The Tangy Cabbage Side Dish People Eat For More Than Just The Flavor

There are plenty of ways to use sauerkraut in your cooking, whether it be as a delicious side dish to pork or stuffed into your Reuben sandwich. But there's more to this tangy cabbage dish than just great taste — it's also really good for your health. In addition to being packed with vitamins (in particular A, B, C, and K), sauerkraut is a fermented food and has long been linked to providing nutritional benefits, particularly when it comes to your gut. And although raw cabbage is also good for you, the science of the fermentation process it goes through to become sauerkraut is why it's so beneficial to the digestive system specifically.

According to a 2025 study conducted by the University of California, Davis and published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, the fermentation process itself changes the nutritional profile of cabbage and increases the amount of good-for-your-gut metabolites it provides. The same study found that sauerkraut aids in protecting intestinal cells against inflammation — something regular cabbage does not do on its own. For this reason, incorporating sauerkraut into your diet regularly is beneficial for your digestive tract, helping it to better fight against inflammation and other stomach troubles. So for better gut health, consider adding in some sauerkraut to your diet — the trillions of bacteria in your gut microbiome will thank you.

Sauerkraut has a long and winding history, with origins in Eastern Asia, but is usually most associated with German food. This is why it always makes a fantastic side to bratwursts and other sausages, on its own or mixed with bacon bits, onion pieces, and sometimes even apples. It also, generally, pairs really well with the creaminess of avocado, so adding it on top of avocado toasts or just mixing it into guacamole recipes is another option. It's an easy addition to sandwiches, as well — there's truly nothing like a pastrami and sauerkraut situation (just add some mustard and you're good to go).

While sauerkraut would also be delicious in a stir-fry or hot soup, it's important to remember that the best way to eat sauerkraut for the health benefits is raw and not heated up. This is because when fermented foods are cooked to a certain temperature, it kills off the beneficial bacteria. For the maximum amount of probiotic benefits, sauerkraut should be consumed raw. The other thing to remember when eating sauerkraut for the health benefits is consistency. If you want it to make a difference, keep eating it on the regular rather than just once and awhile.