Does Store Bought Sauerkraut Have Probiotics? (and the Best Brands To Buy)

The best store-bought sauerkraut with probiotics is found in the refrigerated section. The label will say ‘raw’, ‘live’, or ‘probiotic’ and it will have NO sugar or vinegar in the ingredients list.

To reap all the probiotic health benefits buy fresh sauerkraut made without vinegar. To get the probiotics that you are looking for, stick to the refrigerated options.

Why Eat Fermented Sauerkraut?

Part of eating a nutritious diet includes making sure that you eat plenty of good bacteria, a.k.a probiotics. While you often think of food items like yogurt for your probiotic intake, that is far from the only food from which you can get probiotics. Sauerkraut can be an excellent source, but you should know that not all store-bought sauerkraut has the probiotics that you are looking for.

Raw, fermented sauerkraut is full of probiotics. Probiotics are good bacteria that provide many powerful benefits for your body and brain. They help strengthen the immune system so it can fight off colds and illnesses. The gut-healthy bacteria help promote overall digestive health, reduce depression, heart health, and even promote healthy skin. 

Buy the Best Sauerkraut with Probiotics:

The first thing that you should know is how to find the sauerkraut with probiotics. Sauerkraut needs to be kept at a stable and cooler temperature to keep the probiotics alive. Keeping this probiotic-rich food at a steady and cooler temperature means that the most nutritious sauerkraut will be found in the refrigerated section of the store.

Sauerkraut in a jar or can is made with vinegar and pasteurized at high temperatures and does not have any beneficial live probiotic cultures. 

In many cases, you will notice that the best quality and most nutritious sauerkraut is in a pouch or bag rather than cans or jars.

You should also pay attention to the ingredients because not all sauerkraut is good for you. Read the label and make sure that cabbage is the first ingredient listed. Other components to look for are other vegetables, spices, and salt.

Avoid any sauerkraut that contains vinegar, sodium benzoate/sodium bisulfate, any other scientific words, and sugar. Vinegar is a preservative, which means that the product has been pasteurized rather than allowing for the natural fermentation process.

The ingredients should be natural and straightforward. Otherwise, the product is not as healthy as you might think.

Fortunately, there are some great store-bought sauerkraut options that you can trust to have probiotics.

Best brands of fermented sauerkraut with beneficial live probiotic cultures

Bubbies Sauerkraut:

Bubbies is famous for its pickles but they also make amazing sauerkraut. Bubbies sauerkraut is Gluten-Free, abundant with live cultures, and absolutely delicious! Their line of products includes probiotic Kosher Dill Pickles, Bread and Butter Pickles, Horseradish, and Pickled Herring Fillets. You can the price on Amazon for Bubbies here.

Hamptons Brine:

Sauerkraut made by Hamptons Brine relies on wild cultures from the raw cabbage and salt to make their delicious raw sauerkraut and organic kvass, organic sauerkraut juice. They give their products a full 28 days to culture into the live, nutritious, and delicious sauerkrauts, kvass, and kraut juices.(Amazon link)

Farmhouse Culture Kraut:

One of the great features of this brand of sauerkraut is the fact that you have several flavors of kraut from which to choose. From the packaging, you can see that it says “Probiotics” so you know that this is a product that will give you the nutritional benefit you need. Try their Classic Sauerkraut with caraway and Kimchi Spicy Wakame Ginger Organic (Amazon link).

Farmhouse Culture also makes a delicious  Ginger Beet Gut Shot and a line of Kraut Crisps which are chips packed full of probiotics, 1 billion to be exact.

Olive My Pickle:

Raw, organic, and full of probiotics, Olive My Pickle makes three delicious flavors of sauerkraut made with saltwater brine and no vinegar, sugar, or food dyes. It is also non-GMO, kosher certified, 100% plant-based, and made with simple, whole-food ingredients. According to 3rd party testing, this particular sauerkraut has 14 billion colony forming units (CFUs) of lactic acid bacteria per serving per ¼ serving. Order any of the three flavors, Red & Ginger Kraut, Carrot & Dill Kraut, and Classic Caraway Kraut here. (Amazon link)

Does canned sauerkraut have probiotics?

Does canned sauerkraut have probiotics? Canned sauerkraut does not contain probiotics, due to the pasteurization and canning process. High heat is used to kill all the bacteria both good and bad and ensure it is shelf-stable. Due to the nature of the canning and jarring process preservatives are added to keep the sauerkraut longer, which can have negative effects on your health. So, no, canned sauerkraut is not good for you. However, it does offer a lot of great flavors, but no good bacteria.

The same principle applies to any fermented foods that you buy, including kimchi. Stick to the fermented foods found in the refrigerated aisle and make sure that you read the label to make sure you are purchasing the healthiest product.

Is Store-Bought Sauerkraut Good for You?

Sauerkraut is an excellent food to add to your diet to make sure that you get the good bacteria that your body needs to thrive. Probiotics may seem like a buzzword, but these live microorganisms are incredibly helpful in ensuring that your digestive tract is working as it’s supposed to. Many health problems are associated with a lack of essential probiotics in the body, which can leave you feeling sluggish and uncomfortable.

To choose the right sauerkraut, make sure you select options that are raw, non-pasteurized, and found in the refrigerated section at the grocery store.

Does Cooking Sauerkraut Kill the Probiotics?

Yes, cooking sauerkraut can kill probiotics, which is one reason why some sauerkraut in the stores lack the probiotics that you want. The heat used during the pasteurization kills off the probiotics. As you cook sauerkraut to kill the harmful bacteria, you are also killing the good bacteria. Your best bet is not to cook it to get the most nutritional benefit of the sauerkraut.

Does Rinsing Sauerkraut Reduce Probiotics?

When you rinse the sauerkraut, you are also washing away some of the probiotics, but there will still be a good amount on the cabbage itself. There are a few reasons why people rinse their sauerkraut.

Some find the smell and flavor to be too pungent, so they rinse the sauerkraut to make it less sour.

Others rinse the sauerkraut to reduce their sodium intake. Rinsed or not, you will still be getting a good dose of gut-healthy bacteria.

Make Your Own Probiotic Gut Shot

Instead of washing the brine down the drain, save it and turn it into a homemade probiotic gut shot. With brand name gut shots costing on average $6 per bottle, why not save some money and make your own?

This is a great way to get all of the probiotic power from fermented foods in a simple shot. It is so easy, drain the brine and mix it with purified water in a 1-1 ratio. You can drink this as a shot or mix it into your favorite recipes for a quick health boost. 

Related Topics:

11 Types of Cheese that Contain Probiotics

Best Pickles with Probiotics

Homemade Sauerkraut Recipe

Is Sauerkraut Keto-Friendly?

Can You Freeze Sauerkraut?

Why Sauerkraut Gets Salty & How To Fix It

10 Delightful Ways to Eat Sauerkraut

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