Are you vegan and wondering if kombucha is okay to drink? It can be confusing so we want to break it down for you so you can know for sure what to look for and how to know if your kombucha jives with your veganism.
Being Vegan
The vegan way of life is nothing new, but with the increased interest in this particular diet, some of the fundamentals have become a bit blurred. In 2008, Vegetarian Times reported that 3.2 percent of U.S. adults, or 7.3 million people, were vegetarian and 0.5 percent, or 1 million, were vegan. Fast forward to 2018 and the Food Revolution Network claims there has been a 600 percent increase in plant-based diets since then, citing a report that found 6 percent of U.S. consumers are now vegan. Gallup found the trend to be slightly less impressive, but rising nonetheless, reporting 5 percent of Americans claim to be vegetarian and 3 percent say they are vegan.
Those numbers are a bit misleading because it really depends on who you ask. Statista found those between 30 and 49 years of age are more likely to be vegetarian or vegan, up to 8 percent and 4 percent, respectively. Those over 50 are the least likely to be either.
While three and five percent may not sound like much, plant-based diets are expected to be the food trend that continues to garner more fans. Whether the decision to go plant-based is based on animals or health, it’s clear veganism is here to stay.
Defining Vegan
Essentially, the vegan diet is completely plant based. It excludes every and all animal products, including meats, dairy, and even honey. Anything consisting of or produced by an animal or insect is avoided.
Some people confuse veganism with vegetarianism. Vegetarianism sounds like it would be vegetable-based, however, it does allow for dairy and egg products as well as honey - just no meat, including anything from the land, sea or air.
So which are you? Vegan or vegetarian? We ask because when it comes to kombucha, it can make a massive difference.
Is Kombucha Vegan or Vegetarian?
Inherently, kombucha is both vegan and vegetarian. Kombucha is made by fermenting tea using specific yeast, bacteria and sugars. Depending on the manufacturer, the flavors are either added after the fermentation process or steeped with the tea during the fermentation process.
Flavors can range from fruits and botanicals to spices and herbs - all vegan and vegetarian. Here’s where things can go astray for our vegans. If the kombucha manufacturer decides to use honey as a sweetener, BAM! The kombucha now becomes non-vegan but remains vegetarian.
How to Know if Your Kombucha is Vegan
So, how do you know if your kombucha is vegan? Most manufacturers will label their kombucha as having honey added. Check the ingredients to see. Unfortunately, some may only say “natural sweeteners”. In this case, unless you go to their website to see if they have a fuller list of ingredients or call the company to ask, you may never know.
If you are a strict vegan, we recommend sticking to kombuchas that are clearly labeled with every ingredient. Just because the label may say “natural sweeteners”, doesn’t mean they used vegan cane sugar. It could be non-vegan cane sugar, honey, maple syrup, juice concentrates, stevia, sucralose and a host of other “oses”. At Brew Dr., we use only organic, vegan cane sugar during our fermenting process. The sugar is required in order to feed the yeast and bacteria that turn the tea into kombucha.
Inherently, kombucha is both vegan and vegetarian. Kombucha is made by fermenting tea using specific yeast, bacteria and sugars. Depending on the manufacturer, the flavors are either added after the fermentation process or steeped with the tea during the fermentation process.
A small amount of research suggests that kombucha tea may give benefits similar to probiotic supplements. For example, some research suggests kombucha tea may support a healthy immune system and prevent constipation. But there are few valid medical studies of kombucha tea's role in human health.
The best way to get probiotics is through food, and kombucha may be a good source along with yogurt and other fermented products like sauerkraut. “You can get probiotics through kombucha, but it should not replace the probiotics you get from a healthy plant-based diet,” says Wohlford.
“Good” bacteria are essential for your gut microbiome to thrive — and fermented foods such as kombucha contain probiotics to help keep those levels high. “Kombucha can really help feed and increase that good, healthy gut bacteria, which can help decrease any bad bacteria,” says Zumpano.
Kombucha is a sparkling sugared tea commonly prepared using a sugared tea infusion and fermented at ambient temperature for several days using a cellulose pellicle also called tea fungus that is comprised of acetic acid bacteria and yeast.
The kombucha has to have been traditionally brewed and fermented in order for the living bacterial cultures to contain helpful probiotics. Not all kombuchas are fermented properly and in some cases, probiotics are added in after a pasteurisation or filtration process.
Consuming the wrong kind of kombucha, or too much of it, may produce harmful side effects. These include digestive issues and tooth erosion. Kombucha is a probiotic drink made from fermenting tea and sugar, sometimes along with other ingredients.
Research shows that kombucha can actually play a role in controlling gut microbiota, helping drinkers harness the positives while avoiding issues associated with microbiota imbalances.
In the end, there's no one-size-fits-all answer to how much kombucha you should be drinking. However, drinking around 4–12 ounces of kombucha per day is a safe amount for most people. Like many fermented foods, it really depends on your body and what you personally need.
While kombucha seems to have more nutrients like enzymes and antioxidants, water kefir wins when it comes to probiotic bacteria. It really comes down to your flavor preference—but considering how easy and cheap it is to brew each at home, you should try both!
Kombucha may help with constipation by providing hydration and probiotics that promote gut health. Both may help a person pass stool more easily and regularly. A person may wish to consider talking with a doctor before adding kombucha to their diet, particularly if they want to try it for constipation relief.
Probiotic-rich foods are a delicious way to include more beneficial bacteria in the diet. Even without eating dairy, vegans can enjoy an array of fermented foods and drinks that boost their gut health and overall well-being.
Yes, kombucha is entirely vegan. The standard kombucha recipe is simple, it's just sweet tea, fermented with a kombucha SCOBY. The SCOBY is an acronym that stands for symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. It doesn't contain any animal products, or does it harm or exploit any animals in its production or consumption.
Probiotics can only be classed as vegan when they are fermented (or grown) on a medium that does not contain any animal derived ingredients, typically dairy in the fermentation of probiotics.
The cellulose tissue named SCOBY 'leather' is the result of a fermentation process of a mixture of water, tea, sugar, yeast and a bacterial culture. The result is dependent on the mixture and growing time; it can range from as thin as a plastic wrap to thick and sturdy.
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