If you've seen kombucha in the news lately,
it was probably because a reporter
was more or less calling it moonshine for hipsters,
and suggesting that if you drink it,
you were basically drinking light beer.
Well, in this video, I wanna separate fact from fiction
when it comes to the top five
potential dangers of kombucha.
And as a registered dietitian,
I'm going to, of course, avoid the hysterical news reporting
and just serve you up the facts.
Let's go.
(upbeat music)
So the number one issue
that has damaged kombucha's health credentials
in recent years,
are reports it can have a lot more alcohol in it
than people think.
With so many conflicting stories,
our research team and I decided to do some digging.
And like all our videos,
you can find our studies and references
in the description below.
When it comes to commercial kombucha,
the kind you buy in a store,
here are the simple facts we found.
So yes, commercial kombucha does contain some alcohol,
but in order to be sold to the public,
it has to be less than 0.5% alcohol.
Meaning that you'd have to drink three liters
or nearly a gallon of kombucha
to match the alcohol in just one bottle of beer.
But with that said,
there have been stories of commercial kombuchas
being tested in laboratories for alcohol content,
and coming in at much higher numbers.
The most noteworthy investigation occurred back in 2010,
and was led by the FDA.
It revealed over-the-counter brands range from 0.5 to 2.5%
in alcohol content.
And additional studies, not long after this,
found similar results.
This was the scandal of the decade
in the fermented drinks world.
Our very own Kombuchagate. (chuckles)
Some manufacturers were clearly understanding
their alcohol content,
while others were shipping and storing it
at room temperature,
because, well, it's cheaper.
And in doing so,
they failed to take into account
bottled kombucha's amazing ability
to continue fermenting after bottling.
Something that increases the level of alcohol.
And with many manufacturers saving costs
by shipping and storing at room temperature,
this was a big deal.
But just like Nixon,
the controversial moment in kombucha history
is largely a thing of the past.
It seems the watchful eye of the FDA,
along with threats of large fines,
encouraged manufacturers to modify the processes
and prioritize refrigeration storage.
Thereby ensuring kombucha stays below the 0.5% alcohol
from time of bottling through to expiration.
And they even formed their own industry watchdog
to police internally.
The brewers must have been watching a lot of "CSI Miami"
because (chuckling) they decided to call
their new organization,
okay, wait for it,
Kombucha Brewers International, or the KBI for short.
Meanwhile, other manufacturers took the easy way out,
and they simply started pasteurizing their kombucha.
(bubbles popping) This involves heating
the kombucha to kill all bacteria in yeast,
and, thus, end the fermentation process.
But with pasteurized kombucha,
you're missing out on all the probiotic benefits
of real kombucha.
And although some companies do add probiotics
back in after this process,
they are more like a supplement,
and not the same as the probiotics made
during the brewing process.
Whichever brand you choose to buy,
let's remember, kombucha in all its forms
is still a lot healthier
than normal alcoholic beverages,
not to mention the sugar-laden sodas.
Okay, so we've covered commercial kombucha,
but what about the alcohol content of homemade kombucha?
Well, it depends on how long you ferment it,
how much sugar you feed it,
and what temperature it is kept at.
(keyboard clicking) More time, more sugar,
and higher temperatures mean more fermentation,
and, thus, higher alcohol levels.
Generally speaking, though,
homemade kombucha will have a higher alcohol content
than commercial kombucha,
typically sitting between 1% to 3%.
So to sum up here,
there is some alcohol in kombucha,
and it does vary a lot depending on all the factors
we just looked at.
But if it still remains a concern for you
and you don't want to drink pasteurized kombucha,
I have a geeky idea for you.
Buy an alcohol measure.
You can see them called hydrometers or refractometers.
And they're actually really inexpensive
pieces of equipment
suitable for at-home testing purposes.
You know, whenever we find a new health food,
our desire is to go full Cookie Monster on it
so we can get more and more of the goodies inside,
but drinking excessive amounts of kombucha
can potentially cause some real problems.
Let's take a look at some of the potential side effects.
So the first one is abdominal discomfort,
which can be in the form of bloating or diarrhea,
or if you're really lucky, both.
Kombucha can cause this feeling
because it contains FODMAPs.
Let's put the definition up on the screen.
Simply put, FODMAPs are carbs
that some people find hard to digest,
such as people with irritable bowel syndrome.
The main FODMAPs you'll find in kombucha are fructans.
And some brands, you'll also find sugar alcohols
which are used to flavor the kombucha.
If this is a problem for you,
then limit your kombucha to six ounces or 180 mils a day,
since this has been measured as a low FODMAP serving size
by Monash University.
The next potential side effect
of too much kombucha is tooth decay.
This is an interesting one.
You see, while kombucha doesn't have much sugar,
it is filled with organic acids
that protect the drink from spoilage.
And these acids can potentially reduce enamel
while increasing tooth sensitivity and discoloration.
If this is something you're worried about,
drinking your kombucha with a straw
can make a really big difference.
Now, there are many other potential side effects
that people have claimed
are due to excessive kombucha consumption
such as weight gain, headaches, and reflux.
But when you dig into the claims,
you quickly realize they're not really unique to kombucha.
For example, yes, kombucha may cause reflux in some people
due to the way the fizzy bubbles
can create pressure on the gut.
But so too can any other carbonated beverage.
meanwhile, we have seen more serious side effects
of kombucha consumption mentioned in research papers.
And you can see them on the screen now.
(keyboard clacking)
Unfortunately, when you actually dig into the research,
there is a very little context around these claims,
especially in terms of their connection to kombucha.
Also from what we could see,
they tended to exclusively involve people
with preexisting conditions.
So more research is needed to confirm
if any of these are true risks of kombucha.
What we can say though,
is that there are certain groups of people
who should avoid kombucha,
and will look at that next.
But otherwise, for healthy individuals,
we just couldn't find enough evidence
to substantiate additional risk.
And hey, we are here for the research,
not for the fear-driven clicks.
So if you're a healthy individual,
kombucha is safe to drink in moderation.
In fact, the CDC has confirmed this
and stated four ounces or 120 mils
enjoyed one to three times a day is fine.
Sadly for a few people,
kombucha is probably going to be a bad idea,
even if it is fermented by the angels.
So if you fit into any of these groups,
consider avoiding kombucha.
First up, pregnant and lactating mamas.
If baby' on board or on breast,
then kombucha is arguably a danger given the alcohol content
and risk of pathogens such as listeria.
And of course, as a tea-based drink,
there are small amounts of caffeine in kombucha
which is just another reason
to hit the pause button for now.
Next up, if you have histamine intolerance
and have nightmares about being attacked
by a bowl of histamine ling sauerkraut,
then add kombucha to your no list
as this fermented drink also contains histamines.
Third, anyone suffering
from a compromised immune system,
for example, due to cancer,
should also consider avoiding kombucha,
as it has a potential, however low,
of being contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms
during the fermentation process.
Fourth, those with an alcohol addiction
should skip kombucha,
especially home-brewed kombucha,
as even trace amounts of alcohol
can greatly disrupt the recovery journey.
Lastly, any individual that has experienced kidney,
lung, or liver disease,
or are otherwise at greater risk of acidosis
should avoid kombucha.
You see, acidosis is a condition
where too much acid is in the blood.
And given that kombucha can be quite acidic,
the two don't go well together.
In fact, the only death we could find
possibly linked to kombucha
involved a person with kidney disease
who drank kombucha daily for two months.
Then developed severe acidosis,
and subsequently died from cardiac arrest.
Thankfully, the CDC and FDA report
from the 1995 investigation into the death
concluded kombucha did not cause the severe illness.
So if you ever see someone suggests
kombucha consumption can be fatal,
demand they show the research.
If you're making kombucha at home
or buying it, from, say the farmer's market,
you should give a little thought
to the risk of contamination,
just like you would with any fresh food.
For kombucha, contamination can come
through three main sources.
Firstly, poor handling of ingredients,
especially the SCOBY.
We're mainly talking about potential contaminants
coming from unhygienic hands and nails here.
So to avoid this risk,
when brewing, pretend you're Dr. McDreamy
in "Grey's Anatomy,"
and scrub your hands and nails like you're doing surgery.
Contamination can also come from poorly cleaned equipment.
Meaning, brewing jars, or utensils
that haven't been washed in boiling hot soapy water
or haven't been washed for long enough.
So once again, really let your inner clean freak out
when you're brewing kombucha.
The third source of contaminants
comes from using unsafe equipment.
This is really interesting
and actually quite scary.
So as we talked before,
kombucha is really acidic,
and it turns out,
if you brew it in certain containers,
this acidity can cause chemicals and heavy metals
to leach from the container itself.
In fact, cases of lead poisoning
have been reported when kombucha was brewed
in a ceramic pot for over an extended period of time.
Safe to say, stick to glass jars
for all your kombucha brewing adventures.
The other potential danger
when making kombucha at home is mold.
The most common types of mold found in kombucha
are aspergillus and penicillium.
And as toxins, they are obviously not good for our health,
and have been indeed found to create acute
and long-term problems in people.
To help you avoid this danger,
here are my two big tips.
First, check your SCOBY regularly
for any signs of mold.
Think dry, fuzzy patches,
either blue, green, white, or black in color.
And it kinda looks like this.
Second, measure the pH of your kombucha regularly.
Okay, so this one is worth explaining.
You see, as kombucha brews over one to three weeks,
the bacteria produce organic acids
which make the liquid more and more acidic.
And these smart little guys do this
because they know molds or other harmful pathogens
can't survive in a highly acidic environment.
In other words,
the kombucha works to protect itself.
Now you can actually measure the pH of your kombucha
with pH strips.
A lower pH level means more acidity.
And so ideally, your kombucha should start brewing
at or under 4.5 pH.
And then drop further down
to 2.5 to 3.5 pH over the brewing period.
If you can see that,
then your organic acid superheroes
are doing their job,
and you likely don't have to worry
about the potential danger of mold.
In fact, I will quickly demonstrate this right now
with some pH strips,
and my own home-brewed kombucha.
So my hands are clean.
Here are the pH strips,
and on the back is the code.
We're just going to briefly take the lid off
and put the strip in for about 15 seconds.
And right now,
we're just gonna fast forward 15 seconds.
And we are right around three, three, three to four.
So we're right in that perfect range.
So now you've seen the real facts about kombucha,
and weighing it all up,
it doesn't look that scary.
Particularly, if you take into account
all the potential health benefits of kombucha
which I discussed in the video above.
And so for healthy people,
four to 12 ounces a day,
which is roughly 120 to 360 mils is perfectly fine.
Meanwhile, for those of you with IBS
or those who experience some abdominal discomfort
when drinking too much kombucha,
limiting yourself to around four to six ounces
or 120 to 180 mils a day can work.
And of course, for those at-risk individuals
we talked about before,
kombucha does present some real risks,
and it is worth avoiding.
And for those of you who want to make it at home,
just be sure to be extra hygienic
to avoid the potential risk of contamination or mold growth.
But at the same time,
don't stress too much.
After all, us humans have been making kombucha
at home for centuries.
Now that you feel confident about the safety of kombucha,
you can either go out and buy some
or make it at home.
If you wanna buy it,
but don't know which brands are best,
check out our Free Kombucha Comparison Tool
which analyzes the quality of the top-selling kombuchas,
including their probiotic count, sugar content, and more.
It's in the link in the description below.
Importantly, we have no affiliations
with any of the kombucha brands.
So it is 100% independent
and should save you some time.
And if you wanna make your own kombucha at home,
then check out our ultimate guide to kombucha ebook.
It's free and the link is also in the description below.
We have a question for you.
Have you ever had a bad experience with kombucha?
And if yes, what do you think triggered it?
Leave a comment below
and our research team
will look at how it can inform our future research.
And if you enjoy this video
as part of our Fermented Food Series,
I'd love for you to join our Essential Stacks community
by clicking the Subscribe button below.
We research the most important ways
you can improve your digestive health
so you can love your gut again.
Bye for now.
(upbeat music)