Does kombucha have caffeine?
Kombucha usually contains some caffeine, because it is made by fermenting sweetened tea. A study of nine commercial kombucha products measured caffeine from 15.1 to 112.6 micrograms per millilitre, which is less than brewed black tea in USDA data. Amounts vary by brand and tea, and labels may not state them.
Updated
Key facts
- Why there is caffeine. TTB describes kombucha as "a fermented beverage produced from a mixture of steeped tea and sugar" [1], and tea contains caffeine; USDA lists brewed black tea at 20 mg of caffeine per 100 g. [2]
- Measured levels. Yang et al. (2022) analysed nine commercial kombucha products and found that they "varied greatly" in caffeine, from 15.1 to 112.6 µg/ml. [3]
- Tea base. The products' labels showed black tea, green tea or both. [3]
How does that compare?
| Drink | Caffeine | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kombucha (9 products) | 15.1–112.6 mg per litre | [3] |
| Brewed black tea | 20 mg per 100 g (about 200 mg per litre) | [2] |
| Hard cider | 0 mg | [4] |
µg/ml and mg per litre are the same unit. Cider made from apples has no caffeine; see does cider have caffeine.
Why does it vary so much?
The study notes that new kombucha products come with "variable fermentation processes and starter ingredients". [3] The type and amount of tea, fermentation time and flavourings all differ by brand. More background is in what is kombucha, and storage in does kombucha need refrigeration.
How do I check?
- Look for a caffeine statement on the label. In the EU, drinks with more than 150 mg/l of caffeine must say "High caffeine content", unless they are based on tea or coffee and named as such. [5] [6]
- Ask the brand which tea it uses.
- If you need to limit caffeine for health reasons, ask your doctor.
Related answers: what is kombucha · does kombucha have alcohol
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Questions
How much caffeine is in a bottle of kombucha?
It depends on the product. In the study of nine products, caffeine ranged from 15.1 to 112.6 µg/ml, which is 15.1 to 112.6 mg per litre, or about 5 to 40 mg in a 12 fl oz (355 ml) bottle (15.1 × 0.355 ≈ 5; 112.6 × 0.355 ≈ 40). [3]
Is there decaf kombucha?
Products vary in the tea they use; the nine products studied used black tea, green tea or both. [3] Check with the brand.
Does kombucha have alcohol as well?
Often a little. The same study found ethanol from 0% to 1.29% across the nine products. [3] See does kombucha have alcohol.
Sources
- Kombucha — TTB
- FoodData Central: Beverages, tea, black, brewed, prepared with tap water (FDC ID 173227, SR Legacy) — USDA Agricultural Research Service
- Yang J. et al. Microbial and Chemical Profiles of Commercial Kombucha Products. Nutrients 14 (2022) 670 — PubMed Central (NIH)
- FoodData Central: Hard cider (FDC ID 2710621, Survey (FNDDS) 2021–2023, published 31 Oct 2024) — USDA Agricultural Research Service
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex III: Foods whose labelling must include one or more additional particulars — legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives)
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (official EU text) — EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the European Union)