How to Bring Pasteurized Sauerkraut Back to Life - The Elite Trainer (2024)

How to Bring Pasteurized Sauerkraut Back to Life

July 14, 2016 | John Paul Catanzaro

How to Bring Pasteurized Sauerkraut Back to Life - The Elite Trainer (1)

I take a probiotic on a daily basis, but not in the form of a pill or powder. I get my daily fill of probiotics in the form of sauerkraut, a fermented vegetable that’s loaded with beneficial bacteria. It goes into my “beast of a salad” every day. Sauerkraut is one food that you should consume on a regular basis for optimum health.

You can make your own sauerkraut if you wish (Sally Fallon Morell tells you exactly how to do it in Nourishing Traditional Diets), or you can buy it. Make sure to find a brand that’s free of preservatives and is fermented by salt, not vinegar. Ideally, you should purchase sauerkraut that’s unpasteurized and refrigerated.

One of my favorites is Karthein’s Organic Carrots & GingerUnpasteurized Sauerkraut which is made with certified organic cabbage,carrots, ginger, unrefined grey sea salt, and bacterial culture. Iusually pick it up from a local health food store for $9.49.

Occasionally, I’ll purchase Kühne Traditional Barrel Sauerkraut which contains only two ingredients: white cabbage and salt. I get it from a local grocery store for $2.99. Unfortunately, store-bought sauerkraut that’s sitting on a shelf like this is typically pasteurized, so there’s no active bacteria and thus no probiotics. Put simply, it’s dead! I found a way to “resurrect” it though…

Unlike Karthein’s sauerkraut which is refrigerated and unpasteurized, the Kühne brand is unrefrigerated and pasteurized, but it’s less than a third of the price of Karthein’s and you can bring it back to life with this simple tip: Once you finish a bottle of Karthein’s, transfer the juice to Kühne – the beneficial bacteria will colonize and make a new home there.

Give this method a shot next time you buy pasteurized sauerkraut.You’ll get all the health benefits that good bacteria can provide, andyou’ll save a few bucks in the process!

How to Bring Pasteurized Sauerkraut Back to Life - The Elite Trainer (2024)

FAQs

Is there any benefit to eating pasteurized sauerkraut? ›

Pasteurisation doesn't discriminate. It will kill all bacteria, including the probiotics. While eating pasteurised sauerkraut means we still have some of the nutrient benefits of the cabbage, even this is reduced through the process.

Does heating sauerkraut destroy the probiotics? ›

Although heat does kill the good bacteria living in your sauerkraut, it only happens at 46°C (115°F). So if you're cooking at a very, very low temperature, you should still retain a large amount of these probiotics. Another solution could be to add your sauerkraut or kimchi to a cooked meal near the end.

Does sauerkraut lose probiotics when canned? ›

Cons of Canning Sauerkraut

However, the heat involved in canning destroys any probiotic benefits of your sauerkraut. Canning: Kills beneficial bacteria. The benefits of probiotics are lost when fermented sauerkraut is heated above 106° F (41.1° C).

Is pasteurized sauerkraut better than unpasteurized? ›

What Effect Does Pasteurization Have On Sauerkraut? Pasteurization effectively eliminates any growing bacteria and yeast cultures in the sauerkraut, thus reducing its probiotic benefits. Pasteurization, however, does not affect the nutritional content as the heat used is not strong enough to denature the nutrients.

Will eating sauerkraut raise your blood pressure? ›

May promote heart health

Probiotics such as those found in sauerkraut may also help lower blood pressure slightly in people with hypertension.

How many times a week should you eat sauerkraut? ›

It's up to you. If you're new to fermented foods, start off with a forkful a day to allow your gut to get used to the probiotics and fibre. Work your way up to two forkfuls a day over a month or so or simply enjoy it once or twice a week as a side to your main course.

Is eating sauerkraut better than taking a probiotic? ›

For one, fermented foods are far more potent than probiotic supplements. To give you an idea, 2 ounces of sauerkraut has more probiotics than 100 capsules. 4-6 ounces of fermented vegetables has around 10 trillion bacteria, compared to the average probiotic supplement that contains around 10 billion.

Can you get enough probiotics from sauerkraut? ›

Sauerkraut is one of the foods richest in probiotics. Just two tablespoons of sauerkraut offer all the daily recommended colony-forming units that you will need for optimal gut health in a day.

Is sauerkraut good for your kidneys? ›

Fermented foods

When it comes to kidney health, research has shown that beneficial microbes have the ability to break down and excrete uric acid, reducing the amount of acid that travels to your kidneys. Try to include fermented foods like sauerkraut, kim chi, kombucha, kefir or yoghurt in your diet regularly.

How long does it take for sauerkraut to heal gut? ›

When I did the sauerkraut protocol, it took me about 6 weeks to get through step 3 and about 2 months to get through all the steps. But everyone is different. Probiotics crowd out bad bacteria; anti-bacterials kill bad bacteria. To eradicate stubborn bad gut bacteria, try taking some anti-bacterial herbs.

What kind of sauerkraut is best for gut? ›

Probiotic Content - If you are looking to get into sauerkraut for its probiotic content, then you should go for raw unpasteurized sauerkraut. Such varieties contain naturally balanced probiotics for the best effect on your gut bio.

Which is better canned or bagged sauerkraut? ›

In order to reap the probiotic health benefits of sauerkraut, buy refrigerated sauerkraut available in bags or pouches instead of in cans or jars. Avoid sauerkraut that has vinegar or sweeteners.

Does sauerkraut with vinegar have probiotics? ›

Sauerkraut is delicious, tart, and full of thriving probiotics. During the fermentation process, cabbage is thinly sliced, salted and sealed. Lactobacillus, a beneficial probiotic, grows and thrives in the delicious brine environment.

Is Kosher sauerkraut pasteurized? ›

These products contain live cultures and the enzymes that form from a natural fermentation. The Pure Kosher Dills, Dill Relish and Pickled Green Tomatoes are 100% raw; the Sauerkraut in the jars has been flash heated but not pasteurized. This means that the sauerkraut is neither pasteurized nor raw.

How much sauerkraut should I eat daily for probiotics? ›

Sauerkraut is a highly nutritious, probiotic-rich food, and you are recommended to eat about a tablespoon or 10 grams per day. You may gradually increase the intake of sauerkraut up to six tablespoons or 60 grams per day if you are comfortable. However, you are recommended not to overconsume.

What is the healthiest type of sauerkraut? ›

Raw unpasteurized sauerkraut is the best variety to but as it contains healthy probiotics that restore gut bio balance. Does Store Bought Sauerkraut Have Probiotics? Not all store-bought sauerkraut varieties have probiotics; only raw unpasteurized sauerkraut contains live probiotics.

Does pasteurized sauerkraut have K2? ›

Fermented foods also provide a different form of vitamin K2, however it needs to be cultured properly and then stored in a refrigerator, not pasteurized or contaminated.

Does bagged sauerkraut have probiotics? ›

Sauerkraut is delicious, tart, and full of thriving probiotics. During the fermentation process, cabbage is thinly sliced, salted and sealed. Lactobacillus, a beneficial probiotic, grows and thrives in the delicious brine environment.

How do I know if my sauerkraut has probiotics? ›

Long story short: when looking at the ingredient list on a sauerkraut nutrition label, the only ingredients you should see listed to verify your sauerkraut contains probiotics are cabbage and salt, and optionally some other veggies and/or herbs for extra flavor and spice.

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