The 11 Best Canned Sauerkraut Brands From Worst To First
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Sauerkraut is an ancient food made by fermenting cabbage with lactic acid bacteria. Today, the food is associated with German cuisine, yet sauerkraut is undoubtedly Chinese in origin. History suggests that food was even used to fuel the laborers and slaves who built the Great Wall of China over 2000 years ago.
While ancient, it is sauerkraut's gut health-giving properties that have ensured its consumption up to the modern day. As stated on PubMed, fermented food is known to be rich in prebiotics, which promote the growth of gut bacteria, and probiotics, live microorganisms that impart health benefits to the body. Both greatly benefit the human gut microbiota. What's more, sauerkraut is rich in both vitamins and minerals.
As a cheap, accessible, and delicious health food, sauerkraut enjoyed a renaissance in the United States during the Coronavirus pandemic. President of GLK Foods Ryan Down highlighted this to PRWeb in 2020: "It's important to have a healthy diet that is full of digestive health benefits," "People are finding themselves rekindling their love for cooking while simultaneously looking for ways to save money. Kraut is a practical choice thanks to its long shelf-life and ability to enhance the comfort foods we desire right now."
Although the pandemic is over, there are many reasons to keep eating sauerkraut, health among them. Fortunately, there are several companies producing excellent sauerkraut, making it easier than ever to enjoy this ancient health food.
11. Walmart Great Value
Walmart's Great Value brand is known for pantry staples that won't break the bank. The brand's sauerkraut lives up to this billing; one 14.5-ounce can only cost about $1 when bought online. Unfortunately, this low price does come at a cost; like most grocery store brands, Walmart's Great Value sauerkraut is pasteurized.
While improving shelf life and making it safer for everyone to eat, pasteurization also kills all probiotic bacteria present in the sauerkraut. This minimizes the potential health benefits the product has, according to Michigan State University. Of course, pasteurization does not affect the sauerkraut's prebiotic content; it remains a good source of fiber, providing 4% of an adult's recommended daily fiber intake per 30-gram serving.
Packing sauerkraut in a tin can is not a common choice. Instead, most brands opt for glass jars. Walmart is notorious for minimizing operation costs, and using tin cans may well contribute to the Great Value sauerkraut's low price. That being said, the use of tin cans negatively impacts the flavor of the product, as one customer highlighted on Walmart's website: "Tastes like the tin can it came in. Yucky! Takes away from the natural flavor. They should really consider a different packaging."
10. Libby's
Another affordable brand of sauerkraut is Libby's. As a popular brand, Libby's sauerkraut is stocked in many grocery stores, including Walmart. It is also affordable, a 32-ounce jar costs about $2. The fact that it is sold in jars, as well as cans, is another positive; shoppers can easily avoid the slightly metallic taste prevalent in the Great Value sauerkraut if they want to. What's more, Libby's guarantees that the sauerkraut is made from cabbages grown in the United States.
In terms of probiotics, Libby's sauerkraut suffers the same fate as Walmart's Great Value product. The healthy bacteria present in Libby's sauerkraut are killed off in two ways. Firstly, the product contains sodium bisulfite for color retention. This sulfite has been shown in a study published by Plos One to kill beneficial gut bacteria. To compound matters, Libby's sauerkraut also undergoes a process of hot packing wherein food is boiled for two to five minutes before being packed in jars. This process kills all the probiotic bacteria.
The inclusion of sulfites and heat packing does mean Libby's product maintains a consistent and long-lasting quality, however. This translates into a sauerkraut that is known for having dependable, good taste, making it a favorite of many shoppers. All of this leads us to the conclusion that, as long as you're not in it for the probiotics, Libby's sauerkraut is a good choice.
9. Del Monte
Del Monte produces sauerkraut that costs about $1.50 per 14.5-ounce can when bought from Walmart's website. As with the other, cheaper options on this list, Del Monte's product is pasteurized.
One way Del Monte does manage to distinguish itself from the other brands that are stocked in grocery stores is its vocal commitment to using non-GMO crops in the product. Furthermore, all cans Del Monte packs its sauerkraut in are BPA-free.
While both these prior points are important, Del Monte has won many fans thanks to its crisp, clean, and traditional taste. This was highlighted by one customer on the Del Monte website: "This Del Monte Sauerkraut tastes very close to my grandmother's sauerkraut. I lost her recipe so I cannot make it at home. But this store bought one has a home made taste. I can't quite describe it but I like it very much. Even my little one who hates this type of food eats it."
8. 365 Whole Foods Market
The next sauerkraut on our list comes from Whole Foods' in-store brand, 365. The products sold under the 365 brand still maintain Whole Foods' standards of being organic or GMO-free while being considerably cheaper than other brands stocked by the grocery store. As a certified USDA organic product, Whole Foods' sauerkraut is grown and processed using methods that are better for both planetary and human health, a factor that will convince many potential customers to buy it.
Although it may be cheaper than other brands in Whole Foods, 365's sauerkraut is still more expensive than the brands previously mentioned on this list. A 32-ounce jar costs around $4.50. Unfortunately, some customers don't feel that this extra cost gets them a superior product. This was underscored by a review left on Amazon: "Solidly mediocre sauerkraut. You probably have better options. It's not exactly disgusting or anything, but it doesn't really bring me a lot of joy either. No real bite or complex fermentation flavor. Pretty mushy, no crispness. Basically the sauerkraut you might expect from a no-name hot dog stand. If you are hard up for sauerkraut to dress up the foods that go with it, brats and reubens and such, this is an adequate fix."
7. Hamptons Brine Sauerkraut
The first unpasteurized sauerkraut on our list comes from Hamptons Brine, a company that sells a range of probiotic food and drinks. Half of Hamptons Brine's product line is dedicated to sauerkraut. Four varieties are available, spanning an impressive range of flavors. What's more, all vegetables used in these products are certified organic.
As mentioned, all Hamptons Brine sauerkraut are unpasteurized. This means consumers receive ample helping of both probiotics and prebiotics when eating the sauerkraut. In order to ferment, the products undergo a process of wild fermentation, meaning the bacteria is already present in the air or on the vegetables themselves. When compared to cultivated yeasts, these bacteria are less predictable. However, they produce an amazing array of flavors that cannot be achieved through cultivated colonies. This has made wild fermentation a favorite of producers making everything from sauerkraut to wine.
Unsurprisingly, Hampton Brine's attention to detail does not come cheap. One 14-ounce jar costs around $11. Although this is considerably more than other brands, some customers believe the product is worth it. One person highlighted this on Walmart's website: "Hamptons Brine Sauerkraut stands out for its unique blend of flavors and exceptional quality. First and foremost, the tangy taste of this sauerkraut is absolutely sublime. The perfect balance of acidity and crispness, creating a mouthwatering tang that tantalizes the taste buds. Each bite bursts with a refreshing zing, making it a fantastic addition to any dish."
6. Bubbies
Bubbies is a Canadian sauerkraut brand that delivers on flavor. This was emphasized by one customer's review on Amazon: "This is the best tasting sour kraut I've ever had that also has the healthiest and cleanest ingredients without any toxic preservatives. It's very mild and doesn't have an overpowering sourness or bitterness to it that some fermented foods have. It's also not overly salty which I love because I don't add salt to my food. It's the perfect balance and such a great addition to your diet for getting probiotics in."
This particular sauerkraut is unique in that it is neither raw nor pasteurized. Instead, Bubbies' sauerkraut undergoes a unique heating process that slows the fermentation process without killing the probiotic bacteria. Thankfully, the presence of probiotic bacteria does not mean that Bubbies sauerkraut is outrageously expensive. A pack of six 25-ounce jars can be bought for about $82.
5. Gap View Homestead
Another small sauerkraut-producing business is the family-run Gap View Homestead, located in Pennsylvania. Here, a variety of pickled foods are made, including an impressive sauerkraut and kimchi. Both are made with organically grown produce and Celtic sea salt.
Gap View Homestead's sauerkraut has received some excellent reviews on Amazon: "This is seriously good kraut and a must for anyone wanting to live a healthy lifestyle, as it's excellent for the gut," "I gotta say the tang on this number is just perfect and the bacterial count is probably through the roof! I made the simplest rice dish with stir-fried onion, shredded carrot and cabbage and then added this after cooking on top. It added such incredible flavor."
Despite being a small, organic farm, Gap View Homestead's products are reasonably priced. The raw sauerkraut costs about $10 for a 32-ounce jar, making it the cheapest organic, unpasteurized option on our list. The only reason we haven't ranked it higher is because of inconsistencies in salt content. Some iterations of the sauerkraut seem to be much saltier than others, a frustrating kink that needs to be worked out.
4. Oregon Brineworks
Oregon Brineworks is a business that takes pride in producing food that's beneficial to both human health and Oregon's food system. Consequently, Oregon Brineworks only sources its main ingredients from organic farms in both Oregon and Washington. Oregon Brineworks also make a point of working with the seasons. In terms of sauerkraut, this means production occurs in fall and winter, a time when the vegetables have maximum flavor.
The quality of the ingredients shines through in the finished product. One customer reviewed the sauerrüben on Amazon as follows: "The flavor is great! Very potent pickling liquid so use less if you want that subtle kraut taste on a hot dog. The caraway seeds are a pleasant surprise when I enjoy this deliciousness," "As a side salad, especially paired with a richer meal, it's perfect for cutting thru a creaminess or buttery taste that sits on your tongue. Love that it's loaded with probiotics."
Sauerrüben is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Oregon Brineworks' fermented products. The company also sells Beet Apple Kraut, Sauerkraut, and Spicy Kraut, amongst others. The spicy kraut is especially arresting thanks to the presence of Korean peppers, radish, and turnips alongside cabbage and onion. Oregon Brineworks do not pasteurize any of the sauerkrauts, ensuring customers reap all the nutritional benefits probiotic foods have to offer. Finally, this delicacy costs about $60 for four 25-ounce jars, equating to around $15 per jar; expensive but not outrageous.
3. Wise Goat Organics
Like many sauerkraut-producing companies, Wise Goat Organics prioritizes nutrition as well as flavor. Fortunately, the company's location in the bountiful state of California makes achieving both relatively simple. Wise Goat Organics founder Mary Risavi explained how the company does this to Benito Link: "Everything I use is very, very locally sourced. I use organic produce from Coke Farms and Pinnacle Farms, Lakeside, and sometimes Coast Produce. Pretty much everything comes from places not further than about a 20-minute drive from the kitchen. We process it the same day or the next day at the latest, which preserves a lot of the nutrients in the vegetables."
Of course, process matters just as much as raw produce and Wise Goat Organics ferments in an intelligent and responsible way. For example, the brand uses a 2% salt solution to ferment its vegetables, minimizing the sodium content of its products without compromising their flavor. Wise Goat Organics even goes so far as to wild ferment its sauerkraut in small batches and never in plastic to limit any chance of contamination. The sauerkraut is not heated, ensuring all bacteria survive until consumption. A 16-ounce jar of Wise Goat Organics' sauerkraut costs about $12. This makes it one of the more expensive products on our list. However, we believe this sauerkraut is worth the extra cost.
2. Pickled Planet
While many brands on this list sell a range of flavors, none come close to the exciting range offered by Pickled Planet. Beat Kraut, a mixture of red cabbage, beets, carrots, and caraway, is particularly popular although we would suggest buying Velvet Sea, a sauerkraut made from cabbage, burdock, and two varieties of Japanese seaweed. Herbal kraut, basil and garlic kraut, and Veda Kraut — a mixture of cabbage and curry seasonings — are among other options.
Such a broad range of products might suggest a lack of attention to detail, but Pickled Planet ensures each product is lovingly crafted, resulting in delicious, unique, and moreish flavors across the entire range. An Amazon review of the Beat Kraut underlines this: "This stuff is delicious! Crunchy and great flavor! I bought it as a source for vegan probiotics but I had to stop myself from eating the whole jar in one sitting. I only wish it were more affordable, but I completely understand that this is the world we live in. Healthy, non-mass-produced food is expensive! I will definitely be ordering more for a special treat!"
As the review highlights, Pickled Planet does not sell the cheapest sauerkraut on this list. The Beat Kraut costs around $9 for a 16-ounce jar. Although much more expensive than grocery store brands, it is considerably cheaper than Hamptons Brine's sauerkraut and Wise Goats Organics' sauerkraut. Interestingly, Pickled Planet products are equitable to, if not better than, these.
1. wildbrine
At the top of our list is wildbrine, a company that was born out of work done by individuals at the Ceres Community Project, which prepares and delivers food to those with life-threatening illnesses. The company has grown from these beginnings to become a heavyweight in the fermented food business. This is largely due to wildbrine's unique flavor options and affordable price.
Favorite flavors like Dill & Garlic Sauerkraut sit alongside more innovative options such as Arame Ginger Sauerkraut. All eight of wildbrine's sauerkraut products are USDA Organic certified and cost about $8 for an 18-ounce jar. This is a fair price for the product quality, but those keen to grab a bigger bargain are advised to head to Costco. Here, 1.5-liter jars of wildbrine's raw organic sauerkraut can be found for about $13.
Despite this incredible value for money, wildbrine products are always high quality, as one person highlighted on Amazon: "I found this at Costco the other day, sold as single containers. Mine has no dill in it, but otherwise is exactly like this product. It's wonderful. Crispy, crunchy and delicious, and because it's naturally fermented instead of made with vinegar like most krauts today, this brand should have lots of good probiotics in it. So happy to have found this brand."