moldy, this is not a reason to throw it away. The culture is simply sick and proper care will help it recover. In its normal state, kombucha successfully fights against foreign organisms, but if it is kept in inappropriate conditions, the natural defenses are weakened. The moldy crop must be washed thoroughly, paying attention to the folds, treated with vinegar and rinsed with boiled water.
Sometimes white bubbles may appear on kombucha, which many people mistake for mold. It is actually carbon dioxide released during fermentation. Treatment in this case is not required.
In solution
Many troubles can be avoided if you provide proper care for your kombucha:
By drying, you can also preserve your kombucha for when you leave. Rinse it thoroughly and place in a dry bowl, turning occasionally to prevent mold from forming. It is recommended to place the bowl in a deep pan, which must be covered with gauze or a napkin. This will protect the kombucha from dust and insects. The dried mushroom is placed in the refrigerator or put in a closet.
Usually it floats on the surface, but if it begins to sink, it means that the specimen is already old and it’s time for it to rest. Remove a thin transparent layer from its surface and place it in a freshly prepared tea solution with sugar.
An infusion made from kombucha is called Kombucha. It contains various vitamins, acids and enzymes. They help restore normal microflora in the body.
Before drinking the drink, it is recommended to make sure that the mushroom is healthy and located on the surface. It is important to ensure that it is smooth and translucent. There should be no foreign elements in the structure of the product.
Solution: Red Tea With Hibiscus and Reishi Mushroom - Tips
How and where to store kombucha drink
The infusion obtained from kombucha tastes a little like kvass. This is explained by the low content of ethyl alcohol at some stages of fermentation. Over time, alcohol turns into acids. The drink also contains enzymes and vitamins that have a beneficial effect on the body. Kombucha infusion has the following beneficial properties:
- treatment of colds, tonsillitis and sore throat;
- increasing immunity;
- blood purification for skin diseases;
- toning, improving performance;
- normalization of the gastrointestinal tract;
- stimulation of appetite;
- prevention of migraines, nervous overexcitation;
- eliminating the consequences of intoxication, getting rid of a hangover.
The infusion is also used externally. Compresses with it promote rapid regeneration of the skin, treat wounds, ulcers and burns.
Contraindications to taking a drink from kombucha are gastritis with high acidity, gastrointestinal diseases in the acute stage. An infusion with sugar should not be drunk if you have diabetes. Due to the drink's 2 to 3% alcohol content, it should be avoided by pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Kombucha kvass matures within 5–10 days. The speed of preparation of the drink is affected by the air temperature in the room and the age of the crop. You can drink it immediately or refrigerate it. After brewing for several days, the drink becomes tastier. It is dangerous to use a drink that has been left in a warm place for a long time. A plastic sieve or gauze is suitable for straining the infusion. A metal strainer cannot be used.
Beneficial properties of kombucha
The question often arises: what to do with the mushroom if you need a break from drinking the drink? This happens during vacation or business trip. In such cases, a cool, dark place is ideal for storing freshly prepared infusion. We wash the mushroom itself and place it in a new solution.
Solution: How to Store Kombucha at Home - analysis of the issue
Place the container in a dark place with a temperature no higher than +25 °C. We expect 5-10 days, depending on the temperature of the content. When the infusion is left untouched, there is a high probability that another mushroom will grow on top.
You should not use kombucha infusion to treat diseases without consulting your doctor. Not everyone can use it; those who are prohibited from using kombucha include:
It is better to drain the prepared drink regularly; you can consume it immediately, or you can put it in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container so that it infuses a little. The result is a real carbonated drink to quench your thirst.
It is forbidden to drink kombucha if you have the following health problems:
The tea drink contains:
How to grow your own kombucha
If you do not replace the liquid with freshly prepared tea for a long time, a new fungus may begin to develop on the surface.
You can grow medusomycetes from scratch as follows:
- 2 tsp. Pour a liter of boiling water over medium- or large-leaf tea and leave to steep for 15 minutes;
- strain the tea leaves;
- pour 2-3 tbsp. l. sugar, stir thoroughly;
- cool the tea to room temperature;
- pour into a clean and dry jar, previously washed with baking soda;
- cover the neck of the container with gauze, securing it with an elastic band or thread;
- place the jar in a shaded, warm place;
- after 3–5 days, the surface of the water will begin to become covered with an oily film, from which a mushroom will form.
The medusomycete membrane will strengthen in 4–6 weeks. After this, it must be washed and used to prepare a drink.
Taking into account the peculiarities of caring for kombucha, you can enjoy a refreshing drink all year round. And if there is a need to take a break, it is enough to place the culture in the refrigerator or dry it.
