Kombucha - Statistics & Facts
Kombucha is purported to have originated centuries ago in what is now Manchuria and has since grown to become one of the fastest growing food trends in the U.S. The worldwide market value for kombucha is projected to grow to a worth of up to 6.14 billion U.S. dollars by 2028. Kombucha can be either organic or non-organic. Organic kombucha accounted for over 90 percent of its global market share.
Kombucha has been reported to have wide-ranging health benefits although most of these claims lack scientific evidences. The tea continues to be rated high in healthiness among food products in the U.S. with claims that it could improve sleep, digestion, or liver function. It is also claimed to help stimulation of the immune system, in weight loss and reversal of hair loss. It has also been promoted to prevent or treat of a variety of chronic illnesses such as AIDS, cancer, and diabetes. On the contrary, there have been several reported adverse effects associated with kombucha consumption including one case of death. Some of the adverse effect may be due to the acidity of the tea causing acidosis. Kombucha also has been known to cause stomach upset, from contamination during preparation. Despite all of this, kombucha is rated high among U.S. consumers in regards to its taste and affordability.
Commercially bottled ready-to-drink kombucha grew in popularity and became readily available in the United States during the late 1990s. The Americas accounted for roughly 51.16 percent of its entire sales worldwide in 2016. In a U.S. consumer survey, about14.1 percent of the respondents indicated that they have consumed kombucha within the last five years.