Sauerkraut’s Surprising Health Powers: Doctors Say This Tangy Food Can Transform Your Gut and Mood
From gut health to mood support, the fermented cabbage's benefits may surprise you—here’s what doctors say
I never met a Reuben sandwich I didn’t love. As a nutrition writer, I’d like to nominate sauerkraut as an unsung health superfood. Yes, I’m talking about the traditional German food made from shredded, fermented cabbage. Sauerkraut has that distinct sour-tangy flavor kick, but it also packs a healthy punch. Keep reading to learn all about the impressive health benefits of sauerkraut.
What makes sauerkraut so healthy?
This raw cabbage cuisine doesn’t have to be reserved just for St. Patrick’s Day. When eaten consistently, “sauerkraut can offer us significant health benefits,” assures Kyle Hoedebecke, MD, Clinical Advisor at Alpas Wellness. Here are a few ways it works:
Woman's World Answers
It curbs cravings
Bitter or sour foods like sauerkraut are proven to curb cravings and reduce appetite, helping with weight loss. In fact, Swedish research shows that eating these foods can silence up to 93 percent of our sweet cravings. They also trigger bile to be released, helping to break down dietary fat and whisk it out of our system as waste. As a result, those fats aren’t stored.
It improves gut health
“Sauerkraut can support health because it is a fermented food. It naturally contains probiotics and fatty acids. Both of these help maintain a healthy gut microbiome,” says board-certified preventive medicine expert Jeffrey Chester, DO, medical director of The Ohana rehab facility in Hawaii.
What are probiotics again? Dr. Hoedebecke explains, “They are live bacteria that support a well-rounded and robust gut microbiome, which improves how we digest foods and absorb nutrients.” In many ways, these probiotics build and repair a healthy intestinal lining. One star probiotic in sauerkraut has been identified as Lactobacillus bacteria. (Discover how a probiotic diet can support weight loss, too.)
It eases digestive upset
In addition to strengthening the gut lining, sauerkraut can help reduce unpleasant digestive symptoms. A large-scale review of 24 studies in the journal Gastroenterology concluded that certain probiotic strains, such as Lactobacillus, could play a helpful role in improving symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), such as abdominal pain and bloating.
It boosts mood and lowers inflammation
Probiotics can also act as chemical messengers, sending important health signals around the body. “There’s evidence that a balanced microbiome influences [the brain’s] neurotransmitter production. So eating fermented foods on a regular basis may help improve overall mood,” says Dr. Chester.
How exactly? Dr. Hoedebecke explains, “These probiotics affect the production of neurotransmitters—like serotonin and dopamine—and reduce inflammation that is linked to stress, anxiety and depression.”
What about those big sauerkraut health claims on social media? Lately, social media has been claiming that eating sauerkraut can “cure” anxiety in just six weeks. Turns out, those claims are a bit overblown. But there’s still some truth to it.
“Sauerkraut is a great nutrient-dense food,” Dr. Chester says. “However, no single food can cure mental health conditions like anxiety.” He adds, “Fermented foods can complement evidence-based anxiety treatments like medication and therapy, but they can’t replace these clinically-supported interventions.
Is sauerkraut a cure for anxiety? Here’s what science says
New 2025 research published in the Annals of General Psychiatry found that people supplementing with a Lactobacillus probiotic—like the one in sauerkraut—experienced significant improvements in their health, in particular with their sleep quality, stress level and anxiety, in six weeks compared to people taking the placebo.
So the “cure” promise is an oversimplification. “However, it does build off of an emerging area of research that surrounds the gut-brain axis, or the association between the gut microbiome and mental health,” says Dr. Hoedebecke. “Incorporating foods that are rich in probiotics with live and active cultures, like sauerkraut, can support the health of our gut and can help ease symptoms of anxiety for some people.”
Dr. Hoedebecke also points out, “Having fermented foods regularly has been associated with reduced social anxiety.” But more human studies are still needed to figure out the optimal doses.
Bottom line: “Overall, sauerkraut is a nice addition to our diet that can benefit our gut and brain health, but it should be viewed as a complement to a healthy diet and lifestyle rather than a cure,” Dr. Hoedebecke says.
How to choose the healthiest sauerkraut
To maximize benefits from your sauerkraut, consider this expert advice. “Sauerkraut that is unpasteurized or raw offers the most health benefits. This type of sauerkraut is typically found in the refrigerated section,” says Dr. Chester. Why is it better? “Unpasteurized is more beneficial because pasteurization kills beneficial bacteria.”
How to make sauerkraut at home for maximum probiotics
“You can easily make sauerkraut at home using just cabbage and salt, but you must ensure that you control the ingredients and preserve the live cultures for maximum probiotic benefit,” says Dr. Hoedebecke.
That means using this expert-approved advice from health and nutrition guru Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD.
- Skip the vinegar: The healthiest sauerkraut is fermented, not pickled.
- Use the best salt: Reach for sea salt or kosher salt rather than iodized salt, which often contains additives and binders.
- Strike the right ratio: To create the perfect environment for traditional sauerkraut bacteria to thrive, use 1 Tbs. salt for every 1.75 pounds of cabbage.
- Keep sauerkraut submerged: During fermentation, the live cultures in sauerkraut perform best in oxygen-free environments. Make sure the sauerkraut is completely covered in the salty brine and stored in an airtight container. If the cabbage didn’t release enough juices to submerge, add salt water to the container.
- Ensure the optimal temp: Aim for 65 to 72 degrees F. Some experts suggest a fermentation period of two to four weeks.
- Enjoy it cold: Eat the finished sauerkraut raw. Heating or microwaving can kill off the beneficial bacteria.
- Store it right: Keep sauerkraut in the fridge to preserve its healthy bacteria.
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.
