Does Kombucha Help With Weight Loss?
Contents
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that has been around for centuries. It’s made by fermenting tea and sugar with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY).
Kombucha has become popular because of the health benefits people link to it, though few have been tested in humans. One of the most common questions people have is whether or not kombucha can help with weight loss.
- What is Kombucha?
- Kombucha Benefits
- Kombucha and Weight Loss
- How Kombucha Helps with Weight Loss
- Potential Side Effects
- The Bottom Line
- Suggested Usage
- Conclusion
- FAQs
What is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a type of tea-based beverage that’s made by fermenting sweetened tea with a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast).
During fermentation, the bacteria and yeast produce organic acids and small amounts of alcohol, which give kombucha its tangy flavor. Unpasteurized kombucha also contains live microbes.
Kombucha Benefits
Kombucha contains live microbes and tea polyphenols, which are the reason for most claims about digestion and immunity. Human research is limited, though, and most claimed benefits come from lab and animal studies.
It also contains small amounts of caffeine from the tea it is brewed with.
Kombucha and Weight Loss
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There’s no good evidence that kombucha directly helps with weight loss. In a 10-week randomized trial, adults on a reduced-calorie diet who also drank green tea kombucha did not lose significantly more weight than those on the diet alone.
The small amount of caffeine in kombucha is unlikely to make a meaningful difference to the calories you burn.
How Kombucha Helps with Weight Loss
Kombucha’s main role in weight loss is as a swap. If it replaces soda or juice, it can cut calories and sugar, because many kombuchas have less sugar than regular soft drinks.
Sugar content varies a lot between brands, so read the label. Some flavored kombuchas add enough sugar to cancel out that benefit.
Potential Side Effects
Store-bought kombucha is generally safe for healthy adults in moderate amounts. Some people get stomach upset or other digestive symptoms.
Kombucha contains small amounts of alcohol and caffeine. Home-brewed batches can become contaminated, and a CDC report described two cases of severe illness in people who drank kombucha daily, though a direct cause was not proven.
People who are pregnant, have weakened immune systems or have liver or kidney disease should ask a doctor first.
The Bottom Line
Photo by Andres Ayrton from Pexels
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that many people enjoy. There’s no good evidence that it directly helps with weight loss.
It can still help if a low-sugar kombucha replaces a sugary drink in your diet.
Suggested Usage
There is no official daily limit. The CDC report noted that about 4 ounces a day may not cause harm in healthy people, while the risks of larger amounts are unknown.
Start small, choose a low-sugar brand and count its calories as part of your day.
Conclusion
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink, but it is not a weight-loss tool. A controlled trial found no extra weight loss when it was added to a reduced-calorie diet.
In moderation, a low-sugar kombucha can be a reasonable swap for soda or juice.
FAQs
Does kombucha help with weight loss?
There’s no good evidence that kombucha causes weight loss. In a 10-week trial, adding green tea kombucha to a reduced-calorie diet did not lead to significantly more weight loss than the diet alone.
It can fit into a weight-loss plan if you choose low-sugar versions.
How much kombucha should I drink?
There is no official daily limit. A CDC report noted that about 4 ounces a day may not harm healthy people, while risks for larger amounts and for people with health problems are unknown.
Start small and count the sugar and calories.
Are there any side effects of drinking kombucha?
Some people get stomach upset or other digestive symptoms. Kombucha also contains small amounts of alcohol and caffeine, and home-brewed batches can become contaminated.
People who are pregnant, have weakened immune systems or have certain medical conditions should ask a doctor first.
