Kombucha Tea - Some Pros and Cons
Posted:
2016-11-14
Kombucha tea is a fermented drink made with sugar, tea, yeast and bacteria (1,2). It has been widely consumed around the world and there has been an increasing interest in drinking kombucha tea due to it being a probiotic beverage and its claimed potential health benefits. It is available commercially but is often prepared at home by combining the kombucha culture with sugared tea and allowing it to ferment. The composition of kombucha tea can vary depending on the starter tea, yeasts and bacteria contained in the culture, and the fermentation process.
A review in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety provides an overview of the microbiology, composition, fermentation and potential benefits found in the literature up to 2013 (1). The authors noted that the biological effects underpinning the many health claims specific to kombucha consumption; notably antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective and anticancer properties; have only been studied in animal and cell cultures. The authors concluded that kombucha tea can be part of a healthy diet, but more research is needed to determine its biological effects on humans.
There are some safety issues, mostly associated with non-commercially prepared kombucha. According to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, kombucha tea when made in unhygienic conditions has been implicated in some cases of transmitted opportunistic pathogens and Aspergillus mould (2). Kombucha tea is contraindicated for pregnant and lactating women, and may be unsafe for people who are immune compromised.
Given the interest in the effect of the microbiome on health, and the effect of fermented foods (yogurt, miso, tempeh, kimchi, etc.) on the microbiome, more human studies involving kombucha tea are anticipated. Watch for an upcoming PEN® Practice Question on kombucha tea.
References
- Jayabalan R, Malbaša RV, Lončar ES, Vitas JS, Sathishkumar MA. Review on kombucha tea – microbiology, composition, fermentation, beneficial effects, toxicity, and tea fungus. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 2014 July;13(4). Available from: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1541-4337.12073/full
- Therapeutic Research Faculty. Natural
Medicines Comprehensive Database. [cited 2016 Nov 11]. Available
from: http://naturaldatabase.therapeuticresearch.com/(X(1)S(utac44nis33bb2yxtohm5q55))/home.aspx?cs=&s=ND&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
Revised November 17, 2016