How to prepare a tibicos culture

How to prepare a tibicos culture? Here's what I found out from those with more experience:

First, you have to find tibicos mushroom. This can be the tricky part, depending on where you live or who you know.

Once you have the tibicos mushroom, add it to pure water, inside a glass container. Note that: a) the water you use should as pure as possible, clear of any pollutants such as chlorine; b) the container you use should be very clean, but clear of any leftover residues of soap (which create a hostile environment for the probiotics).

As you now have a container with the tibicos and water, place sugar inside (sugar types are relevant, you may wish to do some research or experimentation on that matter). One spoon of sugar per three of tibicos.

Hence the names of water kefir or sugar kefir grains.

Tibicos needs to breathe, like any living organism. This creates a situation when it comes to covering it. Use a cloth that covers but still allows air to go through. This protects from impurities but still allows for breathing.

Then, leave everything alone for one or two days.

As for drinking instructions, the same applies as what we have discussed with kephir. Use a plastic strainer to avoid metal residues and interactions, and store in the refrigerator.

Kephir, Kombucha and Tibicos really are amazing gifts... from Nature to us, and from us to others :)

Tibicos

Tibicos can be found in many places, and it is said that the properties of each tibicos culture varies according to its origin. The tibicos health benefits, however, are universal.

What are they, then? Tibicos are a culture of bacteria and yeast mixed in polysaccharide. They are a whitish / yellow mass, with the appearance of crystals. Colorful aliases include: tibi, Japanese water crystals and California Bees. Others call it water kefir grains or sugar kephir. There are also many stories concerning the tibicos benefits and the tradition of giving them to others: one of those stories tells how Mother Theresa of Calcutta once traveled to Tibet to gather tibicos to help heal the poor and needy.

As with kombucha, tibicos can have benefits for anyone who can't consume dairy products, as the water kefir provides the same probiotics as dairy / tea cultured products.

It is apparently beneficial against migraines and arthritis, plus problems of the digestive system, circulation, muscular, and of other organs (liver, lungs and kidneys).

It's on my list of things to try.

EDIT: On a very important note, a reader reminded me that to ensure quality of the tibicos, one should prepare a tibicos culture with attention to having water as pure as possible. That means avoiding soap residues, chlorine, tap water, and the likes. Thanks for the heads-up, Jane!

Kombucha Alcohol

Did you ever hear that kombucha, as a fermented tea, has variable quantities of alcohol? If you did, then know it's true.

Usually the quantity of kombucha alcohol is very small, although some commercial brands keep on fermenting within the package and may reach higher values. Even though not everyone notices, some people do report a certain "jolt" as a result of kombucha alcohol, after drinking this fermented tea.

In 2010, Whole Foods Market removed unpastesteurized kombucha from the shelves, due to the possible presence of a distinguishable quantity of alcohol in them (in the very least as a precaution, as percentages may vary). As far as regulation agencies are concerned, a warning was even issued that taxes applicable to alcoholic beverages might be extended to kombucha.

Kombucha alcohol content may vary from a small 0.5 to the more noticeable 3 percent.

Kombucha

Kombuchas are a special kind of tea, obtained through a fermentation process. Through the proper preparation of a kombucha culture, you can obtain a healthy tea that preserves your organism (antioxidant) and helps it to eliminate microbes. This is why legend says it helps to extend life.

As the kombucha culture evolves, it gains a funky look and feel (or so I think). What can you expect from it? Well, the one I tried looks like a flat mushroom, which is exactly how it is often called. The drink itself fortunately looks like a tea, otherwise I'd had thought twice about drinking it :) See the picture to see the real deal, culture floating in the liquid.

I'm told that if proper care is not taken in storing it, mold can grow on the surface of the culture. If that happens, it is best to throw it out and begin anew, to avoid any unwanted effect.

According to kombucha history, this beverage hails from either Russia or China (the first one seems more likely), and has been around for a few centuries.

As with most fermented products it contains a tiny bit of alcohol, that ranges around point-five percent. So, it's a no-go on having kombucha at the local happy hour. If your looking for health, though, it's something to consider!

Kephir is still my favorite, though, of course :)

Kefir Culture

Food sustains our bodies and minds, and it can bring us health and well-being. For this reason, everyone should know more about what different kinds of nutritious goodies are out there. So, time for some interesting tidbits on matters related to food and kefir culture! Ready for it? Today we're going to begin a quick and small glossary on healthy food, to be further developed individually.


Kombucha: Kombucha is a kind of fermented tea, dating back to the nineteenth century in Russia. It is often used with medicinal purposes, and like kephir it is prepared by letting a kombucha culture ferment.

Tibicos: Tibicos are also known as water kefir grains or sugar kephir. Tibico grains ferment in any liquid that contains sugar (including water), and thus are a good alternative for anyone that wishes to avoid dairy products.

Whole Foods: Foods that have none or little processing or refinement, making them as natural as possible. Different from organic food.

Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt has a very high quantity of calcium and fat, giving it the ability to withstand high temperatures. Thus, it can be used for cooking. Yogurt is made through bacterial fermentation as well, and this is the kind that has seen the greatest boom in popularity, in recent years.

Tips on how to make kefir - Part 1

As you learn how to make kefir, there are a few loose pointers to be aware of. Off the top of my head, there are many others - hence the title -, so this'll be a quick post. Kind of like a Kephir Frequently Asked Questions :)

- Kephir falls in the category of whole foods
- Milk Kefir Grains (Royal Kephir) are different from Water Kefir Grains

- Use stainless steel or plastic sifters, never aluminum ones
- As kephir is acidic it may help decompose metals, they are to be avoided
- Use glass or plastic containers

- The milk you use for kephir can be of most kinds, but always of animal origin
- Non-animal milk does not contain lactose, fundamental to the process
- The fermentation process takes about a day & a half
- The more kefir grains you use, less time it takes to ferment (and vice-versa)

- Kephir is a living organism; avoid storing it in very high temperatures
- In hot climates, the kephir tends to ferment faster (tropical = x2)
- If it over-ferments, it will taste more acid, but is still good for consumption
- After prepared, kephir can be consumed, or keep in the refrigerator
- Refrigerated kephir can last for many months

- Kefir can be mixed with other foods to improve flavour, like cereals or fruit

Ok, these are things I remember for now on how to make kefir. More as we go along :)

Oh, by the way, you'll notice I use the terms Kefir and Kephir interchangeably, but it's just out of habit, no difference there... both terms are correct, are ok to use, and mean the same :)