Fermented Food
Kombucha
A fizzy, tangy fermented tea that normally contains only trace alcohol -- worth checking, not assuming, for anyone avoiding alcohol.
📊 How it ranks (our editor score) — 65/100Tap to see the breakdown
🌱 What it is
Kombucha is sweetened tea fermented with a culture of bacteria and yeast (a "SCOBY"), which produces carbonation, tangy acids, and, as a natural side effect of yeast fermentation, a small amount of alcohol.
✨ Why it's good for you
- Provides live cultures that may support gut health
- A flavorful, lower-sugar alternative to soda for some people
- Contains antioxidants carried over from the tea it’s brewed from
🥗 Nutrition
Per 1 cup (240ml) · about 30 calories
- Live probiotic cultures
- Trace B vitamins
- Small amount of natural sugar and acids (varies by brew)
Source: General estimate — varies by brand/brew
🥄 How to use it
Drink chilled, in modest amounts (4-8 oz is a common serving); check the label or ask about alcohol content before serving to anyone avoiding alcohol.
⚖️ Cautions
- Kombucha is sold as "non-alcoholic," but independent lab testing has repeatedly found that this label doesn't always match what's in the bottle. One published analysis of commercial U.S. kombucha found ethanol levels of roughly 1.1% to 2% by volume in some products -- well above the 0.5% ABV line the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau uses to define a "non-alcoholic" drink -- and found that levels climbed the longer a bottle sat in storage. Home-brewed batches can ferment further still. We share this as research to weigh, not a verdict on any one bottle: it's worth knowing, not assuming, for anyone in recovery from alcohol use, who is pregnant or breastfeeding, or who abstains from alcohol on conviction or faith grounds (including many Seventh-day Adventists and other Christians who hold to abstinence). Kombucha also carries some caffeine from the tea it's brewed from. Those with a compromised immune system should be cautious with any live-culture ferment.
📚 Why we trust it
- Probiotic content studied for gut health
- Contains trace alcohol and caffeine — worth checking labels, especially if avoiding either
Learn more
🕊️ A word of encouragement
Tend your body kindly, like a garden worth keeping. Growth and healing take time — and that's okay.
💬 Ask Remy about Kombucha
📚 Resource confidence
Based on mentions in health references
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