The benefits of kombucha, alcohol, sugar, the microbiota, Dry January. Everything we can say, and everything we won't say until the studies are clear.
What is kombucha?
What is kombucha?
The first traces of kombucha date back more than 2,000 years, to Southeast Asia. Over the centuries, the drink travelled to Russia, Germany, and then the United States. In France, a few enthusiasts were already brewing it craft-style, but it remained largely unknown. In 2009, Karma was born, becoming one of the very first to brew and commercialise kombucha. It was the beginning of the French kombucha adventure on a larger scale.
The culture is the SCOBY: Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. Often mistakenly called a "mushroom". It is actually a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, made of cellulose, just like trees. A living, organic mass, which we have carefully nurtured for over ten years in our Breton tanks.
We start by brewing organic tea in hot water, with cane sugar. Once the mixture has cooled, we add our SCOBY. For one to two weeks, at a controlled temperature, the magic happens.
What is inside
Very low alcohol, low sugar
Alcohol: fermentation produces very trace amounts, less than 1.2% ABV. This is the legal threshold for "alcohol-free" drinks in France, similar to kefir, sourdough bread, or very ripe fruit. Our kombucha is tested at an average of 0.6% ABV when leaving the workshop. We guarantee a level below 1.2% throughout the product's shelf life, in line with EU regulations.
Sugar: it is needed at the beginning to feed the SCOBY. But during fermentation, it consumes most of it. As a result, our Ginger Kombucha contains around 2.5 g of sugar per 100 ml, compared to 10.6 g for a classic fizzy drink.
Our Ginger Kombucha contains about 2.5 g of sugar per 100 ml, compared to 10.6 g per 100 ml for a Coca-Cola Original.
Unpasteurised kombucha contains billions of micro-organisms, lactobacilli, acetobacteria, and yeasts. They are the ones that did the work of fermentation, and that end up in your bottle. Alive, active, and Breton.
And our SCOBY is not a single strain: it is a community. Several hundred microbial strains coexist in our vats, each with its own role. It is this diversity that makes a slowly brewed kombucha so rich.
100% organic: because 95% is not enough for us.
The regulations (Regulation (EU) 2018/848) allow organic certification from
95% organic agricultural ingredients. At Karma, we go further: 100% of our agricultural ingredients are organic. No shortcuts, no compromises.
Demeter: our kombuchas are certified biodynamic. A demanding form of agriculture that follows the rhythms of life, the moon, the seasons, and the soil.
The living within you
What exactly is the microbiota?
cells in your microbiome, which is nearly 3 times more than in your body.
Immune cells are found in the gut.
Of neurons in the gut, a “second brain” in direct dialogue.
We choose unpasteurised kombucha. It requires more demanding logistics and must be kept in the chiller cabinet, but it promises a living drink. That makes all the difference.
What is the current status of the benefits on the microbiota?
Let’s be honest: science is advancing, but remains cautious. The majority of studies on the benefits of kombucha are in vitro or on animals, as a 2019 review points out. What is certain: its richness in organic acids and compounds derived from fermentation. The rest is observed without being promised.
→ Source: Kapp & Sumner, ‘Kombucha: a systematic review of the empirical evidence of human health benefit’, Annals of Epidemiology, 2019.
Kombucha in daily life
French people drink kombucha regularly in 2024.
Why Dry January suits us so well
of French people participated in Dry January in 2024. 44% plan to do so in 2026. Source: Observatoire Chavin & CSA.
Good to know
Naturally fermented, kombucha may contain slight traces of alcohol, while remaining classified as a non-alcoholic beverage according to European and French regulations (less than 1.2% ABV: the legal threshold that qualifies a beverage as "non-alcoholic" in France and the EU, INCO Regulation 1169/2011).
For pregnant or breastfeeding women, or young children, everyone is free to make their own choices with this information in mind. At KARMA, we choose total transparency by including the mention "may contain traces of alcohol" on our labels.
By way of comparison, overripe fruit or certain artisanal fruit juices can also naturally contain traces of alcohol due to fermentation.
→
Kapp & Sumner, ‘Kombucha: a systematic review of the empirical evidence of human health benefit’, Annals of Epidemiology, vol. 30, 2019.
→
Chavin Observatory & CSA, "The French Relationship with Dry January", December 2025.
→
INSEE, "Household spending on beverages since 1960", 2020.
→
INSERM, “Gut microbiota: a key player in our health”, scientific dossier.
→
Nutripure, "Kombucha: benefits and complete guide", May 2025.
