What happens to your body when you add sauerkraut to your diet

Sauerkraut is a fermented food made from raw cabbage. With its probiotics, vitamins, fiber and few calories, it is a nutritious choice to add to your diet. As a condiment or accompaniment, sauerkraut is generally good for you. But some people, such as those who need to limit their sodium intake, may want to avoid sauerkraut or limit their intake.

Sauerkraut contains about 1 gram of fiber per 2 tablespoon serving. In addition to its many probiotics, which your body can use more easily after fermentation, the fiber in sauerkraut can help support digestion. It helps you have more regular bowel movements And reduces the risk of constipation.

Research also suggests that regular consumption of sauerkraut can improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), such as digestive discomfort, in approximately six to eight weeks. Researchers found this benefit whether people ate pasteurized sauerkraut or raw, unpasteurized sauerkraut.

Sauerkraut is rich in vitamin C, with two tablespoons providing 20% ​​of your recommended daily value of the vitamin. Vitamin C, along with several other compounds in sauerkraut, has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants can help reduce inflammation, which can contribute to harmful health effects in your body.

Some research suggests sauerkraut may help reduce the risk of inflammatory diseases such as:

• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Certain cancers
• Heart disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

Your gut microbiome—the community of bacteria, yeast, viruses, and other microorganisms that live in your digestive tract to help you digest—plays an important role in regulating your body’s defenses, called the immune system.

Eating sauerkraut can help support a healthy and strong immune system by keep your microbiome in balance. When there is an imbalance between good and bad bacteria in your gut, it can lead to inflammation, your immune system’s active response to threats like injury, damage, and infection.

As a fermented food, sauerkraut contains many good bacteria (also called probiotics) that can help balance your intestinal environment. Researchers note that the immune health benefits of sauerkraut are likely due to the amount of lactic acid-producing bacteria that occur during fermentation.

Some research also suggests that this boosted immune effect could help reduce the severity of autoimmune disease symptomswhere the immune system falsely attacks the body when no threat is present.

Although the evidence is mixed, some experts suggest it may be better to select raw or unpasteurized options that you find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store instead of the canned and shelf-stable options. Freestanding sauerkraut has been processed in a way to kill some of the good bacteria that lends itself to the health benefits of sauerkraut.

You can enjoy sauerkraut in several ways. Consider these suggestions:

• Use it as a condiment to top sandwiches and sausages.
• Add it to cabbage soup or other soups.
• Use it as a tasty addition to potato salad, pierogis and other dishes.
• Mix it with other raw or roasted vegetables and herbs in a salad.
• Eat it alone as a side dish.

If you are following a low-sodium or bland diet, talk to a doctor before adding sauerkraut as part of your diet. With its high sodium and fiber content, it may not be a suitable option. Your doctor can suggest alternatives.