Sauerkraut Benefits (with an Easy Homemade Sauerkraut Recipe)

Although fermented cabbage has been around in some form or another since ancient times – Roman author Pliny the Elder wrote of the stuff in the first century A.D. – modern methods for making sauerkraut were developed sometime between the 16th and 18th centuries. It’s primarily known as a German staple, but most other European countries use it in their traditional dishes. It’s pretty easy to understand why it was so popular: it keeps for a long time without refrigeration. Dutch, German, and English sailors found that the vitamin C-rich kraut prevented scurvy on the open seas, and the fact that it was salted and fermented made it ideal for long voyages without other preservation methods.

As the name would suggest, sauerkraut is quite literally sour cabbage. The sour flavor comes from the process of lacto-fermentation, similar to the pickling of cucumbers. But instead of soaking the cabbage in a vinegary brine solution, sauerkraut preparation requires only salt and the lactic acid bacteria already present on raw cabbage.

Is sauerkraut good for you?

You may have heard before that sauerkraut, or fermented foods in general, have a number of health benefits and you should eat more of them. Here’s what we know.

Health Benefits of Sauerkraut

More than just a delicious, tangy flavor, the beauty of sauerkraut also lies in its considerable health benefits:

• Rich in vitamin C
• Contains lactobacilli, a class of friendly bacteria that may aid digestion and immunity
• Isothiocyanates, compounds shown to prevent cancer growth