Would you drink Kombucha? 0.5% alcohol

[KimInTheForest]

I have discovered Kombucha and love it. It also has purported health benefits that are important to me: probiotics for good gut health, and B vitamins. However, because of the way it is made (fermenting black tea with sugar and a starter culture of yeast+bacteria), it has a small alcohol content: usually less than 0.5%. I have been scrupulous about zero alcohol for more than 20 years now, and have been maintaining that policy even though I am now more than 1 year post-treatment. My fibrosis level was F2/F3 pre-treatment.

For those here who are teetotalers like me to protect liver, what do you think about kombucha and its 0.5% ? I would likely be drinking 8 oz daily and would be making my own to use organic tea & sugar.

Link for more info on kombucha and alcohol content: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20160125/kombucha-tea-is-it-safe#1

kim

[Lynn K]

Kim
As you are F2 F3 I would ask a doctor especially your liver specialist about drinking anything with alcohol.

If your doctor green lights it go ahead if that is what you want to do.

I found an article on the subject

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/2014/10/28/7ba5f68a-5ad6-11e4-8264-deed989ae9a2_story.html

Is it good for you?

Kombucha has been touted as a magic elixir, curing everything from digestion problems to arthritis and cancer, but it has also been maligned as a potentially toxic alcoholic beverage. As with most things, the truth of it lies in the middle.

Most of the big curative claims about kombucha are unfounded: there have been just a few animal studies on it, and no solid research has been done on people. But some health benefits are likely since kombucha, when raw or unpasteurized, is rich in probiotics, good gut bacteria (like those in yogurt) that have been shown to boost immunity and overall health.

The downside is that kombucha’s probiotics do not survive the pasteurization process, and drinking it unpasteurized, if it was not produced in sanitary conditions, may pose a food safety threat, especially for those who are pregnant or have compromised immune systems. Some of the reported side effects of excessive and/or contaminated kombucha consumption include stomach upset, acidosis, allergic reactions to the molds that can develop during fermentation, and toxicity from heavy metals from home-brewing in ceramic pots.

Regarding the alcohol content, the government requires that a beverage must have less than 0.5 percent alcohol (a trace amount) if it is to be sold as a nonalcoholic drink. Bottled kombucha must comply with that standard or risk being pulled off the shelf. But depending on how they are made, home brews can vary in alcohol content and approach the amount that is in beer.

The bottom line

Kombucha is not a magic potion, but it is a potentially healthful, flavorful drink that is relatively low in calories and sugar. As with any food or drink, it is wise not to overdo it but to enjoy it in moderation.

Only drink homemade kombucha if you are certain it has been properly brewed, and opt for a reputable, commercial brand when buying it bottled. To be on the safe side, children, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems should drink only the pasteurized kind.

Just to add NA Beer which I would like to enjoy actually has an alcohol content of 0.5% as does Kombucha. As I am F4 I am not allowed even an occasional O'douls or Caliber. Also having cirrhosis I am considered immunocompromised.

Best to you

[KimInTheForest]

Thanks for finding/sharing that article, Lynn.

kim

[chino1969]

I would never touch anything with alcohol in it.  That's just me.  I've been SVR for 1 1/2 years and had Hep C for too long to take any chances.  I am  mildly cirrhotic and want my liver to heal the best it can.

[Lynn K]

Yes for those with cirrhosis we should entirely abstain from alcohol.

This would also include NA beer and NA wine as they contain 0.5% alcohol or 5 proof.

Also liquid NyQuil if it had alcohol or alcohol containing mouthwash if there are still any out there.

[Angelica]

I stopped drinking alcohol the moment I was diagnosed. Three years ago I started drinking Kefir, which is fermented milk. I make it myself, and I have 2 glasses every evening. I have no fibrosis and so I have never worried about the very small alcohol content of Kefir. What I can say is that it improved my sleep at a time when it had gotten messed up and that my viral load, which has always been low, did not increase, if anything got even lower.