Cautions about Kombucha and How Much You Should Drink (Updated May 22, 2012)

It all depends on your body.

Kombucha is an acidic drink. While all of the beneficial acids may not be developed in an under-fermented brew, an over-fermented brew may be too acidic and create stress for the digestive system. (However, kombucha that has been brewed/fermented longer will also have less sugar).

It's usually suggested to drink kombucha in the morning on an empty stomach. Some also say to drink kombucha before meals to lose weight and after meals to gain weight.

If you are new to kombucha, you may want to start by drinking 1-2 or 4 fluid oz daily/at a time to let your body adjust to it. You may work your way up to 4 or 8 oz a day, but it's been recommended that you stop at the abosolute max of 32 oz./day!- there is such a thing as too much kombucha! For me, 4 oz. a day (such as 2 oz. in the morning and 2 oz. at night) is plenty.

Happy Herbalist does not recommended kombucha for pregnant or nursing women, or children under the age of 4. Meanwhile, others suggest that kombucha is ok for pregnant women, and that kombucha can be safe for young children. One particular concern is kombucha fermented with honey, especially raw honey, which may contain spores of Clostridium botulinum. Adults can usually tolerate the spores, but because of the possibility of infant botulism, it is not advised to give honey or kombucha fermented with honey to children under the age of 1. In addition, kombucha may interfere with certain medications. 

In conclusion, people have different opinions on how much kombucha one should drink and on whether or not kombucha is appropriate for certain groups. What works for one person also may not work for another person. If you are unsure of whether you should be drinking kombucha or not, you may want to consult your doctor or a health care professional. Finally, remember that how much kombucha to drink depends on you.

For some more information on this topic, visit these links:

• http://www.happyherbalist.com/cautions.htm#Pregnant,_Nursing_and_children_under_the_age_of_4
• http://www.kombu.de/children.htm
• http://www.organic-kombucha.com/kombucha_use.html and http://www.organic-kombucha.com/kombucha_should_not_use.html
• http://www.kombuchakamp.com/2011/06/kombucha-tea-pregnancy-safety-probiotics-fermented-foods.html

Brewing Containers and Kombucha Cautions

Although glass brewing containers are best for brewing kombucha tea, you may use other containers.

Because kombucha tea is acidic, it should not be made or stored in certain ceramic and painted containers or containers made with lead crystal, which can contain toxic components that may leach into the tea. You should also not store tea or cultures in metal containers, and some plastic containers may leach chemicals into kombucha (1). However, food grade plastic, which have a number 1 or 2 inside a triangle on the bottom, and containers that are used to brew beer may be used (2).

According to Harald W. Tietze in his book Kombucha: The Miracle Fungus (1996), porcelain is another suitable brewing material.

Brewing containers with large surface areas will ferment and brew more quickly, because more of the tea is exposed to oxygen. However, containers with large surface areas will also increase the loss of liquid to evaporation (3).

Some cautions about kombucha:

-If you think something is wrong or that the kombucha tea may have been brewed in unsafe conditions, DO NOT DRINK THE TEA! Better to be safe than sorry- whether it's by brewing a new batch with new starter tea or by starting with a new/back-up culture (1). Excessive consumption of kombucha tea may be linked to unexplained lactic acidosis, and the CDC reported a serious illness in 1995 that could have been due to improper brewing practices (4). (However, no known human pathogens or toxin-producing organisms were identified!)

-The FDA acknowledges that kombucha tea and home brewing can be safe but also lists some warnings here.

However, under sanitary conditions, kombucha tea is perfectly safe! Problems such as mold are rare. Proper cleanliness practices in the kitchen are usually good enough to brew. In addition, kombucha cultures have antimicrobial properties, helping them to resist infection and contamination. More info on that later!