You’ve probably seen colorful bottles of kombucha in the supermarket. What are these concoctions that tout all kinds of health benefits? Should you include them in your eating pattern?

Kombucha is an ancient beverage that starts with black or green tea and sugar. After yeast and bacteria are added, the mixture ferments for a period of time, usually at least a week. This fermentation process produces a fizzy, tangy drink.

Other ingredients, such as fruit and vegetable juices, herbs, spices, and flavorings, may be added to kombucha after fermentation to broaden its appeal.

Is Kombucha Healthy?

Kombucha contains ingredients considered to promote health, including probiotics, antioxidants, and antibacterial substances. But is it healthy?

Well, here’s what we know: For mice and rats, research shows that kombucha has antimicrobial properties, promotes gut health and immunity, prevents cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, neurodegenerative diseases, and more.

And here’s what we don’t know: Do the benefits of kombucha translate to humans? How much do you need to drink to get benefits? How often do you need to drink it?

However, kombucha is in the family of fermented foods and beverages that include kefir, yogurt, and sauerkraut. One study involving humans found that people who ate a diet high in fermented foods had a wider variety of bacteria in their GI tract and decreased inflammatory markers.

Is Kombucha Right for You?

Here are some things to consider if you want to join the kombucha craze:

• Sugar: A bottle of kombucha at the supermarket may have more than 20 grams of added sugar, but there are plenty of options with a lot less.

• Calories: Per serving, kombucha ranges from 20 to 80 calories.

• Serving Size: Bottles and cans of Kombucha come in a variety of sizes. Check the Nutrition Facts label to see how many servings are in the container so you know how much sugar and how many calories you’re getting.

• Caffeine: Some kombuchas have as much caffeine as decaf coffee while others contain the amount found in many colas. Check the label or company website.

• Alcohol: Ethanol is produced when sugar and yeast ferment, so kombucha will contain some alcohol. Anything over 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) is considered an alcoholic beverage and should be labeled as such. But one study found the ABV of nine brands of kombucha ranged from 0% to 1.29%.

• Safety: Unless kombucha is pasteurized, it is a raw product that could pose a risk to pregnant and lactating women and anyone who is immunocompromised. Most kombucha at the supermarket is refrigerated and should be kept chilled after opening. Be especially careful with homemade kombucha.

The Bottom Line:

Fermented foods and beverages appear to have some health benefits as evidenced by the study that found lower inflammatory markers and more diversity of bacteria in the gut. Kombucha won’t make up for the typical American diet, but low-sugar fermented foods can be a healthy addition to your eating pattern.

 By Hollis Bass, MEd, RD, LD

Hollis Bass is a freelance writer who specializes in making complex health information easy to understand. She lives in Cincinnati with her husband. They are happy empty nesters with two adult sons.

Sources:

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2. McIndoo H. Kombucha. Environmental Nutrition. 2021;44(4):5-5.1.

3. Rasu JR, Jayabalan RV, Malbaša RV, et al. A review on kombucha tea—microbiology, composition, fermentation, beneficial effects, toxicity, and tea fungus. Comp Rev Food Sci Saf.  2014;13:538-550. doi:10.1111/1541-4337.12073.

4. Wastyk HC, Fragiadakis GK, Perelman D, et al. Gut-microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status. Cell. 2021;184(16):4137-4153.e14. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2021.06.019.