Why I drink kombucha every day – and what an expert says about it

Kombucha: Is this fermented tea really that healthy? What an expert says. Plus: A simple recipe for making your own kombucha.

Nutrition trends come and go. Perhaps you remember the big celery juice craze on Instagram or lemonades with activated charcoal, which supposedly bind toxins in the body. Both have gone quiet. One trend that is quite rightly here is fermented foods. We at VOGUE have long been fans of them, too.

Author Desireé Oostland has already written about why she drinks kefir every day and now even makes it herself (I do that now too. I mean, drinking kefir. Not making it myself.) Beauty editor Hannah Coates starts every morning with a shot of apple cider vinegar . To be honest, I can't get it down. Instead, I've been eating a few forks of sauerkraut almost every day for the past few months: fresh from the organic market, of course. Because that's the only place you'll find the live lactic acid bacteria that are so good for the gut microbiome . A good three weeks ago, I also started drinking kombucha every day. Since then, I've noticed: my stomach is flatter, my skin clearer. Coincidence? Could be, of course. However, an expert has confirmed to me that there is a scientific basis for the connection.

Is Kombucha really that healthy? This is what an expert says

Dermatologist and nutritional medicine specialist Dr. Anne Gürtler from the LVATE practice in Munich confirms: "Fermented foods, including both sauerkraut and kombucha, can help promote the balance of the intestinal flora. A healthy intestinal microbiome supports digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune defense. And via the gut-skin axis, a healthy gut can also have a positive effect on the skin." According to the expert, there are even studies showing that inflammatory facial conditions such as acne and rosacea can also be associated with inflammation and an imbalance in the intestinal microbiome. Her conclusion? "As fermented foods, sauerkraut and kombucha can build diversity in the gut. The more diverse the microbiome, the more protective it is for health."

Kombucha: How do the probiotics get into the tea?

"Kombucha is produced through fermentation – a biological process in which yeasts and bacteria convert sugar into other substances such as acids, carbon dioxide, and small amounts of alcohol," explains Dr. Gürtler. Therefore, sugar is not an "unhealthy additive" but an essential part of the production process.

Why does kombucha contain sugar? And is it therefore unhealthy?

The microorganisms need it as an energy source. Without sugar , they remain inactive, and no kombucha is produced. However, the added sugar during production is actually largely broken down by the bacteria and yeast. Nevertheless, even finished kombucha usually still contains between 3 and 6 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters. By comparison, cola contains about 10 grams per 100 ml.

If you want to keep the sugar content as low as possible, it's best to make your own kombucha and let it ferment for as long as possible. The longer the tea is fermented, the lower the sugar content. This, of course, also affects the flavor. Depending on the preparation time, kombucha tastes sweet, sour, or almost vinegary.

By the way: Alternative sweeteners such as honey or agave syrup don't work as well as conventional table sugar. The latter is the best food source for microorganisms.

Make your own kombucha: step-by-step instructions

Ingredients (for just over 1 liter):

1 liter of filtered water
10 grams of black tea (for example Darjeeling or Assam)
100 grams of sugar
1 SCOBY (short for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast and a common term among kombucha fans)
100 ml of mature kombucha as a starter liquid (you can use a ready-made bottle from an organic market or health food store, for example).

Preparation:

Making tea: Brew tea in 1 liter of water and let it steep for 5-10 minutes.
Stir in sugar: Dissolve sugar completely in the hot tea.
Let it cool: Let the tea cool to room temperature (max. 30°C) – important to avoid "cooking" the SCOBY. Otherwise, the microorganisms will die.
Prepare the batch: Pour the tea into a previously thoroughly cleaned fermentation vessel, add the SCOBY and the starter liquid.
Cover: Seal with an air-permeable cloth (e.g. gauze or coffee filter) and rubber band – do not use tight-fitting lids!
Fermentation: Let it rest at room temperature for 5–10 days. The longer it sits, the more acidic the tea becomes. This is because more sugar is broken down.
Bottling: Remove the SCOBY and strain the kombucha through a fine sieve. Pour into bottles.
(Optional) Second fermentation: If you like it fizzy, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of fruit juice, ginger, or berries to the kombucha for carbonation. Reseal the container and let the tea ferment for another 2-3 days at room temperature. After that, it's ready to drink, but tastes best if you refrigerate it first (just don't ferment there, as the process doesn't work as well in cold temperatures).