The Best Sauerkraut We Found in a Taste Test | Sporked (2024)

FAQs

The Best Sauerkraut We Found in a Taste Test | Sporked? ›

Boar's Head Sauerkraut

Raw, unpasteurized sauerkraut contains beneficial probiotics that generally do not survive the pasteurization process. You can typically find these in the refrigerated sections of some grocery stores, but it's best to check the label to make sure your sauerkraut has not been pasteurized.

The taste is in the name, even if it's spelled the German way. Good sauerkraut has a sour punch, backed by acidic and salty notes. It's not sour like Sour Patch Kids or Warheads; it has a far more natural taste (close to the flavor of a pickle) that is quite delicious in big heaping doses.

Homemade sauerkraut, though, is about a gajillion times better in flavor and texture.

Live sauerkraut can also contain probiotic bacteria, which are good for your gut. Some nutrients in sauerkraut may contribute to improved heart health, bone health, immune function, and inflammation. Eating fermented foods has also been linked to reduced anxiety symptoms.

It's so, so good—it fills your mouth with so much fermented flavor and funk, but it isn't overly astringent or too acidic. Also, hot tip: I'd say there's a hierarchy of sauerkraut packaging. Bagged krauts are crisper than jarred, but jarred krauts are so much tastier and better than canned sauerkrauts.

Store bought sauerkraut is typically pasteurized during the canning process, which destroys the active probiotics and therefore makes it less nutritious than fresh or homemade sauerkraut.

Raw sauerkraut can be enjoyed as is, by the forkful. Just take the jar out of the fridge, grab a fork, and enjoy the health benefits! Eat a forkful once or twice a day straight from the jar. Buy unpasteurized sauerkraut from the refrigerator section of your grocery store.

About 70 percent of your immune system is in your gut, which means you want to consume things that promote gut health. Eating raw sauerkraut is one of the best ways to do this, and it also contains vitamins K, C & B, calcium, magnesium, dietary fiber, folate, iron, copper, manganese, and potassium.

Sauerkraut can be added to soups and stews; cooked with stock, beer or wine; served with sausages or salted meats, and is especially good with smoked fish, like hot-smoked salmon.

How can you tell if sauerkraut is good? ›

Sauerkraut that's gone bad might feel different. It might turn slimy or be too soft. If it's not firm and crisp like it should be, it may not be safe to eat.

Buy good quality sauerkraut (ideally without preservatives). You do NOT need to rinse sauerkraut (unless it's overly salty). Drain it thoroughly before cooking or using raw. Chop your sauerkraut roughly before cooking (or putting in a salad) so it's easier to combine with other ingredients.

This won't be bad, as in make you sick, it just won't be probiotic or as tasty. My guess is the lack of pizzazz and sour is likely from the cabbage itself. Depending on the cultivar and time of year cabbages can have very little sugar and starch to break down. It is the sugar that turns into that lovely sour.

Sauerkraut is a fermented dish best consumed in the morning at about one tablespoon to 10 grams per day.

Too much sodium in your diet can lead to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and congestive heart failure. To prevent these issues, limit yourself to one portion of sauerkraut per day and avoid processed foods to keep your sodium levels low.

The best sauerkraut to buy is sauerkraut that has been naturally fermented with just salt (no vinegar), still contains live probiotics, and does not have any nasty additives or preservatives. It will be found in the refrigerated section. It is not canned.

It should be crisp and feel clean. You don't want to eat the sauerkraut if it fells slimy or smells rotten. process generates its own healthy lactic acid and other organic acids that preserve the sauerkraut.

Sauerkraut has Greater Diversity of Microorganisms

Long fermentation is also important as various groups of probiotics dominate the fermentation as the sauerkraut acidity varies. Compare this to Probiotic capsules which contain a limited number of strains that don't vary.

While traditional sauerkraut is made solely from cabbage and salt, the culinary world has embraced experimentation, giving rise to a kaleidoscope of flavors and variations. In the Naturally Amped kitchen we ferment different vegetables combinations to create unique flavour profiles that tantalize the taste buds.

Pasteurized sauerkraut may offer gut health benefits due to the prebiotics naturally present in cabbage. However, one should consider that versions that have been pasteurized will not contain live bacterial cultures, since the heating process destroys the bacteria produced by fermentation.