How Much Sauerkraut To Eat Per Day? Complete Guide (2024)

How Much Sauerkraut To Eat Per Day? Complete Guide (1)

Fermented products such as sauerkraut have gained quite the popularity due to their proclaimed health benefits, especially their probiotic content. However, most people don't know how much sauerkraut to consume in order to gain the expected health benefits. This is because sauerkraut contains different amounts of nutrients, depending on its preparation, processing, and packaging. This guide is intended to showcase various ways of consuming sauerkraut and the recommended serving amounts.

What Is Sauerkraut?

Sauerkraut refers to fermented cabbages that are stored under a controlled environment to allow yeast and bacteria to ferment the sugars in the vegetables naturally. The bacteria and yeast establish an acidic environment that prevents rotting and infestation of harmful cultures. The result is well-preserved cabbages enriched with probiotics.

Health Benefits Of Eating Sauerkraut

Improving Digestion -Unpasteurized sauerkraut contains billions of live probiotics that help restore the gut flora. Consuming sauerkraut regularly increases the population of beneficial bacteria in the digestive system; the bacteria act as the first line of defense against harmful bacteria and toxins. As a result, common problems such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea are significantly reduced. Ref: nih.gov

Boosting The Immune System -Sauerkraut contains probiotics which have a strong influence on the immune system. Probiotics usually improve the balance of good bacteria in the gut lining, which prevents gut-related illnesses. Sauerkraut is also rich in iron and vitamin C, which supports a healthy immune system and hastens the healing process. Ref: ncbi.gov

Supporting Weight Loss Activities -Sauerkraut contains dietary fiber, which makes you feel full for longer, thus reducing the number of meals you consume. This is coupled with its low carb count; therefore, your weight loss activities will be more noticeable. While the mechanism of probiotics on weight loss is not fully understood, scientists have discovered that probiotics rich food encourages more weight loss. Ref: sciencedirect.com

Packed With Nutrients - Sauerkraut contains essential vitamins and minerals that are required to maintain your health—these range from vitamin C, k1, and B6. The minerals present in sauerkraut include folate, copper, manganese, iron, and sodium. Sauerkraut is also rich in dietary fiber.

Is It Healthy To Eat Sauerkraut Daily?

Yes, it's healthy to eat a little sauerkraut every day. A 10 g serving will offer the best results with minimal side effects if it's your first-time consuming sauerkraut its recommended to start out small, preferably 3 g per serving. This is followed by regular increments as your digestive system becomes adapted to the fermented cabbages.

How Much Sauerkraut Should You Eat Per Day?

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) recommends limiting your daily sauerkraut consumption to between 7 and 10 g per day.

How Much Sauerkraut Should You Eat For Probiotic Benefits?

For Weight Loss

For the best weight loss results, it's recommended to keep your probiotic intake to at least 10 million CFUs (colony forming units - these are individual yeast and bacteria cells). To obtain such a large number of probiotics, you will need to consume between 7 to 14 g of unpasteurized sauerkraut per day. For more consistent results, you should regularly consume sauerkraut for at least 8 weeks.

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

IBS is a common digestive disorder that affects the large intestine leading to cramping, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, or diarrhea and gas. Consuming at least 10 g of unpasteurized sauerkraut for at least 6 weeks provides enough probiotics to change your gut bio and reduce the IBS flare ups.

Ideas To Get Your Daily Volume Of Sauerkraut

1. Snack On It

Sauerkraut has a mildly acidic flavor, which makes it the perfect savory snack. You can make sauerkraut balls to snack on during the day or after exercises.

2. Use As A Condiment

Due to its unique flavor profile, sauerkraut can be added to other dishes as a condiment. This not only improves their taste but also adds prebiotic benefits to the final dish.

3. Use It In A Salad

Sauerkraut can be added to salads as it matches perfectly with other vegetables, and you don't need a salad dressing as the sauerkraut will act as one.

4. Use It In Meat Recipes

Sauerkraut's taste notes fit perfectly with any meat-based meal.

5. Soups And Sources

Frozen sauerkraut makes for a great addition to any soup or sauce recipe. Not only does it improve the flavor, but it also adds essential nutrients such as minerals and vitamins.

Common Questions

How Much Sauerkraut Should I Take For Probiotics?

It's recommended taking at least 10 g of sauerkraut for the best probiotic benefits.

Will Sauerkraut Make You Poop?

Sauerkraut is rich in dietary fiber, which is essential for bulking and smooth passage of stool, thus making you poop more often.

What Is The Healthiest Sauerkraut To Buy?

The healthiest sauerkraut to buy should be raw unpasteurized and fully fermented sauerkraut without any added preservatives or additives.

Is Sauerkraut Anti Inflammatory?

Sauerkraut contains billions of probiotics which have an overall anti-inflammatory effect.

Why Does Sauerkraut Give You Diarrhea?

Consuming too much sauerkraut can trigger diarrhea due to the excessive intake of probiotics.

Is Sauerkraut In A Jar Good For You?

Yes, sauerkraut that's stored raw in a jar will still retain its probiotic content as long as it does not undergo pasteurization. Before buying jarred sauerkraut, it's recommended to check if its pasteurized or not.

What 3 Foods Are Bad For Your Gut?

Some of the worst foods for your gut bio include diet soda, processed and refined foods as they usually throw the gut bio out of whack.

Is Sauerkraut Good For Your Liver?

Yes, sauerkraut is rich in probiotics and vitamins, which help in detoxification; the removal of toxins from the body makes it much easier for the liver allowing its cells to repopulate.

Why Does Sauerkraut Give You Gas?

Sauerkraut contains dissolved carbon dioxide from the fermentation process; when consumed in large amounts, the gas forms bubbles that give you gas.

Can You Eat Too Much Sauerkraut?

It's not recommended to eat too much sauerkraut as it might trigger diarrhea and stomach upsets.

How Much Sauerkraut To Eat Per Day? Complete Guide (2024)

FAQs

How Much Sauerkraut To Eat Per Day? Complete Guide? ›

HOW MUCH SAUERKRAUT SHOULD I EAT? To get the gut benefits from sauerkraut, you should eat about a tablespoon daily. This is easily done by adding a small portion to your plate at dinner time. Doing so is known to aid in digestion and prevent constipation.

How much sauerkraut should I eat for gut? ›

HOW MUCH SAUERKRAUT SHOULD I EAT? To get the gut benefits from sauerkraut, you should eat about a tablespoon daily. This is easily done by adding a small portion to your plate at dinner time. Doing so is known to aid in digestion and prevent constipation.

What is a healthy serving of sauerkraut? ›

The standard serving size of sauerkraut is about 30 grams or somewhere between ⅓ and ½ of a cup. To avoid painful gas or bloating from the fermented food, Holly Howe, author of Fermentation Made Easy! Mouthwatering Sauerkraut, says to start small.

How much probiotics is in a spoonful of sauerkraut? ›

Studies suggest that sauerkraut and other fermented foods contain 1 million to 1 billion CFUs per gram/millilitre. A tablespoon serving of sauerkraut weighs roughly ten grams, which means it could give you between 10 million to 10 billion CFUs.

How much sauerkraut for leaky gut? ›

Even as little as 20 grams of sauerkraut a day can help you restore balance in your gut microbiome, boost your immune system, and detoxify your body.

How long does sauerkraut take to heal your gut? ›

When I did the sauerkraut protocol, it took me about 6 weeks to get through step 3 and about 2 months to get through all the steps. But everyone is different. Probiotics crowd out bad bacteria; anti-bacterials kill bad bacteria. To eradicate stubborn bad gut bacteria, try taking some anti-bacterial herbs.

How much sauerkraut should I eat a day for probiotics? ›

Sauerkraut is a highly nutritious, probiotic-rich food, and you are recommended to eat about a tablespoon or 10 grams per day. You may gradually increase the intake of sauerkraut up to six tablespoons or 60 grams per day if you are comfortable. However, you are recommended not to overconsume.

What is the best sauerkraut to eat daily? ›

In a nutshell: the best sauerkraut for probiotics and for gut health is any type of raw (unpasteurized) sauerkraut which is doesn't contain any sugar, vinegar, or preservatives such as lactic acid, sodium benzoate, or sodium bilsufate (since those ingredients all interfere with the process of “lactofermentation” ...

Is it okay to eat sauerkraut everyday? ›

Eating sauerkraut every day can help maintain regular and healthy digestion for two main reasons. First, sauerkraut provides natural probiotic bacteria to balance the gut microbiome. Second, sauerkraut contains a lot of enzymes, bioavailable nutrients, essential vitamins, and minerals.

Is eating sauerkraut better than taking a probiotic? ›

For one, fermented foods are far more potent than probiotic supplements. To give you an idea, 2 ounces of sauerkraut has more probiotics than 100 capsules. 4-6 ounces of fermented vegetables has around 10 trillion bacteria, compared to the average probiotic supplement that contains around 10 billion.

How long does it take sauerkraut to work as a probiotic? ›

One week is the standard amount of time it usually takes me to successfully make probiotic sauerkraut. A few things to keep in mind: After 24 hours you should start to observe some bubbling or even fizzing sounds.

What kills the probiotics in sauerkraut? ›

Does cooking destroy sauerkraut's probiotics? Using sauerkraut in recipes is delicious, but the heat used in cooking sauerkraut will kill probiotics. If you do cook your sauerkraut, serve a bit extra as a raw side dish or condiment to reap the most benefit!

Is store-bought sauerkraut good for gut health? ›

Sauerkraut is also packed with probiotics that can improve your overall gut health. This combination makes sauerkraut an excellent food to aid with digestion.

Is sauerkraut anti-inflammatory? ›

Sauerkraut is also high in vitamins while remaining low in calories. Research suggests that “specific phytochemicals of sauerkraut have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and a chemopreventive action against certain types of cancer.”

What naturally kills bad bacteria in the gut? ›

An anti-inflammatory diet, regular exercise, good quality sleep, and probiotics are all strategies to put in place before trying antimicrobials or antibiotics to get rid of bad bacteria.

What are the 3 super foods for your gut? ›

The Best Superfoods For Gut Health
  • Leafy Greens. Leafy greens are a powerful prebiotic and are high in vitamins C, K, B complex, folic acid, beta carotene, iron, iodine, calcium, potassium, magnesium, sulphur and chlorophyll. ...
  • Asparagus. ...
  • Oats. ...
  • Greek Yoghurt. ...
  • Apples. ...
  • Ginger.

Why am I pooping so much after eating sauerkraut? ›

Sauerkraut also has a high fiber content that helps with constipation by making stools softer, and simultaneously increasing its mass and volume. This bulkiness makes for easier passage through the digestive tract and quicker elimination.

Which is a better probiotic sauerkraut or yogurt? ›

Sauerkraut contains far more lactobacillus than yogurt, making it a superior source of this probiotic. Two ounces of homemade sauerkraut has more probiotics than 100 probiotic capsules. Store-bought sauerkraut is often treated with preservatives, meaning it does not offer the same health effects as homemade sauerkraut.

Should I eat fermented sauerkraut on an empty stomach? ›

Fermented foods are typically fine to eat on an empty stomach since they help to support digestion,” Greenfield says. “Bitter foods stimulate bile and HCL production, which help the body digest foods more efficiently. They also contain acetate, which helps to feed and fuel good bacteria in the gut.”

Can you get enough probiotics from sauerkraut? ›

Sauerkraut is one of the foods richest in probiotics. Just two tablespoons of sauerkraut offer all the daily recommended colony-forming units that you will need for optimal gut health in a day.

What is the healthiest way to buy sauerkraut? ›

The best sauerkraut to buy is sauerkraut that has been naturally fermented with just salt (no vinegar), still contains live probiotics, and does not have any nasty additives or preservatives. It will be found in the refrigerated section. It is not canned.

How long does sauerkraut last in the fridge? ›

If you are refrigerating your sauerkraut, it should stay fresh for about four to six months after opening. It's important to know when you're using it and sealing it after each use because if new bacteria come in contact with it, it can immediately become spoiled.

When should you not eat sauerkraut? ›

If you're pregnant or immunocompromised, you should avoid eating unpasteurized sauerkraut. If you take MAOIs, have blood pressure concerns, or have food intolerances or allergies, speak to your doctor before eating sauerkraut.

How many days a week should I eat sauerkraut? ›

It's up to you. If you're new to fermented foods, start off with a forkful a day to allow your gut to get used to the probiotics and fibre. Work your way up to two forkfuls a day over a month or so or simply enjoy it once or twice a week as a side to your main course.

What is the best way to eat sauerkraut? ›

Sauerkraut can be added to soups and stews; cooked with stock, beer or wine; served with sausages or salted meats, and is especially good with smoked fish, like hot-smoked salmon.

Does sauerkraut cleanse your liver? ›

Cabbage: Much like broccoli and cauliflower, eating cabbage helps stimulate the activation of two crucial liver-detoxifying enzymes that help flush out toxins. Try eating more kimchi, cabbage soup and sauerkraut as fermented or cooked cabbage is less likely to affect the thyroid than raw cabbage.

Why do people rinse sauerkraut? ›

Sauerkraut is naturally sour and salty and once you try to remove these qualities it stops being sauerkraut. Commercially produced sauerkraut (especially sold in jars and cans) can, however, be a little too salty which is why you may want to rinse it briefly before using it.

Is sauerkraut a superfood? ›

Aside from its versatility and great taste, sauerkraut is a well-known 'superfood,' recommended atop the list of foods to include in a healthy diet. At 27 calories per cup, it is a low-calorie food and it's loaded with folate, vitamin B6, riboflavin, thiamin, and vitamin K.

Is sauerkraut good for high blood pressure? ›

The fiber, probiotic, and vitamin K2 contents of sauerkraut may contribute to lower cholesterol levels, slight improvements in blood pressure, and a lower risk of heart disease.

Is Vlasic sauerkraut fermented? ›

Are Vlasic Pickles Fermented? No, Vlasic pickles are pickled and heat-pasteurized, so they don't have probiotics.

Is sauerkraut good for cholesterol? ›

Researchers have found that sauerkraut can reduce cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels while significantly boosting levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione — two beneficial antioxidants. These antioxidants help get rid of harmful free radicals that can damage heart and blood vessels.

Does sauerkraut in a jar have probiotics? ›

Sauerkraut is delicious, tart, and full of thriving probiotics. During the fermentation process, cabbage is thinly sliced, salted and sealed. Lactobacillus, a beneficial probiotic, grows and thrives in the delicious brine environment.

Can you heat sauerkraut without killing probiotics? ›

Although heat does kill the good bacteria living in your sauerkraut, it only happens at 46°C (115°F). So if you're cooking at a very, very low temperature, you should still retain a large amount of these probiotics. Another solution could be to add your sauerkraut or kimchi to a cooked meal near the end.

How many probiotics in a cup of sauerkraut? ›

Sauerkraut Probiotics: 1 cup contains about three billion CFU or colony forming units.

What are the first signs of an unhealthy gut? ›

6 Signs of an Unhealthy Gut
  • Gas, Bloating and Other Stomach Issues. ...
  • Unintentional Weight Fluctuations. ...
  • Skin Issues. ...
  • Moodiness, Irritability and Trouble With Concentration. ...
  • Fatigue or Insomnia. ...
  • Sugar Cravings.

How long does it take to fully heal your gut? ›

Building a healthy microbiome can take up to 6 months if the correct healthy habits are adopted (diet, exercise, sleep and stress management - and also supplements if needed) however it really is a lifelong journey because you need to continue these habits to maintain a healthy microbiome.

What are the 4 stages of gut healing? ›

The 4R program offers four steps—remove, replace, reinoculate, and repair—that can address the underlying causes and restore balance, helping to alleviate symptoms. Depending on the severity of your condition, it can take up to six months to fully repair your gut.

Does sauerkraut get rid of parasites? ›

Lactic acid, which is formed when cabbage is fermented, also helps to flush parasites from the intestines. The microorganisms that make up lactic acid are also present in a healthy colon, so eating sauerkraut will help to add more of the substance back into a colon that has been damaged by parasites.

Is sauerkraut healthier raw or cooked? ›

One important issue to remember is that cooking sauerkraut will kill off the probiotic bacteria that we want to consume. Even after cooking, sauerkraut is a healthy, cabbage-based dish, but it will be missing out on that probiotic boost. So, when possible, try to add your sauerkraut to your dishes uncooked.

Is refrigerated sauerkraut better than jarred? ›

Is Refrigerated Sauerkraut Better Than Canned? Refrigerated sauerkraut still contains live probiotics. It is therefore considered to be better than canned sauerkraut as the canning process often involves pasteurization.

How many probiotics in a spoonful of sauerkraut? ›

Studies suggest that sauerkraut and other fermented foods contain 1 million to 1 billion CFUs per gram/millilitre. A tablespoon serving of sauerkraut weighs roughly ten grams, which means it could give you between 10 million to 10 billion CFUs.

What kind of sauerkraut is best for gut? ›

Raw unpasteurized sauerkraut is the best variety to but as it contains healthy probiotics that restore gut bio balance. Does Store Bought Sauerkraut Have Probiotics? Not all store-bought sauerkraut varieties have probiotics; only raw unpasteurized sauerkraut contains live probiotics.

What is the strongest natural anti-inflammatory? ›

1. Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids , which are abundant in fatty fish such as salmon or tuna, are among the most potent anti-inflammatory supplements. These supplements may help fight several types of inflammation, including vascular inflammation.

How long does it take for sauerkraut to heal the gut? ›

When I did the sauerkraut protocol, it took me about 6 weeks to get through step 3 and about 2 months to get through all the steps. But everyone is different. Probiotics crowd out bad bacteria; anti-bacterials kill bad bacteria. To eradicate stubborn bad gut bacteria, try taking some anti-bacterial herbs.

Does eating sauerkraut everyday help your gut? ›

Sauerkraut is also packed with probiotics that can improve your overall gut health. This combination makes sauerkraut an excellent food to aid with digestion. Obesity affects more than 40% of American adults and is associated with increased risks of heart disease, digestive problems, and type 2 diabetes.

Is eating sauerkraut enough probiotic? ›

Sauerkraut is delicious, tart, and full of thriving probiotics. During the fermentation process, cabbage is thinly sliced, salted and sealed. Lactobacillus, a beneficial probiotic, grows and thrives in the delicious brine environment.

What time of day should you eat sauerkraut for gut health? ›

Sauerkraut is a fermented food that is rich in probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that can improve your gut health. The best time to eat sauerkraut for gut health is during or before a meal. This is because when you eat, your stomach produces acid and enzymes that break down food.

What happens when you eat sauerkraut consistently? ›

Eating sauerkraut may help you strengthen your immune system, improve your digestion, reduce your risk of certain diseases, and even lose weight. To reap the greatest benefits, try eating a little bit of sauerkraut each day.

Can sauerkraut heal leaky gut? ›

Probiotics in fermented food also strengthen the walls of the intestines to keep them from leaking their contents into blood so fermented food can contribute to the prevention of leaky-gut syndrome. It has also been found to contribute to prevention and treatment of diseases such as allergies and eczema.

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