Which kombucha is keto-friendly?

December 14, 2025 •

4 min read

While traditional kombucha can contain a significant amount of sugar, some brands offer low-sugar alternatives suitable for a ketogenic diet. The key to including kombucha in your keto lifestyle is understanding the fermentation process and checking nutritional labels carefully to avoid unwanted carbs and sugars.

Quick Summary

Many kombucha brands offer low-sugar options suitable for a keto diet. The key is reading nutritional labels, choosing unsweetened varieties, and monitoring your carb intake to stay in ketosis.

Key Points

Check Labels: Always inspect the nutrition label for low total carbohydrates and sugars, aiming for under 5 grams per serving.
Opt for Zero Sugar Brands: Brands like Humm Zero Sugar or Remedy are designed to be keto-friendly with minimal to no residual sugar.
Consider Homemade: Brewing your own kombucha allows for complete control over the fermentation time and ingredients, ensuring it's keto-compliant.
Watch Portion Sizes: Even low-carb kombucha can add up. Limiting your intake to 6-8 ounces per day helps prevent carb overload.
Know the Fermentation Process: A longer fermentation period results in a lower sugar content, as the SCOBY consumes more sugar over time.
Avoid Sugary Add-Ins: Steer clear of kombuchas with added fruit juices or purées, which significantly increase the sugar count.
Look for Alternative Sweeteners: Brands using keto-friendly sweeteners like monk fruit or stevia are a safer bet than those with added sugar.

The Fermentation Factor: Why Sugar Matters

At its core, kombucha is a fermented tea, created using a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) that consumes added sugar to produce organic acids, carbonation, and probiotics. This fermentation process is what makes kombucha a potential fit for a keto diet, as the final sugar content is significantly lower than the amount added initially. The duration of fermentation is a key variable. A longer fermentation period allows the SCOBY to consume more sugar, resulting in a drier, more vinegary, and ultimately lower-carb brew. Conversely, many commercial kombuchas are fermented for a shorter time and then have extra fruit juices or sweeteners added back in to enhance flavor, which dramatically increases the sugar and carbohydrate count. Therefore, not all kombuchas are created equal in the eyes of a keto dieter.

How to Spot a Keto-Unfriendly Kombucha

When shopping for kombucha, it is essential to be a savvy label reader. Here's what to watch out for:

High sugar content: Any kombucha with more than 5-8 grams of sugar per serving is likely too high for a strict ketogenic diet. Check the 'Total Carbohydrates' and 'Sugars' on the nutrition label carefully.
Added juices or purées: Ingredients like apple, mango, or pineapple juice are often added for flavor, but they are full of natural sugars that will increase the carb count.
Flavor descriptions: Be wary of overly sweet-sounding flavors. Often, fruity or dessert-like flavors indicate a higher sugar content.
Lack of transparency: If a brand does not provide clear nutritional information on its packaging or website, it is best to avoid it when following a strict keto plan.

Best Keto-Friendly Kombucha Brands

Several brands have recognized the demand for low-carb options and have developed specific keto-friendly kombucha lines. These brands either ferment longer to reduce residual sugar or use alternative, keto-approved sweeteners.

Humm Kombucha Zero Sugar

Humm offers a "Zero Sugar" line that is explicitly labeled as keto-friendly, a helpful indicator for those on the diet. By using zero added sugar and fermentation techniques, they create a product with zero carbs and still provide the probiotic benefits of kombucha. This is one of the safest options for those strictly monitoring their carb intake.

Remedy Drinks

Remedy is another well-regarded brand that brews its kombucha until all sugar has been consumed during fermentation. They claim their process leaves no sugar behind, making it suitable for a ketogenic lifestyle. Checking the nutritional label for verification is still a good practice, but this brand is a strong contender.

Health-Ade (Select Flavors)

While many Health-Ade flavors are high in sugar, they sometimes release limited-edition or specific lines that are lower in carbohydrates. However, without a dedicated keto line, you must meticulously check the sugar content of each bottle, as it can vary significantly by flavor. For example, some kombuchas listed on Amazon may be low-sugar but not explicitly keto-friendly.

DIY Kombucha for Ultimate Control

For the highest degree of control over your kombucha's sugar content, brewing at home is the best solution. This allows you to extend the fermentation time, experiment with keto-friendly flavorings, and avoid any added sugars.

Steps for Homemade Keto Kombucha:

First Fermentation: Brew your kombucha as normal, but allow the first fermentation (F1) to go longer—around 15-30 days. Taste-test periodically to achieve your desired balance of tartness and minimal sweetness.
Second Fermentation (Flavoring): During the second fermentation (F2), add keto-friendly flavorings instead of sugary fruit juices. Good options include:
- Ginger or cinnamon sticks
- Herbs like rosemary or mint
- A splash of unsweetened fruit extract
- Low-calorie sweeteners like monk fruit or stevia

Kombucha Sugar Content Comparison

To highlight the difference between standard and keto-friendly kombucha, here is a comparison table showing the sugar content in an 8-ounce serving.


Beverage	Sugar in 8oz Serving	Keto-Friendly?
Humm Kombucha Zero Sugar	0 g	Yes
Remedy Kombucha	0 g (claimed)	Yes
Better Booch Kombucha	5 g	Maybe (small portion)
GT's SYNERGY Kombucha	~12 g+	No
Average Kombucha	8-12 g	No
Soda	~30 g	No

Benefits and Considerations of Kombucha on Keto

Benefits

Digestive health: Kombucha is a probiotic-rich beverage that can support a healthy gut microbiome, which is beneficial for overall health.
Refreshing alternative: It provides a fizzy, flavorful alternative to plain water or diet soda, helping to curb cravings for sugary drinks.
Metabolism support: Some studies suggest that kombucha can help boost metabolism and support fat burning, which aligns with the goals of a ketogenic diet.

Risks and Considerations

Carb creep: Even with low-sugar options, consuming kombucha regularly adds to your daily carb count. Monitoring intake is crucial, as too much can push you out of ketosis.
Artificial sweeteners: Some zero-sugar brands use artificial or alternative sweeteners. While keto-friendly, some people prefer to avoid them. Be sure to check the ingredient list if this is a concern.
Label inaccuracies: Not all brands are fully transparent about their final sugar content. For store-bought options, it is always wise to double-check.
Residual alcohol: Kombucha naturally contains trace amounts of alcohol due to fermentation, though commercial options are typically under the 0.5% legal limit. Those who avoid alcohol should be aware of this.

Conclusion

Drinking kombucha on a keto diet is possible and can be a delicious way to support gut health, but it requires careful attention. The key is to select low-sugar or zero-sugar options like those from Humm or Remedy, or take control by brewing your own for a truly customized, keto-safe beverage. Always read labels, watch your portion sizes, and make sure your choice fits within your daily carbohydrate limits to stay in ketosis. With the right approach, you can enjoy the refreshing, probiotic benefits of kombucha without compromising your keto goals. For more details on the fermentation process, you can find helpful resources online, such as this guide from Cultures for Health.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, you cannot drink just any kombucha. Traditional kombucha contains residual sugar from the fermentation process and often has added juices, making many brands high in carbs. You must specifically seek out low-sugar or zero-sugar options.

To check if a kombucha is keto-friendly, read the nutritional label and look for one with very low total carbohydrates and minimal sugar content per serving, ideally under 5 grams. The ingredients list should also be free of added fruit juices or sugar.

Brands like Humm Zero Sugar and Remedy Drinks are known for offering keto-friendly options. However, always verify the sugar content on the label, as recipes can change.

Yes, during the fermentation process, the SCOBY consumes the sugar. The longer the fermentation, the more sugar is consumed, resulting in a lower sugar content in the final product.

Yes, making your own kombucha is an excellent way to ensure it's keto-friendly. You can extend the fermentation period and use keto-safe flavorings like herbs or extracts instead of sugary fruits.

Yes, even with low-sugar versions, it's wise to limit your intake to a modest serving (e.g., 6-8 ounces) per day. This helps ensure that the minimal carbs don't accumulate and knock you out of ketosis.

Kombucha's perceived sweetness doesn't always correlate with its sugar content. Organic acids produced during fermentation can mimic a sweet sensation. Many commercial brands also add extra fruit juices or sweeteners post-fermentation for flavor, which adds sugar.