You may think that Kombucha is a fairly new, trendy drink. However, the fermented tea has been consumed for thousands of years. Something else that you might not know about Kombucha is that it contains a small amount of alcohol. However, it has less than 0.5% alcohol and therefore not considered an alcoholic beverage according to the federal government; minors should have no issue purchasing Kombucha at their local grocery store. Aside from alcohol, there is one ingredient in Kombucha that causes some uncertainty as to whether or not it is a vegan-friendly beverage.
Kombucha is vegan. SCOBY may cause uncertainty; though it’s a live culture, it’s a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, not an animal product. The one thing to look out for when choosing your Kombucha is natural sweeteners or natural flavorings. Unless specified, those may contain animal products. The best vegan alternative to Kombucha is GoodBelly Probiotic Blueberry Acai.
In this article, we will discuss the ingredients found in Kombucha, its nutritional value, and the health benefits associated with Kombucha. We will also discuss other healthy and vegan-friendly alternatives to Kombucha. Let’s dig in!
Contents
Is Kombucha Healthy?
Kombucha is a fermented tea and therefore has all the same health benefits as tea – specifically green tea. Green tea is one of the healthiest beverages in the world due to all of the antioxidants found in it. Antioxidants can help the body fight infection and disease.
It is also rich in probiotics, which provide your gut with healthy bacteria. That bacteria can improve many aspects of your health including digestion, inflammation, and weight loss.
In addition to being rich in antioxidants and probiotics, Kombucha can also kill potentially harmful bacteria in the body.
Last but not least, Kombucha can help reduce the risk of heart disease, manage type 2 diabetes, and protect against cancer.
How Is Kombucha Made?
All varieties of Kombucha are made with the same basic ingredients – yeast, sugar, and black and/or green tea. The mix of those ingredients is then set aside for a week or more. During that time, bacteria and acids form in the drink, in addition to small amounts of alcohol. This process is known as fermentation; it is similar to the way cabbage is turned into sauerkraut or kimchi, or how milk is turned into yogurt.
The bacteria and acids form a film on top of the drink, which is called SCOBY – symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. SCOBY can be used to ferment more Kombucha.
Popular Brands Of Kombucha
When you go into your local grocery store to purchase a bottle of Kombucha, these are the brands that you are most likely to see:
KeVita
This brand of Kombucha comes in a variety of flavors including raspberry lemon, blackberry hops, blueberry basil, dragonfruit lemongrass, and so many more.
Raspberry Lemon
Let’s take a look at their raspberry lemon flavor since that may be the easiest for newbies to tolerate. The sweetness of the raspberry joins forces with the tang of the lemon creating a zesty smooth taste.
Ingredients:
- Sparkling water
- Kombucha culture (filtered water, black tea extract, green tea extract, natural flavor)
- Filtered water
- Cane sugar
- Raspberry juice concentrate
- Lemon extract
- Bacillus coagulans LactoSpore MTCC 5856
- Ginger extract
- Black tea extract
- Black tea essence
- Caffeine (green coffee bean extract)
- Green tea extract
- Stevia leaf extract
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 60
- Total fat: 0g
- Sodium: 15g
- Total carbs: 16g
- Total sugars: 16g
- Protein: 0g
Ginger
This one is for the seasoned Kombucha drinkers. It is a true digestive elixir that is spicy, soothing and invigorating at the same time.
Ingredients:
- Sparkling water
- Kombucha culture (filtered water, black tea extract, green tea extract, natural flavor)
- Filtered water
- Cane sugar
- Bacillus coagulans LactoSpore MTCC 5856
- Ginger extract
- Black tea extract
- Black tea essence
- Caffeine (green coffee bean extract)
- Green tea extract
- Stevia leaf extract
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 60
- Total fat: 0g
- Sodium: 15g
- Total carbs: 16g
- Total sugars: 16g
- Protein: 0g
Synergy Raw Kombucha
This brand comes in a variety of flavors, all of which are perfect for both new and experienced Kombucha drinkers. Every bottle is 100% organic featuring elegant natural effervescence and a bright crisp bite.
Watermelon Wonder
This flavor features summery splashes of watermelon with tart notes of cherry and lime.
Ingredients:
- GT’s Kombucha (Kombucha culture, black tea, green tea, kiwi juice)
- Fresh pressed watermelon juice
- Cherry juice
- Fresh pressed lime juice
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 70
- Total fat: 0g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Total carbs: 18g
- Total sugars: 18g
- Protein: 0g
Tantric Turmeric
This flavor features a spicy bite of fresh turmeric and ginger with a smooth splash of carrot.
Ingredients:
- GT’s Kombucha (Kombucha culture, black tea, green tea, kiwi juice)
- Fresh pressed turmeric juice
- Fresh pressed carrot juice
- Fresh pressed ginger juice
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 50
- Total fat: 0g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Total carbs: 12g
- Total sugars: 12g
- Protein: 0g
Health-Ade Kombucha
This brand prides itself on making the best tasting, organic, and highest quality fermented Kombucha tea that is full of probiotics.
Pink Lady Apple
This is one of Health-Ade’s best-selling flavors of Kombucha. It is flavored with cold-pressed juice from organic pink lady apples. It is crisp, slightly sweet, and refreshing.
Ingredients:
- Filtered water
- Kombucha culture (yeast and bacteria cultures)
- Organic black tea
- Organic green tea
- Organic evaporated cane juice (sugar)
- Cold-pressed organic pink lady apple juice
Nutritional information:
- Calories: 40
- Total fat: 0g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Total carbs: 9g
- Total sugars: 3g
- Protein: 0g
Strawberry Glow
This is one of Health-Ade’s new flavors. Kiwi and strawberry come together with bamboo extract and biotin to nourish skin from the inside out. It is the perfect drink to sip on self-care Sunday.
Ingredients:
- Organic Kombucha (filtered water, acids from fermentation, lactic, gluconic, tartaric)
- Cane sugar
- Live Kombucha cultures
- Black tea
- Cold-pressed kiwi juice
- Strawberry essence
- Biotin
- Bamboo extract
- Live active cultures (bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856)
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 70
- Total fat: 0g
- Sodium: 0g
- Total carbs: 15g
- Total sugars: 14g
- Protein: 0g
Healthy Alternatives To Kombucha
It is no secret that Kombucha has an acquired taste. It is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea.
If you have tried all different flavors and brand of Kombucha, but just can’t get on board, give these alternatives a try:
GoodBelly Probiotic Drinks
You can find this brand at your local grocery store or purchase it online. Just like Kombucha, it is full of gut-healthy probiotics.
It comes in a variety of flavors including blueberry acai, pomegranate blackberry, mango, strawberry banana, and more.
Let’s take a look at the ingredients in the blueberry acai flavor:
- Filtered water
- Organic pear juice from concentrate
- Organic evaporated cane sugar
- Organic blueberry juice from concentrate
- Contains 2% or less of: organic oat flour, organic acai puree, organic flavor, natural flavor, calcium citrate, citric acid, organic vegetable juice (for color), organic barley malt, lactobacillus plantarum 299v
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 120
- Total fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 20mg
- Total carbs: 27g
- Total sugars: 22g
- Protein: <1g
Rejuvelac
This is a fermented drink like Kombucha, only it is made with grains instead of SCOBY.
This is not a drink you will find at the store, though. If you want to try Rejuvelac, you will have to make it yourself. But don’t worry, it’s easy!
- Start by rinsing 1/2 cup grains like wheat berries, rye, quinoa, or buckwheat and place them in a 1-quart glass jar. Next, fill the jar with 4 cups of filtered water and let the jar sit overnight covered with a dishtowel secured with a rubber band.
- After 6 hours, drain the water and rinse the grains 2-3 times a day, or until little tails appear on the grains. That means the grains are sprouted and you are ready to move to the next step.
- Remove the grains from the jar, wash the jar, then put the sprouted grains back in. Fill the jar with filtered water and cover it with a dish towel secured with a rubber band, just like you did before. Place the jar in a cool spot in your kitchen and let it sit for 24-48 hours. After the first day, the water will start to look cloudy. When you are ready to drink, strain out the liquid into a pitcher, saving the grains if you want to make another batch of Rejuvelac.
This drink, like Kombucha, is best served cold so you will want to let it chill in the fridge for a few hours. You can drink it as is or add some fruit juice for extra flavor.
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 20
- Total fat: 0g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Total carbs: 1g
- Protein: 1g
Final Thoughts
While Kombucha does contain SCOBY, a live culture, it is not an animal product and therefore is vegan-friendly.
However, Kombucha has a very distinctive taste that is not easily loved by everyone. If you are not a fan of Kombucha, there are still ways for you to get similar health benefits from other drinks like those mentioned in this article.
Related Questions
Is Kombucha Gluten-Free?
Yes, Kombucha is gluten-free.
Is Kombucha Keto-Friendly?
Unfortunately, the answer to this is not very straight forward. In short, it depends. Some brands of Kombucha tend to be higher in carbs and sugar than others. The easiest way to know if Kombucha is keto-friendly is by looking at the label and choosing the one with the lowest carbs and sugar.