Way Better kombucha review
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review of Way Better kombucha. We’ll look into the benefits, ingredients, nutrition and flavour of this low-calorie kombucha.
For this review we have taste-tested the passionfruit version.
Way Better kombucha is available in some health food stores in Australia. It is made in Epping, Victoria.
Ingredients of Way Better kombucha
Way Better kombucha is a low-calorie kombucha which largely relies on natural flavourings and sweeteners for taste (similar to Remedy or Lo Bros). It does not contain any real passionfruit like juice, pulp or concentrate.
Read more about low-calorie and real-ingredient kombucha in our article on the best kombucha in Australia.
Are sweeteners bad for you?
Regular readers will know that I don’t love sweeteners - whether they are natural or artificial. This is because artificial sweeteners have been shown to negatively affect gut microbe composition - and so it could be that natural sweeteners also have a negative affect on your gut. There are other potential side effects of these natural sweeteners (especially around signalling to your body that sugar is coming when it isn’t), but more research is needed.
In any case, I’d prefer to avoid sweeteners altogether to be on the safe side. This is a personal choice though and essentially a trade off between sugar (which is not good) and natural sweeteners (which may or may not be shown to be unhealthy in future).
Read more about the current research done on stevia and erythritol - the two most common natural sweeteners.
The specific ingredients are: kombucha (purified water, kombucha culture, green tea, raw sugar), natural sweeteners (erythritol and stevia leaf), citric food acid and natural passionfruit flavour.
This kombucha is organic and sugar free.
Kombucha doesn’t usually include citric acid and it may be included here to replicate the tartness of passionfruit (in the absence of actual passionfruit) or for pH control.
Benefits of Way Better kombucha
This drink comes with the usual health benefits of kombucha, although more information in some areas is needed.
Live cultures
This drink would include 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 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.
Low in calories
Way Better kombucha is very low in calories with only 1.67 calories per 100ml - which is among the lowest we’ve tested. So in this regard it is far superior to soft drink.
Appearance
It has a clear, golden appearance with some floaty bits near the bottom of the bottle - which are presumably yeasts strands from fermentation and nothing to be worried about.
Carbonation
The carbonation is at a good medium level and doesn’t cause any burping.
Flavour
The aroma is strong of passionfruit - to the point that it seems artificial or fake.
The taste is quite watery with some passionfruit showing. The taste is not as strong as the aroma suggests. And it has a moderate acidity.
In summary, the flavour is quite lacklustre but drinkable enough. It’s obvious this is made with flavourings and not real passionfruit as the taste is one dimensional and lacks any depth.
Cost of Way Better kombucha
We bought a 330ml bottle for $5 from a health food store in Melbourne. That is too expensive for this type of basic kombucha in our opinion. And it was more expensive than Buchi kombucha which is much higher quality with real ingredients.
Review summary
Rating: 2.75 stars out of 5.
Verdict: Way Better kombucha is an organic kombucha and very low in calories. However, it largely relies on natural flavourings and sweeteners for taste, rather than real ingredients.
Pros
organic
low in calories
Cons
contains natural sweeteners (if that bothers you)
no real passionfruit ingredients
no information on the live cultures included or the amount of them
weak, underwhelming taste
overpriced
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!
Related articles
