Do a quick search of kombucha online and you’ll find that the fizzy drink (produced by fermented tea, sugar, fungi, and bacteria) supposedly supplies sky-high energy, quells pain, fends off certain cancers, detoxes your body, helps you shed weight, and turns your immune system into a fortress. Guzzlers of the health beverage preach these promises, too.



But is our beloved kombucha really a health elixir in a bottle?

"I would be wary of calling kombucha a remedy or a magic food," says Maggie Neola, R.D., a dietitian at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. After all, glorifying one food over another (kale is king!) isn’t the way nutrition works. A healthy diet is all about variety.

Here are the four potential benefits to keep in mind before you take a swig.

The probiotics in kombucha can help your gut.

"Because it’s fermented, you see more of that probiotic push in kombucha," Neola says. And that’s where most of the drink’s health benefits lie: probiotics , a.k.a. good gut bacteria.

"The gut microbiome is often called the forgotten organ — it’s really important to foster that health," Neola says. After all, a healthy gut microbiome can help fend off issues like diarrhea and IBS and help your whole body function at its best.

Raw & Organic Kombucha (Pack of 6) B-tea amazon.com $24.99

Fermented foods like kombucha may also improve the health of your intestinal cells, boost your immune function, and cut your risk of allergy and chronic disease, says Neola. There's a catch, though: These benefits aren’t unique to kombucha itself, but rather probiotic-rich or fermented foods, she says.

Kombucha’s probiotics can also come with a downside. That’s because some brands of the drink are unpasteurized — and thus, you run the risk of a seriously upset stomach, says Keri Gans, R.D., author of . Or worse: "Without pasteurization, you run the risk of harmful microorganisms taking over and causing serious problems, including food poisoning," says Ryan Andrews, R.D,. a fitness and nutrition coach with Precision Nutrition .

But in order to reap kombucha’s probiotics benefits, the drink likely needs to be unpasteurized. "Pasteurization kills off both harmful and helpful bacteria, so any potential beneficial probiotics would be gone as well," Andrews explains.

The bottom line: Probiotics are a key part of a healthy diet, says Neola. And if you want to get them from kombucha, that’s fine. But if you’re going to drink the raw (unpasteurized) version, make sure to buy your kombucha from a reputable company, says Gans.

Kombucha is made by fermenting tea and sugar with bacteria and yeast. SOPHIE-CARON Getty Images

The antioxidants in kombucha can help you stay healthy.

Past packing a probiotic punch, just how much (and how) kombucha can keep you well is a bit murky. As with other teas, you can sip a slew of antioxidants and polyphenols.

These compounds support healthy cell function and help you stay healthy overall, but commercial brews may not supply as much, says Jaclyn London, M.S., R.D. , Nutrition Director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. Check labels to make sure you're choosing kombucha versus a kombucha-like product and look for actual tea in the ingredients list.

Kombucha can help you cut back on super-sugary drinks.



Beverages are the number one source of added sugar in the American diet, but replacing sports drinks, juice, and sweetened tea and coffee with kombucha may help you dial back. One 16-ounce bottle of GT's Kombucha Gingerade contains 4 grams of sugar compared to 28 grams you'd find in the same-sized Starbucks Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte, for example.

"Since it's lower in sugar compared to other options, it's often a better choice and a step to cutting back on sugar from drinks overall," London says.

Kombucha can contain a lot of sugar, but sometimes it's a better choice than other sweetened drinks. Premyuda Yospim Getty Images

Kombucha can help you stay hydrated.

Overall, you should sip a minimum of 8 cups of water and other unsweetened beverages (like seltzer or black tea) a day, but drinking kombucha can help you meet your hydration needs, London says.

But how much kombucha can you drink in a day? Not much research has been done on the subject, but consuming about 4 ounces daily may not cause any adverse effects in healthy people, according to the Centers for Disease Control .

"However, the potential health risks are unknown for those with preexisting health problems or those who drink excessive quantities of the tea," the CDC stated in a 1998 report.

Pregnant woman and kids should steer clear from sipping the beverage altogether, Gans says. Thanks to the fermentation process, kombucha can contain trace amounts of alcohol, usually ranging from 0.5% to 3% alcohol by volume. (A light beer has about 4-5% ABV.)

The Best Kombucha Brands

Kombucha’s sweet-tart taste can turn some people off — the fermentation gives it a slightly vinegary taste — but different flavors can tame the tang. First-timers can ease in with a flavored brew like strawberry, mango, honey, or blood orange. Diehard drinkers can go for bold flavors like beet, rose, and lemon cayenne.

Remember, though: "Not all kombuchas are created equal," says Neola. "Some are loaded with added sugars." So make sure to read your label — and the serving size amount!

"Make sure you’re looking for options that offer 2 grams of sugar or less per 1 cup serving," London says. "Since kombucha is made through a fermentation process, it’s necessary to have a little sweetener in there, but some varieties are lower in the sweet stuff than others."

Ready to try it? Here are some brands we love:

The bottom line: If you’re not into the taste of kombucha, many other foods and drinks are loaded with probiotics and antioxidants. Try sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and yogurt for probiotics or drink green tea for tea-related health benefits. Don’t forget about prebiotics, either. "Filling up on veggies, fruit, 100% whole grains, nuts, seeds, and pulses can help you boost immunity and provide some important prebiotic fiber that helps your body’s own probiotics to thrive," London adds. "Your best bet is to add more of those foods wherever you can since one food or drink in isolation isn't a cure-all. Choose kombucha for flavor, not just its health benefits."

Cassie Shortsleeve Freelance Writer Cassie Shortsleeve is a skilled freelance writer and editor with almost a decade of experience reporting on all things health, fitness, and travel. Caroline Picard Health Editor Caroline is the Health Editor at GoodHousekeeping.com covering nutrition, fitness, wellness, and other lifestyle news.

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