5 Drinks That Can Boost Your Gut Health

For centuries, people all over the world have turned to specialized drinks for health benefits. From specialized tonics to teas and everything in between, there’s no shortage of drinks promising to boost your gut health. While some of it may seem like clever marketing, growing research is shining a light on the health benefits of certain drinks. 

But with so many drinks claiming to support gut health, how can you tell which drinks are really worth your time? Here’s what the science says about how what you drink can affect your gut and your health. 

Why should you have gut-healthy drinks?

People have been drinking gut-healthy beverages for centuries. Gut-healthy drinks contain important nutrients that feed and support the gut microbiome, including prebiotics and probiotics. 

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The gut microbiome is the complex web of “good” bacteria that helps the body digest food and absorb nutrients. It also supports the immune system. Researchers are still learning all the ways the gut microbiome affects human health.  

But the benefits of gut-healthy drinks don’t stop there. Some also contain vitamins and antioxidants that can have anti-inflammatory benefits. 

You could get all these benefits from foods and supplements, but sometimes it’s more convenient (and tastier!) to reach for a drink instead. 

What are the best drinks to improve gut health?

There are many drinks that can help improve your gut health. In fact, each region of the world has some variation of a gut-healthy drink — from tepache, which originated in Mexico, to kombucha, which is believed to have originated in northeastern China. Each drink has unique features and benefits.

Before diving into these drinks, there’s some important information you should keep in mind:

• Watch out for sugar. Many drinks contain extra sugar. Always check the nutrition label for the sugar content in drinks. Make sure that you’re staying under the American Heart Associations’ recommended daily sugar intake, which is between 25 g and 36 g per day. 

• Check for pasteurization. Pasteurization is a safe process that kills harmful bacteria that can grow in food and drinks. Not all drinks are pasteurized. Drinking unpasteurized products increases the risk of food poisoning and other illnesses. If you’re pregnant or have a weakened immune system, you shouldn’t drink unpasteurized products. Young children and older adults should also avoid unpasteurized products.

• Keep claims in perspective. Many drinks advertise a variety of nutritional and health benefits on their packaging on promotional materials. Keep in mind that many times, these claims haven’t been approved by the FDA or verified by research.  

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1. Kombucha

Kombucha is made by fermenting sweetened tea with probiotic microorganisms called SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). It also contains polyphenols, essential vitamins, and minerals, which act as antioxidants.

Research suggests that kombucha can support liver and gut health. While kombucha has been consumed for centuries, it has experienced a surge in popularity in the United States. Now you can find kombucha just about anywhere, and the brands keep growing. So it’s important to read the nutrition labels before making a specific brand of kombucha a regular part of your diet. Many brands contain additives and high levels of added sugar, which can reduce the benefits of kombucha. 

Remember to keep kombucha in the refrigerator. Once it’s opened, you should finish your drink within an hour. This can help lower the risk of food poisoning. You should also check to see if kombucha was pasteurized. 

2. Ginger tea

Ginger is a zesty spice found in many foods and drinks. It has a long history of medicinal uses due to its anti-inflammatory properties. 

When it comes to gut health, research shows that ginger can help ease nausea and upset stomach. Ginger may also promote stomach motility, which can ease heartburn symptoms and bloating.

More research is needed to show ginger’s effect on gut health. But the good news is that there’s little downside to giving ginger tea a try. Ginger tea is widely available and inexpensive. You can make your own ginger tea at home or buy and brew prepared ginger tea. 

You can make ginger tea by boiling ginger on its own or by adding it to other spices and tea leaves. 

3. Kefir

Kefir is an ancient fermented beverage. Traditionally, kefir is made from milk, any type will do. But recently, plant-based kefir has also hit the market. 

To make kefir, milk is fermented with kefir grains, which are actually powerful probiotics, specifically lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeast clusters. These probiotics can support your gut health and ease symptoms like gas and bloating. 

If you’re lactose intolerant, you don’t need to skip kefir. Kefir is also naturally low in lactose because the probiotics break down the lactose in milk during the fermentation process. There’s even research suggesting that kefir can help promote lactose digestion in people who are lactose intolerant.

Make sure to keep kefir in the refrigerator and to finish any opened drinks within the hour. Also check labels to make sure the product was pasteurized. 

4. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is made by adding yeast, an important probiotic, to apple juice or cider. The yeast breaks down the sugar in the apple juice or cider. So like kefir and kombucha, apple cider vinegar is a fermented liquid. 

Many people drink apple cider vinegar with the “mother” instead of a filtered version. The mother is the thick layer of bacteria and yeast that ferments the apple juice. The mother is chock-full of probiotics, which may support gut health. But there’s no research looking at the health benefits of drinking the mother. 

Altogether the research remains murky on whether apple cider vinegar delivers on its gut-health promises. There are claims that it promotes healthy digestion and eases bloating. But some studies suggest it can worsen gastrointestinal symptoms.

If you try apple cider vinegar, keep the following things in mind:

• You need to dilute it before drinking, otherwise it can damage your teeth and esophagus lining.

• It can trigger gastrointestinal reflux (GERD) and worsen heartburn. You may want to skip apple cider vinegar if you have these conditions. 

• Apple cider vinegar contains large amounts of acid. If you have chronic kidney disease, you may not be able to process the extra acid. Talk with your healthcare team before trying apple cider vinegar.

5. Green tea

Green tea is made from an infusion of the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. It has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine, and has become a popular drink around the world. 

There’s actually evidence to support that green tea is good for gut health. Research shows that green tea has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, the tea polyphenols are broken down by the gut bacteria to promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria and to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. 

You can enjoy your green tea iced or hot, the temperature won’t affect the benefits to the gut. Make sure to check for added sugar if you get pre-packaged green tea. Also, green tea does naturally contain caffeine. Check the nutrition label to see how much caffeine your green tea contains, especially if you’re trying to cut down on how much caffeine you have. 

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Meredith Grace Merkley, DO, FAAP

Dr. Merkley is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician who has over a decade of experience working in community health. She is currently a National Health Services Corp scholar, and is serving as the medical director of a school-based health clinic at a federally funded health center.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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