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Kombucha Do's and Don'ts
Health | January 08, 2018
Although I’ve gone over kombucha in the past, today I thought I’d provide you with even more information about it. Consider this Part 2 to my last post about the basics of kombucha. As a quick refresher, kombucha is a probiotic beverage made with black and green teas, yeast, active bacteria cultures, and sugar, which are combined together and fermented over a period of time until a mushroom-like mass known as a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) is formed.
While there are many health benefits to drinking kombucha, there are also a few precautions that should be considered before you go out and buy yourself the biggest jug you can find.
Sugar Overload
It’s true that most of the sugar that is used to make kombucha is reduced during the fermentation process. However, that doesn’t mean the beverage is sugar-free. If you’re not making kombucha yourself at home (where you know the exact amount of sugar that is used), then you’re going to have to pay attention and read the labels before buying a bottle. There are so many different brands to choose from, and kombucha is beginning to pop up even in conventional grocery stores. And with the variety comes different amounts of sugar. Depending on the brand, a bottle of kombucha can have as much as 24 grams of sugar to as little as 4. Therefore, try to opt for brands that are low in sugar.
You must also consider the serving size. Pay close attention to the label, and take note that the vast majority of bottles contain not one but two servings. So while 8 grams of sugar doesn’t seem so bad for a single cup, if you’re used to drinking the whole bottle in a single day, watch out- you may be getting double the amount.
Other brands may include added sugar or fruit juices to increase the sweetness of their kombucha. Remember that unlike natural sugar found in fruit, kombucha’s comes without any fiber and is not natural. It’s added, fermentation process or not. This can be a bad thing if you’re constantly drinking kombucha all day long and are choosing flavors and brands that are high in sugar.
Dead on Arrival
The number one benefit of drinking kombucha is supplying the body with billions of beneficial bacteria known as probiotics. These friendly bacteria can be found in our body by the trillions, and help to support digestion, nutrient absorption, and even our immune system. However, none of these effects will happen if the bacteria are dead. As you may have noticed, kombucha is usually located in a refrigerated section of the store. Live probiotic bacteria are killed by heat and will start to die off when left out of a cool environment. Even worse, they can die during the process of pasteurization, which even kombucha is susceptible to. Pasteurization is typically done in milk and dairy products to kill off harmful bacteria and parasites, but ironically certain kombucha brands undergo it as well. How do you know if your kombucha has been pasteurized? Read the label. If you see “pasteurized”, then you’re simply drinking sugary fizzy water with dead, ineffective bacteria.
Go Slow
If you’re not used to consuming fermented foods, then start out very slow, especially with kombucha. While it’s true that foods rich in probiotics can help with digestion, they can also temporarily make it go in the opposite direction when eaten without abandon and out of the blue. Consider it a “culture shock” for your body. You’re introducing billions of bacteria to your system, which may be overrun with not-so good ones that are now being flushed out by the healthy invaders. A sign that things are starting to shift is the sudden onset of bloating, bowel irregularities, and gas. Take this as a sign that you’re consuming too much, and back off for a day or so until these symptoms subside. Once you’re ready to go back, take it slow. Instead of having a full cup, start with a quarter cup (2 oz) every other day for a week, and increase as needed until you’re able to work up to a full cup (8 oz) everyday to every other day. If you’re getting a bad reaction every time, this may be sign that you have an infection in your GI tract, and should talk to your doctor. He or she will test you for overgrowths like yeast, bacteria, or parasites. Finally, it could be that kombucha just doesn’t agree with you, so don’t be afraid to toss it out of your diet if it means having a peaceful stomach.
The Winner Is…
Now that you know the pitfalls of certain kombucha brands, here’s what you need to do and look out for when purchasing a bottle. Make sure that it…
- Contains no added sugars, sweeteners, or preservatives
- Is not pasteurized (it should contain live and/or active bacteria)
- Has a low sugar content (count the total amount of sugar from all servings; for example, if there are two servings with 4 grams of sugar for each one, that means it contains a total of 8 grams of sugar)
- Remains refrigerated at all times
Ideally, the best kind of kombucha you can buy is Organic, Raw, and filled with living cultures (bacteria).
Kombucha, when consumed in moderation, is otherwise an amazing probiotic drink. Those with a low-sugar content won’t spike your blood sugar, and contain very little calories (about 30 per serving). They’re an excellent alternative to sodas and soft drinks, and are especially good for quenching your thirst on warm days. But beware of the phony ones out there- they might as well be regular soda.
Private Member |
I agree that kombucha is great and taste delitious too. I think the best is to make own kombucha. It is really super easy to make it and super cheap and you know what you put in and you can adjust the taste accordingly (also can do second fermentation adding different fruits or ginger and make it exactly as you like 🙂 ).
The whole process of making a new batch takes me maybe 10 minutes (max 15 minutes) per week and I can produce quite large amount of kombucha (we drink it every day with my partner).
The important think is to use black tea (at least in the beginning as there are some herbal teas that could kill kombucha) and to manipulate with kombucha carefully (I use gloves) not to kontaminate it. Also do not use any metal (e.g. spoon when you want to taste) that could kill kombucha and just let it rest, it does not need anything, just let it be until ready.
Private Member |
yilan city, taiwan, taiwan
I confirm that brewing your own kombutcha is super easy. If I can do it, anyone can, as the scoby mother cultures are pretty hardy. In 2 years I never had a bad/rotten one. Its fun to make flavors, with 2nd fermentation, but thats been a mixed success story for me. Cinnamon and apple, or using vanilla or ginger very easy, however when I tried guava or passionfruit, it was sour and possibly alcoholic (experimenting on that still.) I have used black, green and oolong tea and my South African friend swears by rooibos as she’s sensitive to caffeine. The biggest problem I find, is what to do with all the extra scobies!
Private Member |
woodbridge, virginia, usa
Thanks so much for sharing Z!
Private Member |
birmingham, al
I make mine at home also. It is so easy! I do worry a little about how much sugar I’m getting. I add one cup of raw sugar to 8 cups of tea. I let it ferment about 3 weeks. I know the bacteria “eats” the sugar but how much is left? Anyone know? TIA, Tina
Private Member |
If you are worried about sugar,let it ferment until it tastes a bit like vinegar (it means sugar is gone). The speed of the whole process also depends on the room temperature. The warmer it is, the faster it takes (my takes about 6 days but I live in Australia and it is summer here now).
I dont enjoy the vinegary taste of it (I like it just nicely sour) and take is as a sort of “dessert” drink for pleasure 🙂 It is best to use in the morning before any meals. So, I fell it is ok, to have a little bit of sugar in the morning as I burn it throughout a day 🙂 or maybe that is my excuse 😀 but I am not trying to loose any weight at the moment, I am just happy to maintain what I have 🙂
btw. I usually put 2,5-3 cups of raw sugar to 5 l of kombucha (that is the amout I usually produce). but anyway mine is more sour than bought ones, so the amount of sugar is smaller than in the bottles in the shops (plus I know I didnt add anything else that I do not want to consume like chemicals etc., I didnt paterize it or so and it is fresh).
Private Member |
birmingham, al
Thank you for your reply Gabriela! It’s good to know the sugar is gone. Because I have more of a salty/savory palette, I like to stop at a vinegar flavor. I make only brew 2liters at a time, so 1 cup of raw sugar is probably equivalent in ratio to yours. My husband is not a fan 🙁 so your process of stopping earlier may be a good option for him. I’m going to try it on my next batch. As far as temperature, we live in Alabama, it’s 70degree one day and 20 the next , but so far, doesn’t seem to affect it. Anyway, thanks again for you response and enjoy your summer! Tina
Private Member |
I brew at home and have wondered about the sugar content as well after fermenting 5-7 days. But, like stated above, I try to get it just before it gets a vinegary taste. I am loving ginger and cranberry second ferment. I really like Donna Schwank’s cultured life to get ideas for making a good batch. In this article by Zuzka I wonder if she is talking more about bought kombucha to keep it cooled? Most of my process is done at room temperature and only when it is done with a second ferment do I put it in the fridge.
Private Member |
michigan, usa
I drink the Kevita brand and I only drink 8oz a day or every other day of the Ginger. I don’t like the others. Its organic, no added sugars, live cultures and it’s not pasteurized so I think I’m using a good brand 🙂 I hope 🤞 correct me if I’m wrong!
Private Member |
I recently heard that kombucha was high in fluoride. Has anyone else heard this?
Private Member |
Probably if the water isn’t filtered(and uses city water that has it in it) in the case of home brew at least. Otherwise, I haven’t heard this to be the case.
Private Member |
Zuzka, thank you so much for writing this article as I find it extremely helpful and right on time. I started drinking kombucha last week and as you can imagine I did everything wrong and opposite to what you are talking about in the article;I did not refrigerate it, I drank the whole bottle per day. I bought Brew Dr Kombucha and it seems like it meets criteria you described. Thank you again for taking time to write this article as it’s really helpful to understand better something that we are consuming.