Kombucha: What is it and how to make it
When it's particularly hot, most of us opt for soft drinks to quench our thirst. However, did you know that soft drinks are not the healthiest options to go for in such a situation? It is time to start choosing healthier drinks such as kombucha.
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Terrible ecology, the dubious quality of food, and stress affect the state of our health. The kombucha drink is a useful alternative to tea, and especially sweet carbonated drinks.
What is kombucha?
Kombucha is a mushroom, which is actually not a single organism, but essentially a symbiotic colony of yeast and bacteria. For more than two thousand years, it has been used to make a drink with unusual properties, which in China is called the elixir of health and immortality. Kombucha has other names, for example, Japanese mushroom, sea quass, tea jellyfish, etc. In natural medicine, this mushroom is considered an almost universal phаrmaceutical remedy that helps against many ailments.
It looks like a gel-like mass and usually takes the form of a more or less round "pancake." When it is thrown into sweet tea, it initiates the fermentation process. In 5-7 days, a slightly carbonated sweet-sour drink will be ready. It is an excellent alternative to sugary, unhealthy fizzy drinks. Kombucha tea contains many valuable components, vitamins and microelements. Here you can find B vitamins and vitamin C, lactic, acetic and gluconic acid, zinc, calcium, magnesium, iron and copper. The drink also contains alcohol, sugar and caffeine, so its use is contraindicated for children.
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One can prepare this healthy and delicious drink at home and enjoy every day a refreshing, tasty and healing kombucha drink.
What are the health benefits of kombucha?
Is kombucha healthy? It has a versatile effect, and in folk medicine, it is considered a drink that heals almost all diseases. Its most significant advantage is its probiotic effect: it restores the corresponding intestinal flora after antibiotic treatment and effectively strengthens the immune system.
This drink significantly improves digestion, stimulates metabolism, and accelerates the burning of fat. Therefore, it is recommended for those who want to lose a few extra pounds and also for patients with obesity of 2 and 3 degrees. This elixir has excellent detoxification characteristics and is effectively used to cleanse the blood. It also has an anti-cancer effect, as it contains a large number of antioxidants that destroy free radicals, which directly contribute to the formation of abnormal cancer cells and are responsible for the ageing process.
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Kombucha has hepatoprotective and nephroprotective properties. It can have a positive effect on chronic liver and kidney diseases and protects these organs under adverse conditions. If you drink such tea regularly, it will help to regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which can prevent the development of atherosclerosis. This mushroom, infused with glucose-lowering herbal preparations, has a therapeutic effect for people who have diabetes.
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People who have insomnia and regularly drink such healthy tea have noted a significant improvement in their sleep. The infusion has a very calming effect on the nervous system, improves concentration, and reduces the symptoms of menopause. It is also an additional source of energy, so it is recommended to drink this tea to recover from chronic fatigue. It has a positive effect on vision, accelerates wound healing, reduces the degree of greying hair, and the desire for alcohol.
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The most important rule to follow when taking the drink is not to mix it with food, because it speeds up the digestion process, and very soon you will want to eat again. Consuming the tea infusion in the morning on an empty stomach tones, energizes and helps to maximize the number of healthy microbes.
How to make kombucha?
It can be easily prepared at home, but it should be remembered that it should be done in conditions of exceptional sterility. All tools should be treated with boiling water to prevent mould from developing throughout the process. Although the ready-made tea can be purchased in some health food stores and some supermarkets, the homemade drink remains unrivalled.
There are many ways of preparing this drink, but we recommend the following kombucha recipe:
- Prepare black, green, or herbal tea in the following proportions: 1 l of water, 2 tsp of brew and 5 tbsp of sugar, insist tea for 15 minutes.
- Strain the infusion and cool it to room temperature.
- Place the mushroom in a jar, cover with gauze and place in a warm dark place. For young mushrooms, it is recommended to add 100 ml of tea infusion from the previous jar.
- After 5-10 days, the delicious drink is ready. Rinse the mushroom and put it in a new jar of prepared tea.
- If you want to get savoury sparkling tea with gas, pour the prepared infusion into a glass container, close tightly and keep in a cool place for 5 days.
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Since kombucha is a living culture, it is important to choose it carefully. If the elemental content is not followed, the fungus can be infected with undesirable bacteria. Like any other food, this mushroom has several limitations. If you have a health problem, consult your doctor before starting to consume this drink.
DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
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Source: Legit.ng
