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

Q&A: I left my kombucha mushroom in the fridge for awhile. Can I still use it?

I've been receiving many questions about individuals who have SCOBYs stored in the fridge, or brews forgotten on the counter. Can you still use the SCOBY to brew?

I typically say yes, but it also depends on various factors.

Usually I recommend to individuals that SCOBYs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a year, with increased chances of the SCOBY remaining viable the better your sanitation is. In addition, I usually do not recommend individuals to leave their brews out for more than a few weeks, but this is also dependent on several factors (for example, fermentation goes slower at cooler temperatures). If you do leave your brew forgotten on the counter, it's still possible that you can use your kombucha mushroom.

Typically, kombucha smells like hard cider or apple cider vinegar. The longer the kombucha and the mushroom are stored, the more acidic the kombucha will be in taste and smell. Here are some suggestions for what to do if your kombucha is too sour.

If you notice anything funky, such as mold, or off-odors, it may be safer to just discard your kombucha mushroom in the compost. If this is the case, you may consider growing a kombucha mushroom or finding other sources for a SCOBY.

However, if you don't find anything out of the ordinary, you may just want to give brewing with the mushroom a try! If you have some fresher starter tea to use as well, that can also be helpful.

If a SCOBY has remained dormant in the fridge for awhile, it may take a few cycles for the mushroom to kick back into gear. And if your intention is to grow a nice thick mushroom (because brewing good-tasting kombucha and growing a thick SCOBY do not always equate to the same thing), you may consider reading this post for tips. Once you have a good younger mushroom to brew with (or a few), you may want to put the older SCOBY to rest in the compost. In my experience, the younger mushrooms tend to out-perform the older ones.

Unsure if your brew or mushroom are safe? Read Happy Herbalist's Kombucha Cautions and Safe Brewing Tips. Some pictures of healthy mushrooms can be found in this post, and pictures of healthy (and unhealthy) mushrooms can be found on Happy Herbalist's Kombucha Pictures page.

Happy brewing!

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!