Kombucha is made from sweet tea, so at first glance one could easily assume it is a sugary beverage. However, further examination would reveal that sugar plays a critical role in the fermentation process that occurs as the sweet tea becomes kombucha. We recommend brewing kombucha with organic cane sugar because it has higher levels of magnesium, iron, calcium and potassium which are passed on to your booch.
Here are 3 things to know about sugar in kombucha:
1. Yeast eat the sugar and convert it into CO2 and ethanol. This means that by the time you drink your kombucha, there is MUCH less than you originally brewed your sweet tea with.
2. Bacteria eat the ethanol and release amino acids, trace minerals and vitamins into the kombucha.
3. Kombucha helps the body balance blood sugar because during fermentation sucrose breaks down into fructose and glucose making it easier for the body to use.
We love that home brew kombucha tastes so good, is good for your body, and is still low in sugar. With about 2-6 grams of sugar per 8 oz serving, kombucha is certainly on the low sugar end of the spectrum.
Consider the sugar content for 8 oz of other common drinks:- Coke: 24 g
- Gatorade 12 g
- Red Bull: 27 g
- Even a kid size (6.75 oz) of organic Honest Kids Apple Juice box has 9 grams of sugar.
Hi Ree, if you are using the YEABUCHA method and brewing correctly, the amount of sugar will decrease as it is broken down during the fermentation process. What began as sucrose is broken down into glucose and fructose which have a much lower glycemic effect on the body. After fermentation, there is an average of 1-2 teaspoons of fermented sugar per 8 ounces of kombucha.