By Melissa Urban, Whole30 co-founder and CEO
Kombucha a deliciously fizzy beverage that can add probiotic benefits to your healthy Whole30 diet. However, “Is kombucha Whole30 compatible?” isn’t the easiest question to answer. If you’ve ever looked at a kombucha label and thought, “So does this count as added sugar?” this article is for you. (It’s not just you. It was confusing for me too.)
Kombucha basics
Kombucha is a fermented tea dating back 2,000 years, to ancient China. It requires water, tea, sugar, and an active starter culture of bacteria and yeast. The brewer starts with a black or green tea, then adds spring water, the starter culture (called a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast, or SCOBY), and some form of sugar. It is then covered and allowed to ferment for 7-30 days, to taste. (The longer it ferments, the more sour it becomes.)
Sugar is a required to make kombucha. It acts as fuel for the fermentation process. The yeast consumes the sugar, and produces ethanol. Then, bacteria consume the ethanol and produce acid. During this process, beneficial organic acids and live microbes grow and multiply. Without sugar, this process of fermentation (and the beneficial microorganisms it produces) would stall or fail.
And this is where we get into tricky territory with the Whole30 Program Rules. Let’s talk about added sugar and alcohol first.
Kombucha, added sugar, and alcohol
Doesn’t kombucha contain alcohol, and isn’t that eliminated on the program? During your Whole30 elimination, alcohol as an ingredient in a product is generally not compatible. (We make an exception for extracts, like vanilla.) But in the case of kombucha, alcohol isn’t added to the product, it’s a natural byproduct of fermentation. In fact, fruit and 100% fruit juices also have bacteria that, through fermentation, produce ethanol. Even orange juice! This natural fermentation by-product is not part of the Whole30 Program Rules, so in this article, we’ll focus primarily on the sugar.
Added sugar isn’t Whole30 compatible either, right? Correct. Added sugar of any sort (other than fruit juice) is ruled out during the elimination phase. In the case of kombucha, however, sugar isn’t added to the product after brewing, to sweeten it. It’s used in the beginning of fermentation, to feed the SCOBY.
Does all of the sugar get “eaten up” by the fermentation process? Not all. A significant portion of the sugar is metabolized during fermentation. However, some sugar remains, depending on how long you ferment. (The longer you ferment, the less sugar is left.)
So there’s sugar in the ingredient list of every store-bought kombucha? Yes. Probably. Sort of? This is the next tricky part: kombucha labeling and the Whole30.
Kombucha labeling and the Whole30 Program Rules
The Whole30 Program Rules say, “No added sugar, real of artificial.” The black-and-white nature of most of the Program Rules makes the Whole30 easier to follow. Read your labels, and if you see any form of sugar listed with the other ingredients, it’s out during the elimination phase.
The trouble is, kombucha labeling isn’t as tightly regulated as other food labeling. That’s because it’s controlled by the FDA, not the USDA. While labeling requirements have become more standardized and clear in the last decade, it’s still not as uniform as labeling you’d see on chicken sausage or non-dairy creamer. (Those are regulated by the USDA.)
Current U.S. kombucha regulations state, “If sugar is used as a nutritive carbohydrate source, the label must list the final sugar content as ‘Added Sugars’.” That means that the sugar used to feed the SCOBY should be listed as Added Sugar in the Nutrition Facts Panel, and listed in the ingredients.
However, how brands choose to list sugar in their ingredients varies widely. As an example (with the sugar bolded for emphasis):
- GT’s Trilogy: GT’s Kombucha (Organically produced), raspberry juice, lemon juice, and cold pressed ginger juice. *30-day ferment of Kombucha culture*, black tea*, green tea*, kiwi juice*, and cane sugar*.
- Health-Ade Berry Lemonade: Organic kombucha*, blueberry puree†, red raspberry puree†, lemon juice concentrate†, lemon extract†, live active cultures (bacillus coagulans), *organic kombucha: filtered water, acids from fermentation (acetic†, lactic, gluconic, tartaric), cane sugar†, apple juice†, black tea†, green tea†, raisin juice concentrate†, kombucha cultures, carbonation, †certified organic
- Brew Dr. Clear Mind: Brewed Tea (Water, Green Tea (Organic), Rosemary (Organic) Peppermint (Organic), Sage (Organic), Dandelion Root (Organic), Cane Sugar (Organic), Live Kombucha Culture (Yeast Bacteria).
Again, all kombucha uses some form of sugar in the fermentation process. The kombucha brands who use a traditional form of sugar (like cane sugar) say so in their ingredient list… but not always in the same way.
GT’s and Health-Ade specify that the sugar is used in the kombucha production. (They separate those ingredients out on the label. Sometimes, brands will include a parenthetical, saying “used for fermentation.”) Brew Dr. doesn’t, however, and cane sugar is listed in with the rest of the ingredients. We know that it’s used in the fermentation process, but it’s hard to tell from the label.
In addition, some kombuchas add sweetener to the finished product. Take this ingredient label:
- KeVita Mango Lime: Sparkling Water, Kombucha Culture (Filtered Water, Black Tea*, Green Tea*, Natural Flavor*)*, Filtered Water, Cane Sugar*, Mango Puree*, Mango Flavor*, Bacillus Coagulans MTCC 5856, Ginger Extract*, Black Tea*, Black Tea Essence*, Caffeine (Green Coffee Bean Extract)*, Lime Extract*, Green Tea*, Purified Stevia Leaf Extract*.
The cane sugar is used in the fermentation process, but the stevia at the end is used to sweeten. (Stevia can’t be used to ferment.)
Kombucha on the Whole30: The final word
I told you this was complicated!
That’s why we’re excited about the delicious Whole30 Approved varieties of Humm Kombucha. This takes all of the guesswork out of choosing a compatible kombucha! When you see our Whole30 Approved logo on the can, you know it’s compatible, no label reading required.
In summary, here is a quick-read guide to kombucha during the Whole30 elimination phase:
- If you make kombucha at home and don’t add sugar after the fermentation process, is that Whole30-compatible? YES. Because sugar isn’t added to sweetened the beverage, only to aid in fermentation, this is a budget-friendly way to enjoy kombucha on the Whole30.
- If you see store-bought kombucha and sugar is not listed in the ingredients, is that Whole30-compatible? YES.
- If you see store-bought kombucha and you see fruit juice listed as the “sugar” source, is that Whole30-compatible? YES.
- If you see store-bought kombucha and see any form of added sugar (besides fruit juice) in the ingredients, whether used for fermentation or as an added sweetener, is that compatible? NO.
- If you see store-bought kombucha with a Whole30 Approved logo, is that compatible? YES, automatically!
Your best bet for store-bought kombucha on the Whole30 are any of Humm Kombucha’s delicious Whole30 Approved flavors. Otherwise, read your labels carefully, and avoid any kombucha that isn’t compatible with the Whole30 Program Rules.
