Without a doubt, apple cider vinegar (ACV) and kombucha are the most popular probiotic beverages. Let’s examine apple cider vinegar versus kombucha, so you can decide which is best for you. Undoubtedly, they both can give numerous health benefits to your inner and outer system by aiding in proper body function.
Fermented foods and drinks have been consumed for thousands of years because of their high organic, nutritional content. Specifically, a plethora of live, micro-organisms (probiotics; healthy bacteria) can form in any cultured; live substance. In particular, probiotics carry strong anti-microbial protection. Antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, antiparasitic, antiviral, as well as other resistance, can help protect you from many infections and diseases.
Before drinking either, remember to consult your doctor if you have any pre-existing conditions. Specifically, be careful taking acidic or probiotic beverages while on Lanoxin, as your potassium levels can drop. Moreover, do not take vinegar with diuretics, insulin, or other diabetes medicine. Drinking live, probiotic drinks should fit into what works best for your body and health, not just because they taste good.
Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits
Vinegar is the final result of fermenting food or alcohol for a period of months. Hence, cider vinegar is sugar, water, and sometimes yeast mixed with cut up or mashed fruit.
With any vinegar, the sugar oxidizes into ethanol with the presence of air (oxygen). Stopping the process here for fruit vinegar creates cider (ethanol; drinking alcohol). Further straining and fermentation eventually produce vinegar because the ethanol is oxidized into acetic acid by acetic acid bacteria (AAB). AAB are what make up the mother of vinegar. Micro-organisms (probiotics) naturally grow on ethanol. Then, with further fermentation, these organisms convert ethanol to acetic acid (vinegar).
All raw (unpasteurized) vinegar contains the vinegar mother, as well as, it is completely natural (organic). Plus, leftover food residue, such as from apples, are present. Likewise, pasteurized ACV filters out the vinegar mother and food residue, which is the source of the live probiotics and nutrients.
- Probiotics: Acetic acid bacteria (AAB) from the family Acetobacteraceae; predominantly Acetobacter, Gluconacetobacter, Gluconobacter and Komagataeibacter
- ACV carries high amounts of antioxidants from its organic acids, which have proven weight loss, anti-diabetic, and anti-tumor effects
- Plus, ACV aides in healthy cholesterol, blood pressure, and brain function. This can fight heart disease and Alzheimer’s.
- Fruit (cider) vinegars carry much higher amounts of polyphenols (antioxidants) than other vinegars. This, plus added nutrients from the apple, aides in healthy body function.
- Increased circulation, a healthy digestive and immune system, wound healing, and healthy muscle and tissue growth can come from ACV.
- Acetic acid bacteria (AAB) is a very beneficial, healthy bacteria. It has proven resistance to a plethora of harmful bacteria like fungus and other pathogens which cause infections and diseases.
- Raw ACV (with the mother) contains more antioxidants and much stronger anti-microbial protection. Pasteurized ACV can be used, but has weaker nutritional strength.
Kombucha Benefits
Kombucha is fermented tea, said to originate in China. Sugar, yeast, and bacteria are added to tea. The fermentation process of kombucha is similar to making cider. When sugar water is exposed to air, it oxidizes and turns into ethanol (drinking alcohol). Think of kombucha as very weak cider.
Most importantly, the longer you ferment tea, the more vinegar taste it will have. For instance, if you leave your kombucha mixture to ferment for months, it will turn into vinegar. Don’t dare throw this out. Vinegar is extremely versatile and beneficial as a holistic medicine and beyond.
Kombucha does not contain vinegar, nor the vinegar mother. Extremely similar to the vinegar mother in appearance and nutrition, is kombucha’s SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast), a biofilm. In other words, vinegar only contains bacteria culture, while kombucha has some bacteria, but mostly yeast culture.
Unlike vinegar, which is mostly acetic acid, Table 1 shows kombucha contains mostly gluconic, glucuronic, and lactic acid.
- Probiotics: Small amount of AAB, mainly Gluconacetobacter with predominantly yeast (varies on tea used); Black tea mostly Pichia occidentalis, Candida sorboxylosa, Hanseniaspora opuntiae, and Zygosaccharomyces
- Antibacterial and antifungal protection was confirmed to various harmful yeast species such as Candida, plus other bacteria that cause skin or internal infections, food poisoning, and/or UTI’s.
- Antioxidant protection is present due to high levels of polyphenols (antioxidants) from organic acids. Studies show benefits to the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract, digestive system, immune system, healthy cholesterol, and reduced inflammation.
- Anti-tumor protection can result in resistance to cancer.
- Table 2’s animal studies produce various benefits including antihyperglycemic effects (healthy blood glucose), weight loss, resistance to heart and liver damage or infection/disease.
- Every study found green tea kombucha contains stronger resistance (antimicrobial protection) to harmful pathogens than black tea.
Apple Cider Vinegar vs. Kombucha
| Factor | Raw Apple Cider Vinegar(ACV w/ mother) (pure, raw ACV will always be 0 calories, carbs, fat, sugar, and sodium) | Kombucha (average of 14 different types from 6 different store brands) |
| Calories | 0 | 61 |
| Carbs | 0 g | 14.5 g |
| Sugar | 0 g | 13 g (11 out of 14 had added sugar) |
| Sodium | 0 g | 9 g (only found in 2 brands) |
| Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Protein | 0 g | 0.3 g (found in 3 out of 14 types) |
| Caffeine | 0 | Depends on tea (black and green tea have the highest amounts) |
| Potassium | Usually 11-15 mg (0% DV) | Not found |
| Calcium | Usually 0-1 mg (0% DV) | Not found |
| Magnesium | 0 | Not found |
| Iron | 0 | Not found |
| Alcohol | 0 | 0.5% + |
| Taste | Faintly sour; tastes like heavily watered-down apple juice when diluted w/ water; very sour undiluted (highly discouraged) | Sweet, slightly tart, but can also be bitter; depends on type of tea and amount of sugar added |
| Accessibility | Readily available; abundant | Readily available; abundant |
| Store prices/32. oz. bottle | $ | $$-$$$ |
| Ease of making | Medium | Easy |
| Ferment time | 45-60 days, sometimes more; completely natural probiotics form | 7-14 days; probiotics are added to ferment tea into kombucha |
Kombucha Brand 1 & 2 Kombucha Brand 1 & 3 Kombucha Brand 4 Kombucha Brand 5 Kombucha Brand 6 Two different brands of raw ACV
Apple Cider Vinegar or Kombucha
Surely, the health benefits of raw ACV and kombucha parallel each other. In short, both give strong anti-microbial protection. High antioxidants and nutrients from tea and/or fruit, paired with probiotics, is a great choice either way. Therefore, drinking either is simply a personal preference.
Although, it is clear that drinking raw ACV is the cheaper and more natural choice. Unless you are brewing your own kombucha, many brands have added sugar. In addition, raw vinegar has a completely natural fermentation process. In other words, yeast and bacteria have to be added to tea to create kombucha.
Also, kombucha is expensive. For example, one 32-ounce bottle of raw ACV is diluted. If drinking two tablespoons a day, one bottle will last you a month, and one tablespoon a day will last two months. Certainly, ACV is the most popular (cider) vinegar to drink and use. It’s abundant, cheap, and flavorful. Besides, adding raw ACV to your daily water bottle is not difficult at all.
Plus, raw ACV is one of the most versatile home staples. Such as, it can be used as a toner, conditioning rinse, mouthwash, to clean your home and garden, and wash fruit and vegetables. Furthermore, it can be used in many recipes for brines, dressings, marinades, and sauces.
Of course, you can use pasteurized ACV, but know it may not give you the same benefits as pure (mother) ACV. Also, whether kombucha or ACV, be careful when taking this with stimulant medicine.
If you’re going to drink probiotics, do it right. Evidently, raw ACV is chock full of enzymes, organic acids, and vitamins and minerals. All in all, it’s powerful anti-microbial protection can give you a healthy digestive system, strong immunity, weight loss benefits, but also much more.
Does Kombucha have Vinegar? No
Can I mix kombucha with apple cider vinegar? If you want.
Are cider vinegar and ACV the same thing? YES. ACV is a type of cider vinegar.
Does apple cider vinegar work as a probiotic? YES
Is apple cider vinegar a fermented beverage? YES
Is it better to drink ACV in the morning or night? Both
Which type of apple cider vinegar is best? Any raw ACV is great (with the mother).
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