“People kind take the concept and run with it.”. Kombucha is not advised for pregnant or breastfeeding women, or those who have a compromised immune system. I’ve read all kinds of health claims on the websites of kombucha brands and some are a bit of a stretch. Low pH beverages may compromise the tooth enamel and increase the likelihood of tooth discoloration when drinking highly pigmented beverages, she says. Share on Pinterest. Many nutritionists believe kombucha may be beneficial to gut health due to these probiotics, though they say more research is needed. It’s everywhere: from supermarket shelves to workplace refrigerators and even on tap in cafés. “Hard kombucha cannot be categorized as a healthy choice because it is still considered alcohol, aka discretionary calories which do not supply the body with vital nutrients,” adds Beckerman. Here are some potential health benefits of kombucha: Many store-bought varieties contain about 30 calories and 2-8 grams of sugar for every eight-ounce serving, according to the USDA’s food products database. It’s made by adding a colony of live bacteria and yeast, known as a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), to sweetened tea and leaving it to ferment for a few weeks until it turns into a slightly sweet, slightly tart beverage that’s separated from the SCOBY and bottled. First off, kombucha is rich in probiotics, which help to create a balance in your gut. All Rights Reserved. To protect your teeth, Gastelum recommends drinking your kombucha in one sitting rather than sipping throughout the day, using a straw and rinsing your mouth with water after finishing. 1. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Is Kombucha Healthy? Kombucha is made by fermenting brewed tea with a SCOBY and sugar, which results in a fizzy fermented drink containing polyphenol antioxidants, probiotics, organic acids, and other healthy compounds. Some recommend that pregnant or breastfeeding women and people with compromised immune systems should stay away from kombucha because the drink’s live bacteria could be harmful. Here’s What Experts Say. When you drink kombucha, you are consuming billions of healthy gut microbes that help your digestive system keep working as it should. But are any of these kombucha health benefits legit, or is this drink just another fad? Maria Zamarripa, a Denver-based registered dietitian, says kombucha and its beneficial probiotics can support gut health, but she stresses that the drink is not a substitute for a healthy diet. Be careful when brewing kombucha at home. “Some of kombucha’s health benefits are similar to those of other fermented foods, like yogurt, kefir and raw (live) fermented pickles or sauerkraut,” Smith says. Kombucha has a rep for boosting everything from digestion to skin. A slightly fizzy drink that’s probiotic-rich, meaning it contains live bacteria and yeasts or “healthy little microbes” that benefit your digestive system. That’s the same concern.”, Be mindful of how much you drink, too. “We lack a really well-controlled study to say, ‘This is from kombucha,’” says Dr. Zhaoping Li, professor of medicine and director of UCLA’s Center for Human Nutrition. Proponents claim kombucha tea helps prevent and manage serious health conditions, from blood pressure to cancer. Here’s what nutrition experts have to say. Kombucha has a golden reputation in the beverage world. Number One Benefit: Probiotics. A 2019 report analyzed 310 studies about kombucha and found that only one had actually examined the effects of kombucha in human subjects. Many of the health claims related to kombucha come as a result of people extrapolating study findings related to the human microbiome or the nutritional benefits of tea, she says. “Some people may not tolerate large amounts of kombucha right away,” Zamarripa says. There a variety of different reasons that kombucha is considered healthy. Typically, about one-third of the tea’s caffeine remains after it’s been fermented, which is about 10 to 25 milligrams per serving for black tea, says Colleen Chiariello, chief clinical dietitian in the department of food and nutrition at Syosset Hospital in New York. While juices and sodas often contain far more sugar than kombucha, every gram of sugar counts. Potential Health Benefits of Kombucha. They can help with digestion, bloating and a whole range of ghastly gut-related issues. Kombucha contains B vitamins, antioxidants and probiotics, but the drink’s nutritional content will vary depending on the brand and how it’s prepared, so you’ll want to read the nutrition label.