Good Happy kombucha review
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review of Good Happy kombucha. We’ll look into the benefits, ingredients, nutrition and flavour of this very unique and interesting kombucha which contains both reishi and chaga.
For this review we have taste-tested the cacao vanilla version.
Good Happy kombucha is available in some health food stores in Australia. It is made in Byron Bay.
Ingredients of Good Happy kombucha
The good news is that Good Happy kombucha is a real-ingredient kombucha which means unlike some popular kombuchas (eg Remedy and Lo Bros) it doesn’t rely on sweeteners and flavourings for taste.
Read more about low-calorie and real-ingredient kombucha in our article on the best kombucha in Australia.
The specific ingredients are: cacao, vanilla extract (from vanilla beans), reishi, Siberian chaga, filtered water, raw sugar, green tea, oolong tea and kombucha culture.
Various ingredients are organic but it is not entirely organic or certified as such. They state it’s ‘organic where possible’.
Because it uses real ingredients, it will naturally have more sugar than other kombucha which use sweeteners and flavourings. However, even compared to other real-ingredient kombucha it is quite high in calories with 21 calories per 100ml. In contrast, Good Brew kombucha - which is another high-quality and real-ingredient kombucha - has less than a third of this with 6.5 calories per 100ml.
Benefits of Good Happy kombucha
This kombucha offers the usual benefits of kombucha and also includes some interesting ingredients used in traditional medicine which you may find appealing.
Live cultures
This drink includes live cultures, but unfortunately they give no information on which strains are included or the actual amount of them (ie colony forming units). This means we don’t know if this drink includes any probiotics - which are live cultures that have been shown to give us health benefits.
Learn more about the benefits of probiotics.
Postbiotics
In very simple terms, postbiotics are essentially beneficial things microorganisms produce during fermentation. These include healthy short-chain fatty acids which nourish our gut lining and may help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Green tea
Green tea, and the oolong tea also in this kombucha, contains polyphenols which are strong antioxidants.
Studies have shown green tea may also:
increase the amount of calories you burn
improve cholesterol levels
help control blood sugar levels
Read more about the evidence-based benefits of green tea and kombucha.
Cacao
Cacao:
is rich in antioxidants which fight harmful free radicals and help reduce inflammation
may support heart health
may improve cholesterol levels
may support immune function
Read more about the health benefits of cacao.
Reishi
Reishi is a mushroom traditionally used in Chinese medicine.
While more research is needed, there is some evidence that it may boost the immune system, reduce fatigue and depression, and have other potential benefits. It is also high in antioxidants.
Read more about the potential benefits of reishi.
Chaga
Chaga is a fungus which grows on birch trees in cold climates, especially Siberia. It is used in various traditional medicines.
More research is also needed into chaga (especially involving its use in humans), however some studies suggest it may boost the immune system, reduce inflammation, lower blood sugar and lower cholesterol.
It is also very high in antioxidants.
Appearance
It has a slightly murky, orange-brown appearance.
Carbonation
The carbonation is fine and doesn’t cause any burping.
Flavour
The aroma is very interesting for a kombucha with the cacao being strongest. And there’s a slight lemony aroma hiding behind that.
The taste is very different to any kombucha I’ve had - which probably shouldn’t be surprising given the unique ingredients! It has a woody, earthy taste from the mushrooms as well as some cacao coming through. And then at the end, a more standard kombucha taste comes through with a moderate acidity. It’s a very complex taste for sure!
In summary, while I applaud the originality, the flavour doesn’t quite land perfectly. It’s not a bad taste, but I wouldn’t be going back for seconds on taste alone. The earthiness of it is just not as refreshing as a more standard kombucha.
Cost of Good Happy kombucha
We bought a 330ml bottle for $5.50 from a health food store in Melbourne.
Review summary
Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5.
Verdict: Good Happy kombucha is a unique and interesting real-ingredient kombucha which contains reishi and chaga which are both used in traditional medicine. You might want to choose this kombucha because of these two ingredients, however you probably wouldn’t choose it for taste.
Pros
uses real ingredients - some of which are organic
low in calories
various sources of antioxidants
contains reishi and chaga (even though more research is needed into the benefits of these)
Cons
not as appealing in taste as others
higher in calories than others (although still half that of non-diet soft drink)
no information on the live cultures included or the amount of them
Your reviewer
This hands-on review was written by Travis, the founder of this website, long-time gut-health enthusiast, science nerd and passionate kombucha maker of over 10 years!
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