Unpacking the Microbes: What are the Different Strains in Sauerkraut?

May 9, 2025

You've likely heard about sauerkraut's reputation as a probiotic powerhouse—a tangy side dish that is as good for your gut as it is for your taste buds. Yet, like many, you might ask: What specifically makes it so beneficial? What are these magical microbes that earn it such high praise?

Whether you craft your batch at home or simply reach for a jar in the store, understanding the exact probiotic strains within can open a new level of appreciation for this humble food. This blog explores the different strains in sauerkraut, their roles, and health benefits. Get ready for an adventurous ride and discover the microscopic world behind the sour crunch!

What is sauerkraut?

Sauerkraut is finely shredded cabbage that has undergone fermentation, resulting in a uniquely flavourful and health-promoting food. This technique of fermenting cabbage has historical roots stretching back centuries, serving as a natural way to store this nutritious vegetable, particularly in regions with long winters.

The magic of sauerkraut lies in its simplicity. The basic process involves the following steps:

Finely shredded cabbage is layered with salt.
This salty environment draws out the natural juices from the cabbage, creating its own brine.
The mixture is then packed tightly, often weighed down, and left to sit at room temperature for a period of time.
During this phase, the naturally occurring microorganisms present on the cabbage feast on its sugars and produce a probiotic-rich dish renowned for its health benefits.

Sauerkraut is characterised by its distinctly tangy and slightly acidic flavour. It retains a pleasant, slightly crunchy texture, even after fermentation. Sauerkraut is a naturally fermented food, meaning it is teeming with beneficial live microorganisms—the probiotics that make it such a valuable addition to a healthy diet.

Speaking of probiotics, let's understand their crucial roles in your body!

Understanding the role of probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms naturally found in your digestive system, particularly your gut. These tiny living organisms, often called beneficial, friendly, or good bacteria, are essential for overall health and well-being.

Within your gut, probiotics are key players in maintaining a healthy and balanced gut microbiome—the vast and diverse community of microorganisms living in your intestines. This intricate ecosystem is crucial for numerous bodily functions, and probiotics help keep the balance tipped in favour of the good bacteria, crowding out potentially harmful microbes.

Probiotics contribute to a balanced gut microbiome through various mechanisms:

They help restore balance, especially after antibiotic use, by encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria over harmful ones.
They reinforce the intestinal barrier, reducing permeability and preventing harmful substances from entering the bloodstream.
Probiotics produce short-chain fatty acids, which nourish intestinal cells, reduce inflammation, and support the overall health of the gut barrier.

Watch the video below to understand how your gut impacts overall health and how The Good Bug’s probiotics can help manage it.

Health benefits of probiotics

The benefits of having a thriving population of probiotics in your gut are far-reaching:

Improve digestion: Probiotics aid in the breakdown of food, making it easier for your body to digest and absorb essential nutrients while alleviating digestive issues like bloating, gas, and diarrhoea.
Boost immunity: A significant portion of your immune system resides in your gut, and probiotics play a crucial role in modulating immune responses and protecting your body against harmful pathogens.
Reduce inflammation: Probiotics can help regulate inflammatory responses within the gut and potentially throughout the body. They can prevent conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Support mental health: The connection between the gut and the brain, often called the gut-brain axis, is a growing area of research. Probiotics are being studied for their potential role in influencing mood, anxiety, and overall mental well-being.

Finding probiotics in other body parts

While the gut is their primary headquarters, you can find these helpful microbes in other parts of your body:

Mouth: Probiotics help prevent cavities and gum diseases by maintaining a healthy bacterial balance.
Skin: Probiotics may support immunity, improve hydration, and even reduce inflammation.
Vaginal tract in women: Probiotics help maintain an appropriate pH balance and protect against infections.

Do you know how these magical strains make their way into your sauerkraut? Let's dig into their origins!

The origin of sauerkraut’s probiotics

Have you ever wondered how a humble head of cabbage transforms into a probiotic powerhouse? The answer lies in the fascinating process of lacto-fermentation. Let’s see how it unlocks sauerkraut's gut-friendly goodness:

The crucial role of salt: The journey begins with shredded cabbage and salt. When salt is introduced, it draws out the natural juice and sugars in the cabbage. This extraction creates the brine that will eventually submerge the cabbage.
Creating the right environment: This salty brine also establishes an anaerobic environment, meaning it's low in oxygen. This condition favours the growth of specific types of bacteria, especially the beneficial ones.
The rise of the good bacteria: Cabbage is naturally home to various microorganisms, including lactic acid bacteria (LAB). These beneficial bacteria thrive in the anaerobic, salty environment while many other, less desirable microbes are inhibited.
Sugar consumption and acid production: The LAB gets to work by feeding on the natural sugars present in the cabbage. As they metabolise these sugars, they produce lactic acid as a byproduct.
Preservation and flavour: This lactic acid acts as a natural preservative, preventing the growth of spoilage-causing organisms and ensuring the sauerkraut stays safe to eat. It's also the very compound that gives sauerkraut its characteristic tangy and sour flavor.
The probiotic payoff: These thriving lactic acid bacteria are the probiotics that offer health benefits when you consume sauerkraut.

Lacto-fermentation is a natural, symbiotic process in which the cabbage provides the food, the environment encourages the good bacteria, and you get delicious, gut-friendly food.

Let's now unfold the array of probiotics you might meet in your next serving of sauerkraut!

Common probiotic strains in sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is a bustling microbial ecosystem teeming with beneficial lactic acid bacteria (LAB). However, these microbes are not just randomly present but follow a dynamic succession. Each fermentation stage is dominated by specific strains contributing to flavour development and health benefits. Let’s see what different strains are found in a jar of sauerkraut:

Leuconostoc mesenteroides: Often the first dominant strain to take hold in the early stages of fermentation. Leuconostoc mesenteroides is a workhorse that initiates fermentation by producing carbon dioxide and acids. This creates a highly acidic environment for other beneficial bacteria to flourish. It also contributes to the characteristic flavour profile of sauerkraut.

These probiotics enhance the overall immune response, potentially fortifying the gastrointestinal tract lining.

Pediococcus pentosaceus: This strain is another key player in sauerkraut fermentation, often appearing alongside or after Leuconostoc mesenteroides. Pediococcus pentosaceus contributes to the acidification process and can influence the final flavour and texture of the sauerkraut.

This strain is similar to other LAB, contributing to gut health and possessing antimicrobial properties.

Lactobacillus brevis: As the fermentation progresses and the environment becomes more acidic, Lactobacillus brevis often becomes more prevalent. This strain plays a significant role in further increasing the acidity level, making the sauerkraut tangier and more flavourful.

Its presence is linked to enhanced immune defenses and increased antioxidant levels, contributing to better overall health and potentially providing a defense against foodborne pathogens.

Lactobacillus plantarum: Frequently taking over as the dominant strain in the later stages of fermentation, Lactobacillus plantarum is highly adaptable and robust. This resilient bacterium is a powerhouse for stabilising sauerkraut, extending its shelf life, and offering profound health benefits such as improved digestion and alleviation of certain GI distress symptoms.

While these are the primary LAB strains, sauerkraut’s microbial diversity goes beyond them. Other strains of Lactobacillus and Weissella can sometimes join the fermentation party, each adding unique notes to the symphony of flavours and health benefits.

Curious about how your homemade batch stacks up against store-bought sauerkraut? Let’s explore the probiotic showdown!

Probiotics in homemade vs. store-bought sauerkraut

When it comes to enjoying the probiotic benefits of sauerkraut, it's important to understand that not all sauerkraut is created equal. Due to processing differences, the probiotic content can vary significantly between homemade and store-bought versions.

The pasteurisation factor: Many commercially produced sauerkrauts undergo pasteurisation, a heat-treatment process to kill harmful bacteria and extend their shelf life. Unfortunately, the high temperatures also effectively kill the live and active probiotic cultures in sauerkraut. If you're seeking sauerkraut primarily for its probiotics, it's crucial to look for raw, unpasteurised varieties:

Homemade sauerkraut and raw, unpasteurised store-bought versions will contain a diverse range of naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria strains. The precise proportions of these strains can vary depending on factors like the cabbage, environment, and fermentation conditions.
Pasteurised store-bought sauerkraut, typically found on non-refrigerated shelves, will have significantly reduced or no live probiotic strains due to the heat treatment. While it may still offer some nutritional benefits from the cabbage itself (like fiber and vitamins), the probiotic advantage is largely lost.

Spontaneous vs. starter cultures

The way sauerkraut is fermented also influences its microbial makeup. Generally, sauerkraut can be fermented using two methods:

Spontaneous fermentation: This is the traditional method, often used in homemade sauerkraut and by some small-scale commercial producers. It relies on the diverse community of wild bacteria naturally present on the cabbage to initiate fermentation. This can result in a wide and varied range of probiotic strains, but the exact composition might differ from batch to batch.
Starter cultures: Some commercial producers, and even home fermenters, may opt to use specific starter cultures—carefully selected strains of bacteria known for their consistent fermentation performance and desired flavour profiles. This can lead to a more predictable fermentation outcome with a more defined and potentially less diverse set of probiotic strains than spontaneous fermentation.

So, the next time you enjoy a forkful of tangy sauerkraut, remember that you're not just savouring a delicious fermented food—you're also welcoming a diverse community of beneficial probiotic strains into your gut! Discover the different strains in sauerkraut and unlock the gut-friendly benefits with raw, unpasteurised versions.

Are you looking for sauerkraut packed with a vibrant array of live cultures? At The Good Bug, our naturally fermented sauerkraut is brimming with billions of beneficial bacteria, with a guaranteed CFU count to support your gut health journey. Visit our website to experience the delicious difference that comes with a thriving microbial ecosystem!