Sauerkraut's influence on digestive wellness could extend beyond its usual use as a condiment.
In a groundbreaking study conducted by the University of California, Davis, researchers have discovered that fermented cabbage, specifically sauerkraut, offers significant benefits for digestive health. The study, published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, suggests that including sauerkraut in regular diets could potentially offer long-term benefits for digestive resilience and overall wellness.
Lei Wei, a postdoctoral researcher, led the UC Davis team in this study. They compared raw cabbage, lab-fermented sauerkraut, store-bought sauerkraut, and leftover brine from fermentation. The study found that only the sauerkraut, not the raw cabbage or brine, significantly helped maintain the integrity of gut cells in lab conditions.
The study found that fermentation of cabbage creates hundreds of beneficial metabolites, including lactic acid, amino acids, and plant-based compounds associated with gut health. Lactic acid, produced by lactic acid bacteria during sauerkraut fermentation, is a major metabolite associated with protective effects on the gut barrier. Amino acid derivatives, such as D-phenyl-lactate, increase during fermentation and contribute to gut microbial balance and barrier protection.
The gut-protective effects also stem from probiotic strains isolated from sauerkraut, such as Lactobacillus plantarum, L. pentosus, and L. fermentum. These strains degrade nucleosides and exhibit acid and bile salt resilience, supporting gut colonization and microbial balance.
The study adds new weight to the role of fermented foods like kimchi, yogurt, and sauerkraut in promoting digestive resilience and reducing inflammation. The restoration of gut barrier function in human studies has been quantified as a 53% improvement in gut barrier strength, tied to the restoration of tight junction proteins essential for maintaining epithelial integrity.
Professor Maria Marco, co-author of the study, stated that a little bit of sauerkraut could go a long way and it should be considered for regular consumption, not just as a side on hot dogs. Along with eating more fiber and fresh fruits and vegetables, a regular serving of sauerkraut could help promote digestive resilience and reduce inflammation.
The research team is working to identify which of these metabolites have the strongest protective effects and plans to move into human trials to confirm the results outside of the lab. The complete study can be read here.
- The gut-protective effects observed in the study on fermented cabbage, particularly sauerkraut, may not only be beneficial for digestive health but could also contribute positively to overall health-and-wellness, considering the significant role of a robust gut microbiome in overall wellness.
- Besides the well-documented benefits of fiber and fresh fruits and vegetables, incorporating fitness-and-exercise, proper nutrition, and regular consumption of fermented foods like sauerkraut into one's diet could aid in promoting digestive resilience, reducing inflammation, and ensuring optimal health and wellness.
