10 Delicious Ways to Eat More Gut-Healthy Sauerkraut

Gut health is connected to everything: Weight management, immunity, digestive health, mood, chronic disease risk. And eating foods with prebiotic and probiotic benefits is one of the key ways to boost your gut health. One food that contains both is sauerkraut — and if you think of it only as a topping for hot dogs, you’re in for a treat. 

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What is sauerkraut made of?

Sauerkraut is a fermented food made from cabbage, with origins in eastern and central Europe. The traditional way of making it involves shredding the cabbage, generously salting it, massaging it, then weighing it down, and allowing it to ferment over a period of days (or longer). 

Is eating sauerkraut good for you?

In a word: Yes. The fiber in cabbage is a prebiotic food, meaning that it feeds the good bacteria in your gut.

Some types of sauerkraut also have probiotic benefits — but not all. “Most people don’t know that while all sauerkraut contains prebiotics, not all sauerkraut contains probiotics,” writes registered dietitian-nutritionist Jenna Volpe on her blog Whole-istic Living. “The best sauerkraut for probiotics and for gut health is any type of raw (unpasteurized) sauerkraut, which doesn’t contain any sugar, vinegar, or preservatives such as lactic acid, sodium benzoate, or sodium bisulfate (since those ingredients all interfere with the process of ‘lacto fermentation’ responsible for making probiotics).”

Look for it in the refrigerated section of the supermarket. The label should say “raw,” “live,” “contains live active cultures,” and/or “unpasteurized” on the label. If you buy the pasteurized kind that isn’t refrigerated, you’ll still get prebiotic benefits, but for probiotic as well, you need the raw kind.

Related: 9 Recipes with Both Pre and Probiotic Ingredients for a Happy Gut

What is the best way to eat sauerkraut?

There are many ways to incorporate sauerkraut into your diet — and you don’t need much to get the benefits. Even a small spoonful a day can make a difference. And you can eat more, if you tolerate it well. Along with simply adding a spoonful to your plate at any meal, here are some delicious ways to incorporate it:

• On sandwiches. Briny sauerkraut is at home wherever you would put pickles. Spread a spoonful of it on your turkey, veggie, or club sandwich
• In tuna or chicken salad: Chop it up and add it to one of these salads for a hit of brightness 
• In salad dressing: Use the brine in place of some or all of the vinegar or citrus in dressings
• On a cheese board: Place a small bowl on a snack platter, alongside or in place of mini pickles
• In deviled eggs: Chop finely and mix into the filling
• In cocktails (or mocktails): Add a spoonful of the brine for a twist on a dirty martini or Virgin Mary
• In mashed potatoes: Chop finely and fold into your fave mashed potato recipe. Tip: Be careful with how much salt you add before the sauerkraut
• In coleslaw: Slaw is often cabbage based, so adding a little more in the form of sauerkraut is a natural fit. It goes well in both creamy and vinegar-based slaws
• On avocado toast: A spoonful of flavorful sauerkraut is a perfect balance for the creamy, mild avocado  
• In smoothies: It sounds crazy, but this is a great solution for people who don’t love the taste of sauerkraut. Add a teaspoon to the blender when making a smoothie; once the fruit, veggies, and other ingredients are in there, the sauerkraut disappears

Read next: The 8 Best Gut Healthy Foods to Eat, Says Gastroenterologist