Kombucha on Keto – Can You Drink Kombucha on the Keto Diet?

As of late, kombucha has been rising in popularity.  The keto diet has become increasingly popular as well!  So, why are so many people swept up with kombucha and keto? Can you enjoy the benefits of kombucha and the keto diet at the same time?

What is Keto?

First, let’s make sure we are all on the same page in terms of what the keto diet consists of.  Keto, the ketogenic diet, is essentially about eating high-fat, high-protein foods and avoiding carbs.    When done properly, the keto diet puts your body into ketosis, which is where the trendy diet gets its name.

So, what exactly does it mean to be in ketosis?  It might sound a little scary, but ketosis is simply a metabolic state that causes your body to turn to fat reserves for energy.  Normally, your body converts glucose into energy; however, cutting out carbs (and thus sugar) means there is no glucose to turn to.  This makes ketosis a great diet option if you are looking to “lean out” or lose fat.

When in ketosis, your liver converts fatty acids from your diet and fat reserves into ketones.  Ketones build up in the blood and are used by your body as an alternative energy source.  Burning ketones rather than glucose can reduce inflammation, result in weight loss, reduce episodes of epilepsy, increase brainpower, increase energy, and lower blood sugar.  It’s not difficult to see why the keto diet has become so popular!

What is Kombucha?

In short, kombucha is a fermented health beverage that offers ample health benefits of its own.  Kombucha is made by adding a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) and kombucha starter tea to room-temperature, freshly brewed sweet tea.  As you may have guessed, that sweet tea does in fact have sugar.

However, much of the sugar in the sweet tea is fermented and converted into carbonation, organic acids, and alcohol by the bacteria and yeast in the SCOBY.  This magic happens over what is generally a 7-21 day fermentation process.  The end product offers health benefits including, but not limited to: improved gut health, reduced inflammation, increased energy, defense against toxins, and improved immune health. Pretty amazing, but exactly how much sugar is left when the kombucha has completed fermentation?

The amount of sugar remaining in the kombucha will vary depending on how long it was brewed, the amount of sugar it began with, and several other variables related to the brewing process.  You have the most control over this when you are brewing your own kombucha, as you control the brewing process itself. 

Kombucha and Keto: The Verdict

So, now that we have the facts, is kombucha safe to drink on the keto diet?  Fortunately, kombucha is keto-approved IF you are brewing your own!  This is due to the fact that you control the fermentation process and thus the amount of sugar in the end-product.   

If you have never brewed kombucha, it is a lot easier than you might think!  Check out our kombucha brewing kit, which comes with everything you need and walks you through the brewing process step-by-step.  We do recommend going for longer brewing periods in order to ferment even more sugar out of the drink (if you can handle the acidity, try 14 days). 

If you are nervous about kicking yourself out of ketosis, you can always buy some ketone strips and turn it into a mini science project!  Play around with the brewing time, the amount you drink in a single sitting, and the fruit/flavoring you add during second fermentation.  If you enjoy your kombucha more on the sweet side, you can even figure out exactly how far you can push it without coming out of ketosis!

Unfortunately, store-bought kombucha is generally just too high in sugar.  If you are not up for home-brewing, you could try a similar process with the ketone strips.  You would want to look for a relatively low-sugar product and start by drinking a very small serving. 

Thanks for learning with us today!  We wish you a happy & healthy future filled with kombucha AND keto 🙂