Your gut’s new best friend might already be hiding in the back of your fridge.
New research from the University of California, Davis, suggests that sauerkraut may help protect and strengthen your intestinal barrier — a vital line of defense for maintaining overall gut health and keeping bowel diseases at bay.
“A little bit of sauerkraut could go a long way,” said Dr. Maria Marco, author of the study and a professor of food science and technology. “We should be thinking about including these fermented foods in our regular diets and not just as a side on our hot dogs.”
4 Sauerkraut is a traditional food made by fermenting shredded cabbage with salt. Madeleine Steinbach – stock.adobe.com
When your gut’s got a grudge
From knocking back one too many drinks to loading up on ultra-processed snacks, there’s no shortage of ways to throw your gut out of whack.
Uncomfortable symptoms like constipation, heartburn, gas and diarrhea are common signs your gastrointestinal tract is irritated. But when those digestive woes stick around, they could point to something more serious.
An estimated 60 to 70 million Americans live with gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. These conditions not only cause physical discomfort but also disrupt daily life, leading to missed work, canceled plans and poor mental health.
A tangy tonic for your tummy
Luckily, there are several foods that can help keep your digestion on track — and the latest research suggests sauerkraut is one of them.
This popular condiment is made by fermenting shredded cabbage with salt through a process called lactic acid fermentation.
Not only does this give sauerkraut its signature tangy, sour flavor, but it also boosts cabbage’s nutritional profile by increasing beneficial metabolites like lactic acid, amino acids and plant-based compounds linked to gut health.
4 Research suggests that sauerkraut can shore up your gut’s defenses against inflammation. dragonstock – stock.adobe.com
Marco and her colleagues set out to investigate whether these nutrients could help protect intestinal cells from damage to the gut lining, a condition often associated with digestive disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease.
In their experiment, researchers applied extracts of both store-bought and lab-made sauerkraut to intestinal cells in a lab. They also tested raw cabbage and the brine left over from fermentation.
The results were clear: sauerkraut helped maintain the integrity of the intestinal cells, while neither raw cabbage nor brine provided the same protection.
“Some of the metabolites we find in the sauerkraut are the same kind of metabolites we’re finding to be made by the gut microbiome,” Marco explained.
“That gives us a little more confidence that this connection we found between the metabolites in sauerkraut and good gut health makes sense,” she added.
4 Both store bought and home-made sauerkraut appear to offer benefits for your gut health. Zamrznuti tonovi – stock.adobe.com
Interestingly, researchers found no significant difference between the store-bought sauerkraut and the lab-made version.
“Both kinds of sauerkraut seemed to protect gut function,” Marco said.
Marco and her team identified hundreds of different metabolites produced during the fermentation process and are now working to pinpoint which ones play the most significant role in supporting long-term gut health.
Their next step is to conduct human trials to see if the gut-protective metabolites found in sauerkraut can have the same positive effects when included in everyday diets, as was shown in the lab.
Get your gut in gear
Other fermented foods, like kimchi, yogurt and kombucha, work wonders for gut health, thanks to their powerhouse probiotics.
4 Fermented foods and drinks contain beneficial probiotics that can help improve digestion. bit24 – stock.adobe.com
These beneficial microorganisms help restore the balance of good bacteria in your gut microbiome, which is essential for proper digestion, nutrient absorption and immune function.
Probiotics have also been found to alleviate problems associated with gastrointestinal disorders. For instance, one study showed that adults with IBS who consumed 4.4 ounces of yogurt-like fermented milk daily experienced significant improvements in their daily symptoms, including bloating and stool frequency.
“Along with eating more fiber and fresh fruits and vegetables, even if we have just a regular serving of sauerkraut, maybe putting these things more into our diet, we’ll find that can help us in the long run against inflammation, for example, and make our digestive tract more resilient when we have a disturbance,” Marco said.
A one-cup serving of sauerkraut has only 27 calories and zero fat. For those new to fermented foods, experts suggest starting with a small amount, like a tablespoon, to give your digestive system time to adjust.
As you get used to the tangy goodness of sauerkraut, you can gradually increase your serving size. Typically, a standard serving is about half a cup.
But no matter how much you eat, remember: consistency is key. Research shows that probiotic foods provide the most benefits when consumed regularly.
This 27-calories-a-cup snack may help protect your gut
