Pickling and storing the right ingredients can extend their shelf life. Sauerkraut, a well-known pickled vegetable made from fermented cabbage, is often used as a side dish for German sausages, pork knuckle, and other dishes. Fermented sauerkraut contains more nutrients than fresh cabbage. Today, we’ll share the health benefits of sauerkraut.

Provides a Rich Nutrient Content

Sauerkraut contains a variety of beneficial nutrients, including dietary fiber, protein, vitamin C, vitamin K1, vitamin K2, vitamin B6, folic acid (also known as vitamin B9), iron, manganese, copper, potassium, and more.

It Can Help Maintain Intestinal Health

Because sauerkraut undergoes a fermentation process during its production, it, like yogurt, is rich in probiotics, which can help maintain intestinal health. While sauerkraut is nutritious, be mindful of its sodium content. If purchasing ready-made sauerkraut at the supermarket, choose a lower sodium option and consume it in moderation.

Aids Digestion

The probiotics in sauerkraut are believed to aid digestion and promote the absorption of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. They also fight harmful bacteria in the intestines and maintain a balanced gut microbiome. They can also help alleviate symptoms such as bloating and diarrhea.

Sauerkraut has been found to contain approximately 28 strains of bacteria, and scientists believe that consuming a variety of different strains is beneficial for maintaining intestinal health. In addition to probiotics, sauerkraut also contains enzymes that break down nutrients into smaller, more easily absorbed molecules, thus aiding digestion.

Boosts Immunity

As mentioned earlier, the probiotics and enzymes in sauerkraut aid digestion and maintain intestinal health. Intestinal health can actually affect our immune system.

Scientists believe that consuming a moderate amount of probiotic-rich foods, such as sauerkraut, can help boost immunity and reduce the risk of viral or bacterial infections such as colds and urethritis.

If you do become infected, it can also speed up your recovery. The vitamin C and iron in sauerkraut both help maintain a healthy immune system, which is why many doctors recommend consuming more vitamin C during a cold to speed recovery.

Aids Weight Loss

Scientists believe that the cabbage used to make sauerkraut, like most vegetables, contains a high amount of dietary fiber. This helps keep us full longer, preventing unnecessary snacking due to frequent hunger, which can contribute to weight loss.

In addition to dietary fiber, the probiotics in sauerkraut are also believed to help eliminate fat, particularly abdominal fat. In a related experiment, both the experimental and control groups ate a large amount of food, but only the experimental group took probiotics daily. The results showed that the experimental group gained approximately 50% less body fat than the control group.

Helps relieve stress and maintains brain health

When we are stressed, we may be more likely to choose unhealthy foods than usual. However, when we consume unhealthy foods, we may feel stressed out due to concerns about our health.

Then, when we feel stressed, we crave unhealthy foods, creating a vicious cycle.

Scientists believe this is due to the interplay between the gut and the brain. Try consuming sauerkraut, as the probiotics it contains not only help maintain gut health but have also been shown in clinical trials to relieve stress, support brain health, and improve memory.

Helps maintain bone health

The body contains a type of protein that binds to calcium, storing it in our bones. The nutrient vitamin K2 found in sauerkraut activates this protein, allowing calcium absorption to be more efficient.

Vitamin K2 is therefore very beneficial for bone health. One study found that taking an appropriate daily dose of vitamin K2 can reduce the risk of fractures in falls by 60% to 81%.