Sauerkraut Recipe for Boosting Gut Health (2024)

This sauerkraut recipe for boosting gut health is very simple and inexpensive to do at home on a budget with two ingredients. It’s a great side to any meal and is a meal time staple on the GAPS Diet.

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Benefits of sauerkraut

  • is full of probiotics created through the process of lacto-fermentation
  • is a good source of enzymes, which aid in digestion
  • another way to get in some green veggies
  • is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamins such as vitamins E and C (Source)

Making this sauerkraut recipe for boosting gut health is so simple with two ingredients.

The great news is making sauerkraut for boosting gut health is very simple and inexpensive. So why spend loads of money on good quality probiotic pills when you can make sauerkraut at home for a few dollars and keep money in your wallet. (P.S. there is a time and a place for probiotic pills on the GAPS Diet)

What is Sauerkraut?

Sauerkraut is lacto-fermented cabbage that uses salt and the natural liquid found in cabbage as the fermenting juice. While making sauerkraut can seem like a daunting and difficult process rest assured it is quick and simple to make and you will be a master in to time at all.

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Tools you may need:

  • Chopping board and knife
  • Large bowl
  • Measuring spoons
  • Glass jar or fermentation crock. I usually use a large mason jar.
  • Fermentation lids (not necessary, but very handy)

Ingredients

Cabbage: 1 medium head of white or red cabbage

Salt: Choose a good quality sea salt, 3-4 tablespoons per medium head of cabbage

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Sauerkraut Recipe for Boosting Gut Health Instructions

Step 1: Remove a few of the outer leaves of the cabbage and reserve for later.

Step 2: Remove the core of the cabbage and then shred the cabbage with a sharp knife or mandolin to your desired thickness. For thinner pieces use a food processor. We prefer ours with a little more crunch and texture, and choose slightly thicker shreds.

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Step 3: Place the shredded cabbage in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. 3-4 tablespoons per medium head of cabbage.

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Step 4: Use your hand to massage and work the salt into the cabbage until it starts to become juicy. Then cover with a tea towel and let it sit for 20-30 mins. During the resting time the salt will work its magic and draw more liquid out of the cabbage.

Step 5: Place cabbage liquid mixture in glass jars or a fermenting crock. Make sure to push the cabbage down ensuring that it is all under the brine, this helps prevent mould from forming. Make sure to leave 1-2 inches head space for expansion.

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Step 6: Fold up the leaves that you reserved in step 1 and place over the top of the cabbage in the jars. Making sure that it too is under the brine. This will help keep the shredded cabbage in place. (Note: if you don’t have enough liquid to cover the cabbage add a tablespoon of filtered room temperature water to your jar.)

Step 7: Add a lid or a fermentation lid to the top of the jar.

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Step 8: Let the fermentation process begin! Ferment at room temperature for 5-7 days or longer if you prefer a milder taste. The longer you ferment the more the histamines will reduce. I also recommend placing the jars in the tray to catch any liquid over flow that may happen during the fermenting process.

Step 9: When your fermentation time is complete; remove fermenting lid, replace with a regular lid and store in the fridge.

Serve sauerkraut as a side to any meal or add to soup when serving. The heat from the soup will significantly reduce the beneficial bacteria but still provide many of the other benefits. This way of serving can be especially good when introducing fermented foods.

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How to introduce sauerkraut for the first time

Fermented foods can have a powerful effect on the body. If you haven’t eaten home fermented foods before you will need to introduce slowly. Start with 1 teaspoon of the juice and working your way up to as much as a cup a day. Make sure to listen to your body to see how you react during the introduction process.

A little bit each day of this sauerkraut recipe for boosting gut health will help repopulate the beneficial bacteria in your gut!

Thank you so much for stopping by the kitchen! Checkout how to make GAPS Homemade Yogurt.

Yield: 2 quarts

Sauerkraut Recipe for Boosting Gut Health

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Ingredients

  • 1 head of red or white cabbage
  • 3-4 tbsp salt
  • filtered water (optional)

Instructions

  1. Remove a few of the outer leaves of the cabbage and reserve for later.
  2. Remove the core of the cabbage and then shred the cabbage with a sharp knife or mandolin to your desired thickness. For thinner pieces use a food processor.
  3. Place the shredded cabbage in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. 3-4 tablespoons per medium head of cabbage.
  4. Use your hand to massage and work the salt into the cabbage until it starts to become juicy. Then cover with a tea towel and let it sit for 20-30 mins. During the resting time the salt will work its magic and draw more liquid out of the cabbage.
  5. Place cabbage liquid mixture in glass jars or a fermenting crock. Make sure to push the cabbage down ensuring that it is all under the brine, this help prevent mould from forming. Make sure to leave 1-2 inches head space for expansion.
  6. Fold up the leaves that you reserved in step 1 and place over the top of the cabbage in the jars. Making sure that it too is under the brine. This will help keep the shredded cabbage in place. (Note: if you don’t have enough liquid to cover the cabbage add a tablespoon of filtered room temperature water to your jar.)
  7. Add a lid or a fermentation lid to the top of the jar.
  8. Let the fermentation process begin! Ferment at room temperature for 5-7 days or longer if you prefer a milder taste. The longer you ferment the more the histamines will reduce. Place the jars in the tray to catch any liquid over flow that may happen during the fermenting process.
  9. When your fermentation time is complete; remove fermenting lid, replace with a regular lid and store in the fridge.

GAPS and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride.

Sauerkraut Recipe for Boosting Gut Health (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to eat sauerkraut for gut health? ›

Studies suggest incorporating sauerkraut into a well-rounded breakfast or as a component of fibre-rich lunches and dinners still offers gut-friendly benefits. Pairing it with prebiotics like onions, garlic, bananas, and Jerusalem artichokes can further aid probiotic colonization and growth in your gut.

How much sauerkraut should I eat a day for gut health? ›

A study from 2018 offers a guideline for how much sauerkraut to eat for maximum health benefits. Participants consumed 75 grams of sauerkraut per day. People can start by eating 1 tablespoon (tbsp) of sauerkraut daily and working up to slightly larger amounts.

Can you get enough probiotics from sauerkraut? ›

Sauerkraut is a rich source of probiotics and vitamins. It can aid digestion, boost immunity, and provide other health benefits. It's also easy to make. Sauerkraut is a type of fermented cabbage with major health benefits.

What type of sauerkraut is best for gut health? ›

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” ...

What is the best time of day to eat sauerkraut for gut health? ›

Brimming with beneficial bacteria, sauerkraut may be the secret ingredient to balance your gut microbiota, but only if you consume it at the right time. The best time to eat sauerkraut for gut health is during or before a meal since stomach acid, and enzymes can aid in breaking down food and killing harmful bacteria.

What does sauerkraut do to your bowels? ›

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.

Should I eat sauerkraut in the morning or at night? ›

To benefit from consuming sauerkraut, you are recommended to maintain the consistency of quantity and consume it regularly. Sauerkraut can be eaten at any time of the day but consuming it early in the morning is considered the best time.

Is store-bought sauerkraut good for your gut? ›

However, it's not just sauerkraut's fiber content that makes this food so good for digestion. Sauerkraut is also packed with probiotics that can improve your overall gut health. This combination makes sauerkraut an excellent food to aid with digestion.

How long does sauerkraut take to heal your gut? ›

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.

Is the sauerkraut in a jar a probiotic? ›

Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage. It contains probiotics, a variety of vitamins such as vitamins C, A, K, and minerals such as iron. Sauerkraut has several health benefits: Prompted gut health: Sauerkraut contains probiotics—live bacteria that support digestive health.

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.

How to buy sauerkraut for gut health? ›

The only store-bought sauerkraut that has beneficial probiotics will be found in the refrigerator section. But, not all refrigerated sauerkrauts are abundant with live cultures! You need to carefully check the label to make sure that the sauerkraut you are considering is all-natural, raw, and unpasteurized.

Does Aldi sauerkraut have probiotics? ›

Aldi Deutsche Kuchen German sauerkraut contains only cabbage, salt and water. That means the sour flavors come from lactose fermentation, not vinegar. However, since it comes in a room temperature jar, it was pasteurized, which should kill most of all probiotics.

How do I know if sauerkraut is fermented? ›

Fermentation is complete when your sauerkraut tastes pleasantly sour. So, if you've noticed signs of active fermentation, like bubbles, and it smells pleasantly sour, then your sauerkraut is ready for eating. You can also continue to let the cabbage ferment, so it develops a 'rich' flavor.

Is store bought sauerkraut good for your gut? ›

However, it's not just sauerkraut's fiber content that makes this food so good for digestion. 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 it best to eat sauerkraut on 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.”

Should you rinse sauerkraut before eating? ›

If you enjoy the tangy flavor and the probiotic benefits of sauerkraut, then it's probably best to skip the rinsing step and savor it as it is. However, if you find sauerkraut too pungent or too salty, then rinsing it slightly may make it more palatable for you.

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