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Is kombucha really good for your health?19 September 2026Natalie GriceBBC WalesGetty ImagesKombucha is made by fermenting tea using a scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) which floats on top of the liquid while brewingIf you're a health-conscious type who reaches for the products promising that boost, you may be a regular consumer of kombucha. The form of fermented tea has been drunk for centuries in parts of Asia and is now being touted as a superfood to improve lots of aspects of health, including gut bacteria, the immune system and even lowering stress. Researchers at Aberystwyth University have led a study trying to establish what happens to a person when they drink kombucha for a sustained period of time, to see if the drink does have any measurable impact on the body. The team conducted an eight-week randomised controlled trial on 40 healthy participants, with one set receiving a carefully controlled drink of kombucha every day, and the other a placebo of flavoured water. The trial, published in a peer-reviewed journal, was double-blinded, so the participants and the research team did not know which person was receiving the real kombucha.