Published: 20:14 BST, 18 August 2026 | Updated: 21:31 BST, 18 August 2026
It is the tangy, fizzy drink that's billed as a grown-up alternative to soda – and with labels that promise 'beneficial bacteria' and a 'healthy gut,' it's easy to assume it's good for you.
Kombucha, made from fermented tea, has surged in popularity in recent years, with annual sales now topping $1.6 billion.
Advocates claim it can do everything from ease digestive problems, to fight high blood sugar and lower cholesterol – and celebrities including Selena Gomez and Lindsay Lohan have endorsed the drink.
Experts who spoke to the Daily Mail have urged caution, claiming that not only are the benefits potentially overblown, but some versions available in stores are laden with more sugar than a Krispy Kreme donut.
The drinks can also contain wildly varying levels of 'gut-healthy' bacteria – their supposed big selling-point – alongside less healthy ingredients, including alcohol and caffeine.
'There are small studies looking at regular kombucha consumption showing health benefits and potential health improvements,' said Nebraska-based food scientist Dr Jennifer Auchtung. 'But these were mostly carried out in animals.
'We don't really have the good, large-scale human studies, that would be needed to show any potential health benefits, particularly for the gut.'
Lindsay Lohan is pictured above drinking a Health-Ade Kombucha. The advert was released in March this year
Kombucha has been around for at least 2,000 years, after first appearing in northeastern China, where it may have been used medicinally.
Homemade versions of the drink involve adding sugar and a starter culture of bacteria and yeast – known as a SCOBY, sometimes called the 'mother' – to black or green tea, then leaving the mixture to ferment, typically for around a week or longer.
The microbes feed on the sugar, producing acids, gases and other compounds that give kombucha its distinctive tart, slightly fizzy taste. The finished drink can also contain live microorganisms, which is why kombucha is often marketed as a probiotic.
However, grocery-store versions are normally pasteurized – or heated and cooled rapidly – to kill off any dangerous bacteria, before having healthy bacteria added. These may also be enhanced with extra sugar and fruit juice.
Health claims around kombucha largely focus on the billions of bacteria that can be produced during fermentation, which manufacturers suggest could improve the balance of microbes in the gut.
But experts say the presence of live bacteria does not automatically make something a probiotic. To earn that description scientifically, specific strains must be shown to survive in sufficient numbers and provide a proven health benefit.
