About: Does Kombucha Have Caffeine?
Kombucha is one of the most popular products found in the hands and refrigerators of fitness freaks worldwide. The beverage came into existence nearly 2000 years back in China; these days, you can buy Kombucha at your local mom and pop stores.
For a short time, the beverage known as “Kombucha” had no other than being a sweet tea that people drank to get rid of their morning headaches.
Scientists eventually discovered that certain yeast cultures are very efficient in creating this type of caffeine from green tea. It became so popular because one could purchase Kombucha for $3.00 per bottle, which was significantly less than other types of tea.
There were also only a few brands available, and they were all quite pricey. However, recently, there have been more discoveries regarding how exactly Kombucha has caffeine compared to other teas.
Kombucha Contains Caffeine
While you may not consider Kombucha as a caffeinated drink, it does contain tiny amounts of caffeine. The caffeine levels in Kombucha depend entirely on fermentation.
Kombucha is a fermentation in which yeast consumes and ferments sugar to produce a fizzy probiotic drink. While the fermentation does not cut down on the tea’s caffeine content, about one-third of the original caffeine remains.
According to an FDA report, an 8oz serving of tea has 30-50 mg of caffeine, which means an 8oz serving of Kombucha can contain 10-15 mg of caffeine.
So, what exactly is caffeine and is it bad for you?
Caffeine is known as a mild stimulant commonly found in tea, coffee, and cacao plants; it stimulates the brain and helps you stay alert.
Without caffeine our day isn’t complete
If you have ever had the misfortune of drinking too much coffee, then you know what happens next-your body becomes addicted to it, and your brain “wakes up” every time you drink a cup.
The good news is that, unlike other substances like alcohol or tobacco, caffeine is not addictive. However, the overuse of caffeine is a real problem.
That is why it is strongly recommended that pregnant women going through menopause take caution not to consume any caffeine-based beverages. Caffeine can really ramp up your blood pressure and make you feel jittery, irritable, and moody.
Our everyday foodstuffs such as tea, coffee, chocolates, or cola drinks roughly contain 20 – 100 mg of caffeine in each serving.
Why is there caffeine in Kombucha?
Since Kombucha is made from tea leaves from the tea plant, it contains a small amount of caffeine. Irrespective of the fact that your Kombucha is made from black, green, white, or oolong tea, you will often find small traces of caffeine in it.
The fermentation process reduces the caffeine amount found in Kombucha; as a thumb rule, the longer the fermentation process, the more caffeine is found.
The caffeine amount in your Kombucha also depends on the brand. Some manufacturers add caffeine into their drinks, while some maintain their beverages at their natural levels.
Is it possible to make kombucha less caffeine?
Yes, all you need to do is opt for lower caffeinated tea during the fermentation process, and you are all set. If you want to reduce your caffeine content, you can opt for teas with 40 to 60 mg of caffeine.
- Use Decaffeinated tea with water processing or carbon dioxide processing as they don’t unsettle the brew.
- Reduce steeping time if you want to reduce the caffeine content; simply soak the tea bag or tea leaves for 5 to 10 minutes to bring out flavour with minimal caffeine content.
- Since the hot water speeds up absorption, you can use cool water instead to reduce the caffeine content.
- Check labels closely to find the caffeine content; most major kombucha producers, such as GT or Health-Ade, list caffeine content on their brands. In most cases, you can find caffeine content on the opposite side of the label.
- Check ingredients such as artificial flavors, added sugars, additional fermented ingredients such as apple cider vinegar that can affect the kombucha caffeine levels. According to research, nicotine intensifies the caffeine metabolism rate.
- Drink less Kombucha to reduce your overall caffeine intake if you are worried about getting jittery after consumption. You can also reduce the serving size or check the label on the brew bottles if you have sensitivities to caffeine.
Key Benefits of Kombucha
It is a good substitute for coffee but does not impact your blood pressure like coffee does. However, if you are an athlete or someone who works out a lot, then you should definitely consider using it.
It will help your body stay active while at the same time helping with muscle cramps and joint pains that you may have gotten from working too hard during the day.
One great benefit of using Kombucha as a beverage for your immune system is creating probiotics naturally in your body.
That will help your digestive system work better and will help your body absorb the nutrients better. It will also support the production of good bacteria in your gut.
These bacteria are needed to keep your digestion running smoothly. It helps aid in absorbing calcium, magnesium, and potassium, all essential nutrients that your body needs to maintain a healthy immune system.
What nutritionist say?
Most nutrition experts drink black tea, as it is considered a healthy beverage. However, the difference between black tea and Kombucha is the fact that black tea contains more caffeine than does Kombucha.
If you are trying to lose weight, the addition of some caffeine can undoubtedly make it easier for you to shed those pounds. The problem is that most people do not want to have a lot of extra caffeine in their bodies.
Suppose you are wondering what amount of caffeine is contained in the brew. In that case, it is safe to say that the caffeine content of any of the Kombucha beverages is below the safety level recommended by the American Heart Association.
The safe level is four milligrams per 8 oz cup of coffee or tea. Anything over that amount can cause health issues or cause adverse reactions in your body. So, you should only drink the brew if you have it for a special occasion or if you know it is caffeinated.
Conclusion – Does Kombucha Have Caffeine?
Kombucha does contain caffeine in small concentrations; as said earlier, you can check the labels on the bottle to know the caffeine content. You want to consume Kombucha without caffeine content then, consider brewing kombucha at home using decaffeinated tea.
