“Is Kombucha contrary to the Word of Wisdom? It is made from brewed green or black tea that has been fermented through several stages, for up to 6 weeks prior to drinking. It’s non-alcoholic and the bacteria found in the beverage help to restore normal levels of healthy bacteria in your gut. A healthy drink, but still made from tea. If used for medicinal purposes, is it still considered sinful?” (Ranie)
Thanks for the question, ranie. All I know is that tea (including green and black) is against the Word of Wisdom. Nothing has been said regarding whether it being fermented has any bearing on it inclusion in the Word of Wisdom.
I think it is important to point out that D&C 89 does not specifically state we should avoid tea because it is not healthy for us. What it does say is that “hot drinks are not for the body or belly”. Therefore, the argument that it’s okay to drink tea because it is healthy is a fallacy. We avoid tea simply because God has asked us to. Nothing more, nothing less.