Depending on the brand or type of kombucha, there are many variables to consider, mainly: bacteria, pasteurization, alcohol content, and caffeine.

Pregnant kombucha fans often wonder: Is kombucha safe during pregnancy? Unfortunately, the answer isn’t as simple as “yes” or “no.” It is as complex as kombucha itself, and every person’s pregnancy decisions are highly personal. Depending on the brand or type of kombucha, there are many variables to consider, mainly: bacteria, pasteurization, alcohol content, and caffeine. Additionally, homebrewed kombucha can pose different risks than store-bought beverages.

While we can’t tell you which choice to make, we do want to ensure you have all the facts so that you can make an informed decision that works for you and helps you trust your gut!

Bacteria & Pasteurization‍

Buchi was started by two moms in an Asheville kitchen, bent on creating healthy food and drink alternatives for our kids. Tapping into our ancestral roots and traditional practices and wisdom, our kombucha is fermented following a 2,000-year-old craft brewing tradition. We use living cultures and the finest organic ingredients, like regenerative sugar, and we keep our kombucha 100% raw and unpasteurized.

Why is our kombucha unpasteurized? Although we may be operating out of a 30,000-square foot brewery today, that doesn’t mean we’ve moved away from Buchi’s original purpose: to create recipes that are nourishing and life-supporting. Many of the purported benefits of drinking kombucha are linked to its living, beneficial bacteria, or probiotics — meaning, we would never consider pasteurizing (heating to death) all of those wonderful, naturally occurring live and active cultures.

And there’s science to support us in that. A growing body of research today is looking at the probiotic value of raw kombucha, and more clinical trials are ultimately needed. But many initial studies have been promising, like a recent clinical trial from Stanford University. Among participants assigned a 10-week diet high in kombucha and other fermented foods, Stanford researchers saw improved gut microbial diversity, lowered immune cell stress, and fewer inflammatory proteins, including a protein linked to rheumatoid arthritis, chronic stress, and Type 2 diabetes. (On a related note, kombucha is being researched as a tool for mitigating diabetes, and studies have pointed to its positive impact on things like skin health and liver health, too.) 

But what about raw kombucha and pregnancy? Unpasteurized products are often advised to be avoided during pregnancy due to the potential for them to carry pregnancy-harming bacterias. That said, although raw and living kombucha is not pasteurized, the health risks are different from other unpasteurized food products, like milk and cheese, due to kombucha’s acidity.

Most commercial kombucha brewers like us follow good manufacturing practices that require pH levels to be tested on every batch. When kept below the correct threshold, the pH of kombucha inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria (E.Coli, listeria, etc.). Additionally, at Buchi we are proud to be officially SQF certified, meaning we are audited to a globally recognized third-party certification, ensuring the highest standards for food safety and quality assurance. 

That said, wanting to be exceptionally cautious where listeria is concerned makes sense given its health risks to babies, and you may feel better skipping all varieties of kombucha while pregnant. What matters here most is your own comfort levels coupled with the guidance you’ve received from your doctor.

Alcohol Content in Kombucha

‍One question we get often is: Is kombucha alcoholic?

Kombucha is a fermented beverage. Due to the fermentation process and the presence of yeasts necessary for that process, there are trace amounts of ethanol, or alcohol, in all kombucha. However, most kombucha you see on the shelves of your local grocery store isn’t considered an alcoholic beverage (“hard kombucha” is a different story, and will be labeled as such). Why is that?
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In the U.S., kombucha must test under the 0.5% ABV limit to be considered a “non-alcoholic beverage,” per regulatory guidelines. The trace amounts of alcohol found in a properly fermented kombucha are non-inebriating, a natural preservative, and ultimately just a byproduct of the organic chemistry that goes into a live-culture drink.
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At Buchi, we do rigorous laboratory testing to ensure the ABV of all our kombuchas is well below 0.5%. While this amount of alcohol is often considered negligible, many people who are pregnant choose to avoid all alcohol, including the trace amounts found in kombucha.‍ Others may feel a <0.5% ABV is similar to residual alcohol levels in fruit juices, yogurt, and ripe bananas and determine an occasional store-bought kombucha is within their comfort zone.

If you’re in the latter group, just be sure you’ve considered any chance of improper storage. Studies have shown that, if stored incorrectly at temperatures above 39.2°F, kombucha can continue to ferment, producing more alcohol. Meaning, if that refrigerated display case at the grocery store or gas station doesn’t feel totally cold — and FYI, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration says refrigerators should be no more than 40°F — there’s a chance the ABV on the label may not be what’s in the bottle.

Homemade Kombucha

Most commercial kombucha is submitted to extensive quality control tests before reaching store shelves, which may help it feel safer to drink on occasion while pregnant. Brewing kombucha at home, though, obviously has limitations when it comes to regulating and testing for things like alcohol content. 

That’s partly why homebrewed kombucha tends to have a higher ABV than the store-bought kind; most homebrewers see an ABV range of 0.5-3% compared to commercial kombucha’s mandatory 0.5% (or under) limit. Additionally, there’s increased risk that homebrewed kombucha could be contaminated with harmful pathogens or contain overgrowths of bacteria or mold. For these reasons, kombucha brewed at home is generally best avoided during pregnancy.

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Caffeine in Kombucha

‍Another factor to consider when pregnant is caffeine intake. Because kombucha is brewed using black and/or green tea, there is caffeine involved. The question is, how much? The ratio of the tea blend, the period of time the tea leaves steep, and how long the kombucha ferments are all factors that play a role in how much caffeine remains in the end product.

While the caffeine content will increase with longer steep times, it will decrease the longer it is fermented. It’s all about balance, baby! The more time the tea is left hanging out in hot water, the more caffeine is allowed to seep into the blend. Conversely, the fermentation process allows yeast and bacteria to consume much, if not most, of the caffeine.‍

‍The organic teas we use in our kombucha do have caffeine, but almost all of it is consumed during fermentation. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, current research suggests that less than 200mg of caffeine per day is considered safe during pregnancy. A bottle of Buchi kombucha has about the same amount of caffeine as a white tea or decaffeinated coffee (1-2 mg). While most people deem this a trivial amount, if you have a caffeine sensitivity or are trying to avoid caffeine completely, you might want to avoid kombucha.

Kombucha During Pregnancy: Summary

As we said at the beginning, there isn’t a “yes” or “no” answer to this question. As always, we recommend speaking directly with your healthcare provider to assess your individual risk of consuming kombucha during pregnancy. No hard feelings if you choose to wait a while before picking up another booch!‍

And congratulations on your pregnancy; we can’t wait to have one more Buchi fan in the family! ;)

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