It also contains varying amounts of probiotics or live “good” bacteria that can help gut health. Kombucha is made from tea, so it should have the same antioxidants and minerals that any tea would have. It’s best to avoid raw kombucha while pregnant, especially any raw homemade brews. Even raw veggies, sprouts, and salads can sometimes cause problems. Doctors advise against eating raw foods or undercooked foods while pregnant - things like soft cheeses, sushi, or runny eggs - because of the risk of food poisoning. However, many manufacturers make raw (unpasteurized) kombucha which can get contaminated with mold or bad bacteria somewhere in the process. Safety-wise, these sterilized drinks should be okay to drink. Depending on the brand, the drink might be flash pasteurized (heated to 160 F for 15 seconds) or preserved with potassium sorbate or sodium benzoate. This kills off the bacteria and yeast and keeps them from making too much alcohol or acetic acid. (Some brands of kombucha also have added sugars, so check the label.) As long as it doesn’t upset your stomach, fizzy drinks are probably fine now and then - just rinse out your mouth to protect your teeth.Ĭontamination: Many manufacturers use heat or chemicals to stop the fermentation process while making kombucha. It’s about as acidic as soda, which can cause heartburn and tooth decay. But check the label since some brands add caffeine for a more "energizing" drink.Īcidity: When it’s done fermenting, kombucha has some acetic acid - that’s what gives it that vinegary smell and taste. As long as you don’t have much other caffeine, the amount in kombucha should not be a problem while pregnant or breastfeeding. Most doctors advise pregnant women to keep their caffeine from all sources to under 200 mg per day. Home-brewed kombucha has up to 3 percent alcohol.Ĭaffeine: Kombucha is made by fermenting sweetened tea, which has about 25 to 50 mg of caffeine per 8-ounce serving, but the fermentation process tends to reduce that amount quite a bit.
The more alcoholic ones are usually in the beer section, but always check the labels carefully. Note that there are lots of "hard" kombuchas on the market with as much alcohol as beer (anywhere from 1 to 8 percent alcohol), and they can be tricky to spot.
(If you’re breastfeeding, the small amount of alcohol should not be a concern.) Since there’s no level of alcohol that’s known to be safe during pregnancy, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises giving up alcohol entirely. Even "non-alcoholic" kombucha has up to 0.5 percent alcohol by volume, or around a tenth of what’s in an average beer. There are four potential concerns: alcohol, caffeine, acidity, and contamination.Īlcohol: All kombucha has some amount of alcohol in it. But if you choose the right kind, the risk is low. Is kombucha safe to drink during pregnancy?
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