Does Sauerkraut Cause Gas? (9 Health Benefits)
Last updated on October 26th, 2022 at 05:19 pm
Some people choose to eat Sauerkraut every day, while others express contending views about its daily consumption.
Regardless, sauerkraut is not just a good dish but amazingly healthy.
Sauerkraut enriches the body with some necessary nutrients for growth and probiotics that boost the immune system.
However, excessive consumption of Sauerkraut could bring you some discomfort.
Therefore, this article shall acquaint you with the benefits and downsides of sauerkraut.
Sauerkraut causes gas and stomach discomfort. Sour cabbage is also responsible for bloating, especially for people not fond of indulging in fermented foods. Nevertheless, the discomfort is only temporary except for those with digestive health issues.
Does Sauerkraut Cause Smelly Gas?
Of course, Sauerkraut causes a sharply strong smell of gas. Though it only occurs in a moment, and it’s gone.
Lactic acid bacteria greatly help the fermentation process of Sauerkraut.
The smelly gas is due to the fermented cabbage’s content and the probiotics for preserving it.
Fermenting the cabbage releases proteins in it. Sauerkraut also contains vitamins A, B, C, and K in large proportions.
Therefore, when you fart smelly gas, the cause could be a faulty protein metabolism in your digestive system.
Does Sauerkraut Cause Bloat?
Yes, excessively indulging Sauerkraut can also cause bloating. As with gas and indigestion, Sauerkraut fills up your intestine with air.
Most first-time-consumers suffer more from the discomfort of sour cabbage. Sauerkraut could be unfriendly to their digestive systems.
The digestive discomfort only lasts for some time before it goes away unless you already have an existing digestive health challenge.
However, the conventional way of avoiding bloating is by taking a break from it and not necessarily quitting.
9 Health Benefits Of Sauerkraut
The health benefits of Sauerkraut outweigh its downside despite people’s views about it.
While some people see it as the causative agent of digestive discomfort, it carries huge health benefits.
Sauerkraut prides itself on its ability to be compatible with various meals, therefore commanding respect from people.
Some of the unique health benefits of Sauerkraut include the following.
#1. Improves Heart Health
The good health condition of the heart is arguably the topmost priority of every human being or animal.
The heart pumps oxygenated blood to other important parts of the body.
One of the benefits of consuming Sauerkraut is that it boosts your cardiovascular health.
Sauerkraut supplies the heart with many antioxidants; recall that cabbage is an antioxidant food to reckon with.
#2. Contains A Large Dose Of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of our body’s key nutrients to grow and repair our body tissues.
The high level of Vitamin C in Sauerkraut is highly beneficial to the body, especially for exhaustion.
Conserving such a useful nutrient in the body by eating Sauerkraut is one of the best opportunities granted to humanity.
Cabbage is the major ingredient of Sauerkraut, and it contains about 30 mg of vitamin C in its unfermented state.
The fermentation of cabbage, be it green, white, or red, preserves the cabbage’s vitamin C and other nutrients.
Consequently, the body uses vitamin C to strengthen its cells and perform their functions.
Hence, it refreshes the skin and blood vessels and makes healing faster as the blood clots quickly.
#3. Aids in Weight Loss
Sauerkraut helps when it comes to losing weight. It also helps with maintaining the new weight after weight loss.
The ability of Sauerkraut to assist with weight loss isn’t a mere occurrence, so the dish deserves some more respect.
It is fibrous, containing 4 g of fiber per serving, according to the daily recommended intake ( 30 g).
A serving of Sauerkraut conveys up to 13% of your daily recommended intake.
Besides promoting good digestive health, fibrous food like sauerkraut aids in weight loss. When you eat it, you feel full and refuse to eat more food.
#4. Reduces Anxiety And Depression
Separated from the excitement of eating Sauerkraut, it also reduces your chances of having low moods.
Recent studies have proven that the brain has a cozy link with the gut.
That explains why some people argue there are slim chances of understanding anything when studying on an empty stomach.
The study reveals that eating Sauerkraut helps the brain to reduce the build-up of problems. It makes you less anxious, setting you free from depression.
#5. Curtails Cancer Risk
Reducing cancer risk is also one of the health benefits of Sauerkraut. It impedes the incubation of cancer or its spread.
Noteworthy is the nutritional value of Sauerkraut. The food contains proteins, fats, vitamins, iron, folate, and many other nutrients that reduce cancer risk.
Studies show that the nutrients in cabbage can mitigate cancer types like rectal, lung, and stomach cancers.
#6. Strengthens The Bones
The vitamin K content of Sauerkraut is responsible for strengthening our bones.
We need strong bones not necessarily to perform hard labor but also for simple functions like walking, running, climbing, etc.
Sauerkraut contains a large dose of vitamin K, so eating it grants you excellent bone health. It also reduces inflammation in joints and muscles.
#7. Produces Energy In The Body
The release of energy in the body is one of the greatest benefits of Sauerkraut since we all need energy.
Energy is the capacity to do work; without energy, no system, organ, tissue, or cell can function.
However, Sauerkraut is a good source of energy. Anyone who utilizes these chances would have the edge over others.
#8. Boosts The Immune System
The immune system of a sauerkraut consumer is perhaps as robust as none else. The probiotics it releases constitute a gallant immune system.
Good bacteria aid our immune system in fighting against viruses, diseases, and undesirable elements.
Therefore, showing commitment to eating Sauerkraut is a good investment after all.
#9. Improves The Level Of Probiotics In The Body
When you eat Sauerkraut, your body’s level of probiotics increases to a fairly suitable level as the body requires.
Probiotics consist of live bacteria or yeast that help keep the body healthy.
Of course, these bacteria are harmless and play key roles in the fermentation process of cabbage.
Interestingly, Sauerkraut offers the body more of these wonderful bacteria that help maintain good health.
Reviews show that probiotics assist in digestive health and other forms of challenges in the stomach.
It also denies entrance to toxic bacteria that might seek to enter your body.
Sauerkraut remains one of the most reliable donors of probiotics, so it’s left for you to indulge in the dish.
Realizing the amount of probiotics Sauerkraut contains and partaking in it lays the foundation for other benefits.
Sauerkraut Nutrition Facts
| Nutrients | Amount (g) | RDI percent (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 27 | 1 |
| Protein | 1.3 | 3 |
| Sodium | – | 41 |
| Vitamin C | – | 23 |
| Vitamin K1 | – | 15 |
| Vitamin B6 | – | 11 |
| Potassium | – | 5 |
| Folate | – | 9 |
| Copper | – | 15 |
| Manganese | – | 9 |
| Iron | – | 12 |
| Carbohydrates | 6.1 | 2 |
| Fiber | 4.1 | 15 |
| Fat | 0.2 | – |
| Calcium | – | 3 |
How Much Sauerkraut Is Healthy In A Day?
The daily recommended intake of Sauerkraut is 1 ounce, equal to 30 grams. However, the dose is not for people on a low-salt diet or those with digestive disorders.
Therefore, the National Center For Biotechnology Information (NCBI) recommends a daily intake of between 7 and 10 grams of Sauerkraut.
Final Thoughts
Some people prefer fibrous foods, while others prefer antioxidant foods for health-based reasons. In comparison, many like to do probiotics.
Regardless of the reasons, it is quite surprising that Sauerkraut combines fiber, antioxidants, and probiotics.
However, temporary stomach discomfort seems to be the cost you will have to pay.
