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Sauerkraut

Also known as Fermented cabbage, Choucroute, Sour cabbage

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Shredded cabbage salted and left to ferment under its own brine, where lactic acid bacteria already on the leaves acidify it enough to keep indefinitely. Refrigerated raw kraut and shelf-stable canned kraut are different products.

Gut & Digestive HealthImmune Health

Potential health benefits

Best supported: Limited

Ordered by how well the human research supports them — strongest first. A rating describes the state of the evidence, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Digestive comfort

Gut & Digestive Health
Limited evidence

Some small trials report improvements in digestive symptoms with fermented vegetable intake, including a small study in irritable bowel syndrome. Numbers are small and results are not consistent.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Gut microbiome

Gut & Digestive Health
Limited evidence

Some trials report changes in gut microbial composition with regular intake of fermented vegetables. Most of this work groups fermented foods together rather than testing sauerkraut alone, and effects are modest.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Immune function

Immune Health
Insufficient evidence

Evidence is limited for sauerkraut affecting immune function. The claim is widespread but rests on the general reputation of live cultures rather than on human trials using this food and measuring infection or immune outcomes.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Sauerkraut

Ask about Sauerkraut

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

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Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories19 kcal1%
Protein0.91 g2%
Total fat0.14 g0%
Carbohydrate4.28 g2%
Fibre2.9 g10%
Total sugars1.78 g—
Water92.5 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.034 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.013 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.067 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.034 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A1 µg0%
Vitamin C14.7 mg16%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E0.14 mg1%
Vitamin K13 µg11%
Thiamin (B1)0.021 mg2%
Riboflavin (B2)0.022 mg2%
Niacin (B3)0.143 mg1%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.093 mg2%
Vitamin B60.13 mg8%
Folate24 µg6%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline10.4 mg2%
Minerals
Calcium30 mg2%
Iron1.47 mg8%
Magnesium13 mg3%
Phosphorus20 mg2%
Potassium170 mg4%
Sodium661 mg29%
Zinc0.19 mg2%
Copper0.096 mg11%
Manganese0.151 mg7%
Selenium0.6 µg1%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene8 µg—
Alpha-carotene5 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin295 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash2.15 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Sauerkraut, canned, solids and liquids (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169279).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • fermentedIncreases live cultures and vitamin K2

    Lactic fermentation populates the cabbage with live bacteria and generates modest amounts of bacterial vitamin K2, neither of which are present in fresh cabbage.

  • cookedReduces live cultures

    Heating sauerkraut, whether by pasteurising the jar or cooking it in a dish, kills the live organisms while leaving the fibre, acids and sodium unchanged.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Too much

    High sodium

    Salt is essential to the fermentation, so sauerkraut is intrinsically salty. A modest portion can contribute a noticeable share of a day of sodium.

  • Interaction

    Biogenic amines and MAO inhibitors

    Fermented cabbage accumulates tyramine and histamine. This matters for people taking non-selective monoamine oxidase inhibitors and for those who react to dietary histamine.

  • Worth knowing

    Pasteurisation removes the live cultures

    Shelf-stable jars and cans are heat-treated, which kills the bacteria that made the product. Live kraut is sold refrigerated and usually says so.

  • Worth knowing

    Gas and bloating

    Cabbage fibre plus fermentation acids can provoke gas and bloating, especially when someone starts eating it in quantity. Introducing it gradually is the usual advice.