Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Kombucha ultra-processed?

Kombuchas Sold in the United States

Pack of Kombucha

Yes, it's ultra-processed

  1. 1 Unprocessed
  2. 2 Kitchen staple
  3. 3 Processed
  4. 4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

  • 14 ingredients
  • 2 additives
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed kombuchas

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

raw kombucha (carbonated water, sugar, black tea leaves, green tea leaves, kombucha culture), erythritol, hibiscus tea (water, hibiscus), natural raspberry flavor, lemon juice, stevia extract (steviol glycosides)

Additives: E960 Steviol glycosides , E968 Erythritol

As written on the pack

Organic raw kombucha (carbonated water, sugar, black tea leaves, green tea leaves, kombucha culture), erythritol, hibiscus tea (water, hibiscus), natural raspberry flavor, lemon juice, stevia extract (steviol glycosides)

What makes it ultra-processed

Cosmetic additives

Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.

  • E960 Steviol glycosides Steviol glycosides are sweet compounds extracted and purified from the leaves of the stevia plant.
  • E968 Erythritol Humectants are substances which prevent foods from drying out by counteracting the effect of an atmosphere having a low degree of humidity, or promote the dissolution of a powder in an aqueous medium.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
2 ingredients that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Microbial culture Microbial cultures ferment foods such as yoghurt, cheese and sourdough.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 96 kombuchas

From least to most processed, this one ranks 80th. 59% of the kombuchas here are ultra-processed.

Ranked by NOVA group, then by the number of ultra-processing signs, additives and ingredients. Our ordering, not part of NOVA.

All 96 kombuchas, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0850005941675, last edited 7 December 2024), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
  • Photo: Open Food Facts contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0.
  • The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.