If you haven't had kombucha, you may wonder what it is. This popular drink is a fermented black or green tea and sugar mixture with a light, effervescent, bubbly profile. Active yeast changes the sugar during bacterial fermentation, so there are trace amounts of alcohol in the beverage. There are also hard kombucha products on the market with higher levels of alcohol.
Many kombucha products promote the beverage as having health benefits. But is there any truth to those claims? Here's everything you need to know about kombucha and why you may not want to tout it as a health beverage.
Kombucha is a fermented tea made by combining brewed tea with a SCOBY—a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, sometimes called a "mother"—and some sugar. Over a week or two, the sugar feeds the bacteria and yeast, and the drink ferments into tangy, slightly fizzy kombucha.
Kombucha Contains Probiotics
Probiotics are live microorganisms that are found naturally in fermented foods like kimchi, yogurt, and kombucha and are also sold as supplements.
What Are the Benefits of Probiotics?
Different types of probiotics exist, and they may provide different benefits. One review found that probiotic supplements increase the number of healthy bacteria in the gut, although it's unclear whether this amount of healthy bacteria remains after a person stops taking the supplements.
Other benefits may include:
- Preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea
- Preventing sepsis in premature infants
- Assisting with remission of ulcerative colitis
Although much research exists regarding probiotics, the overall health effects and benefits aren't fully understood. However, research shows many potential benefits for different health conditions.
Dietary supplements are minimally regulated by the FDA and may or may not be suitable for you. The effects of supplements vary from person to person and depend on many variables, including type, dosage, frequency of use, and interactions with current medications. Please speak with your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting any supplements.
Do Probiotics in Kombucha Have Health Benefits?
Even though there are some known benefits of probiotics, it is more difficult to determine the benefits of probiotics in kombucha. One reason for this is there's no telling how many live probiotics are in a single bottle of kombucha.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that brands must accurately display the total number of organisms in a drink, but there's no way to know how many are alive and how many are dead. Plus, even probiotics that are alive at the time of bottling might be dead by the time you drink the kombucha.
So, consumers can't know how many probiotics are in any bottle unless they were to lab test every drink before consuming it.
Kombucha also contains antioxidants, including vitamin C, selenium, and carotenoids, that can help prevent or delay cell damage. One study found that kombucha contained strong antioxidant properties and that antioxidant activity can vary with different kinds of kombucha.
Researchers found that levels of polyphenols and flavonoids—two types of antioxidants—varied significantly depending on the kind of tea the kombucha was made from and how long it fermented. However, all types of kombucha did have significant levels of these antioxidants.
The Risks of Drinking Kombucha
Some health benefits are associated with drinking kombucha. However, a few risks of drinking kombucha exist.
Risk of Home-Brewed Kombucha
Making kombucha at home comes with a risk of overfermentation, which can lead to a higher acidity or alcohol content than intended. There is also a risk of contamination if it's brewed incorrectly.
While kombucha has been brewed in homes across the world for centuries, it's important to follow safety precautions, such as using sterilized utensils and other equipment, brewing in glass containers, and covering the container with a breathable fabric during fermentation to prevent the introduction of dirt, mold, and other germs.
While rare, serious complications have been associated with drinking home-brewed kombucha. The National Capital Poison Center reported these adverse health events, which occurred between 1995 and 2009:
- One case of cardiac arrest
- One case of death
- One case of severe muscle weakness and inflammation of the heart muscle
- Several cases of hepatitis
If you follow correct procedures in a hygienic environment, home-brewed kombucha is likely safe. However, if you aren't confident in your abilities to brew kombucha correctly, it may be safer to avoid trying it.
Risks of Store-Bought Kombucha
Kombucha might contain more alcohol than you think. Although small amounts of alcohol are created as part of the fermentation process, kombucha isn't classified as alcohol because it typically has less than 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV)—which is the cutoff point.
Some batches of kombucha have been recalled because their alcohol content was higher than it should be—some had an ABV of 3%.
Because of the alcohol, the live bacteria, and the risks associated with kombucha, it's recommended that the following people avoid drinking it:
- Young children
- People who are pregnant
- People who are immunocompromised
A Quick Review
The idea that kombucha is a superfood is a result of marketing and wellness hype. While kombucha does contain antioxidants and probiotics, there are also a few risks associated with the beverage; but these are mostly associated with incorrectly brewing or storing kombucha at home.
If you want to improve your gut health, a nutritious overall diet will give you the most bang for your buck when it comes to health.
As for the kombucha lovers out there, the antioxidants and probiotics may provide some benefits but be sure to opt for store-bought kombucha.
