So you’ve fallen in love with kombucha and now you’re wondering, how much kombucha should you drink a day? How much is too much? Is there a limit? We’re answering everything you need to know about your kombucha daily dose!
Whether you’re brewing your own kombucha or drinking bottles of store bought, if you’re reading this you probably love kombucha.
So much so that you’ve come to wonder if there’s a limit to how much kombucha you should be drinking a day.
And it’s a great question! Kombucha is a living fermentation made by inoculating bacteria and yeast in sweet tea to create a fizzy, fermented beverage. All that to say, kombucha can have side effects that you should be aware of when deciding how much kombucha you should be drinking per day.
“Am I supposed to wait till after the second fermentation to get more Benefits, or can I drink it after the first?”
SO how much should you be drinking?
There is no scientific consensus on how much kombucha you should drink per day. A 1995 Center for Disease Control report mentioned recommendation of 4 oz kombucha up to 3 times per day, though no current recommendations have been made.
Based on years of consuming kombucha and being in the home brewing community, we recommend not drinking more than 16 oz of kombucha per day – about the amount you would find in a bottle of store bought kombucha.
But here’s the thing – the amount of kombucha you drink per day should depend on you.
Are you used to probiotics? Kombucha is packed with probiotics, which can cause GI distress until you get used to it. If you’re not used to drinking kombucha, we recommend that you start at 2 oz per day, then increase 1 oz per day.
How much sugar do you consume? While kombucha contains relatively low amounts of sugar (roughly the same amount as fruit juice), you may choose to drink less if you usually don’t consume much sugar.
Are you sensitive to caffeine? There are about 10 mg of caffeine per 8 ounces of kombucha, which can cause jitters, nausea, nervousness, and digestive distress for those who aren’t used to it.
Are you sensitive to alcohol? Homemade kombucha generally contains 0.5% to 3% ABV. Keep this in mind if you’re sensitive or allergic to alcohol.
Are you pregnant or breastfeeding? Kombucha is unpasteurized, so we don’t recommend women who are pregnant or breastfeeding consume kombucha.
How much and how often do you drink it personally?
I typically drink 1 8-oz glass 🙂
Are you measuring fl oz or weight oz
Fluid ounces! 🙂
Doctors are saying Sugar is as bad as smoking! Kombucha contains sugar & even alcohol. It doesn’t seem like a good choice.
I’ve started making my own kombucha and everything seems to go well except that the scoby is so ugly: shapeless, fringy 🙄 I see in the pictures published by other people beautiful, round white scoby and I wonder 🤔
That’s totally fine! Temp, time, tea, humidity – it all influences how they look. Sounds like you’re on the right path!
Wow! This is the most straightforward information I have found anywhere! My sisters love kombucha, so I’ll share your website. Thanks so much!
I’m so happy to hear it’s helpful, Sophie! 😀
My SCOBY is getting quite large in my gallon glass brewing container. I know I need to divide it but which part should I discard, the top half or the bottom half that is floating next to the liquid?
I would discard the top, the bottom usually has a lot of yeast which are good for the brew! 😀
Thanks so much for all the help! I’m on my 4th batch and loving it. I make 1/2 gallon at a time so that I can lift the jar! I have made several combination flavors since it’s summer and all the great fruit is out there. The weather has been much warmer during the day lately and cools off to 50-60 degrees at night. Temps haven’t been a problem before but now I’m wondering. This batch has been in first fermentation for 4 days and it’s not at all vinegary. It tastes fine but I like some zip. I wonder if it’s because all the sugar got “eaten” in the heat? I couldn’t find any info on that on your site. Any suggestions? Is there any reason not to drink it? Just use it this way and add flavors as before? Thanks!
First ferm can take a while, I’d give it another 4 days before doing anything with it! Usually if all the sugar has been consumed the brew will have some kick to it.
Are the store bought kombuchas typically pasteurized due to regulations or are they raw? I have 2 batches going all the time (one regular and one boozy) so always have ample homebrews. But curious if store is raw or not. I also have tried a few high ABV store brews but they do not list probiotics on the cans.
It really depends on the brand! Most are not pasteurized, and will list the bacteria colonies on the back label if it contains them.
It says on the labels that GT brand and Brew Dr are raw. They are the only ones I’ve purchased. How do you make boozy buch? Sounds fun! Thanks!
Here’s our guide to making hard kombucha!
I drink 2 bottles of 16 oz store bought organic kombucha on a daily basis. 35 cal per bottle. I’d drink more if I could afford it. Bottom line, if store bought booch is no different than home made, I don’t see why we are talking about limits.
The longer it brews, the more sugar eaten. 2f, burp after 4 days, let it go to 8 – 10 days total. Try ginger lemon w/ a touch of honey…low sugar, tastes great