Kombucha. Should our children be drinking it?

Kombucha has grown from a homemade beverage to a worldwide industry worth nearly $1 billion. That means a LOT of people are drinking it! And judging by the patients I see, a lot of children are too. So what is it and is it safe for our children?

Kombucha and ‘the mother’

Kombucha is a fermented tea that some say has been around for over 2300 years when it originated in East Asia.  The traditional recipe is to brew black or green tea, add ‘the mother’, add sugar and let it ferment. The ‘mother’, also known as the ‘scoby’, is a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast and this is the origin of all the health claims. When added the ‘scoby’ gobbles up the sugar to produce vitamins, organic acids with bubbles and alcohol as a by-product. This is a natural fermenting process. Flavours are then usually added otherwise it has a vinegary taste.

Fermentation and gut health

I am a huge fan of all naturally fermented foods as they contain healthy bacteria that help support your gut microbiome. As each ‘scoby’ used in kombucha is different the exact type and quantity of probiotics is variable. So it’s good to ingest a variety of fermented foods. The potential risk with any fermentation is contamination with bad bacteria. There have also been reports of lead poisoning from fermenting in certain ceramic containers. So please be mindful if drinking homemade kombucha. . Kombucha may also cause lots of wind, bloating and tummy discomfort especially if your child has irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as it is a high FODMAP drink rich in fructans. (I’ll be writing a blog on FODMAP’s soon). So although there are good bacteria in kombucha making it beneficial there are some potential risks and downsides to be aware of.

Should we be worried about the sugar?

The sugar added when making kombucha is for the scoby and not for you! So, if made and stored properly (and no sugars added after fermentation) the sugar should have been “eaten” by the scoby. It’s therefore naturally very low in sugar. I generally recommend that children should consume <25 grams added sugar per day. This makes kombucha a good low sugar choice and a great alternative to regular sodas.

Can it make my child drunk or give them a buzz?

Alcohol is produced when sugar is fermented, so there is a small amount of alcohol in all kombucha. Commercial batches are regularly tested to keep it <0.5%. To give you perspective beer and wine are around 4% and 11% respectively. Although it’s minimal it’s still there which is why I don’t feel comfortable with children drinking large volumes. The other ingredient that I am cautious with is caffeine. Kombucha made with green and black tea will have some caffeine. That being said it’s a small amount, around 10 mg/250ml, and no more than a small piece (10g) of dark chocolate. So unless your child is very sensitive or drinks very large volumes of kombucha, they are unlikely to feel drunk or on a caffeine high.

But is it really a miracle health elixir?

To me there are no obvious dangers to Kombucha, but I also can’t convince myself it’s a cure all drink. There have been claims that it can fight illnesses, protect the liver, boost your immune system and even fight cancer. There is some truth to these claims but it’s limited. It can certainly provide some wonderful probiotics, vitamins and antioxidants. The problem is that with the huge variety in production and quality, there are no uniform ingredients. I’ve also done a literature search and I’ve not been able to find any human studies to support the health claims.  So no, I don’t think that kombucha is a cure all drink.

The bottom line

So, should children drink kombucha? I think that it’s a safe low sugar drink that may benefit gut health. It’s a great alternative to sugary drinks and a wonderful way to introduce some fermented foods. You shouldn’t rely on kombucha alone though and your child should ingest a variety of fermented foods. I advise that children <1 year should not drink any kombucha and if <4 years they should be limited to ½ cup per day. So although I always I recommend water as the main drink for your child, kombucha is definitely a healthy and tasty drink. Enjoy!