I take a probiotic every day, but not in pill or powder form. Instead, I get my daily dose from sauerkraut, a fermented vegetable packed with beneficial bacteria. It’s a staple in my “beast of a salad” and something I recommend eating regularly for optimal health.

You can make your own sauerkraut if you’d like—Sally Fallon Morell explains exactly how in Nourishing Traditional Diets—or you can buy it. Just be sure to choose a brand free of preservatives that’s fermented with salt, not vinegar. Ideally, look for unpasteurized and refrigerated options.

One of my favorites is Karthein’s Organic Carrots & Ginger Unpasteurized Sauerkraut, made with certified organic cabbage, carrots, ginger, unrefined grey sea salt, and bacterial culture. I usually grab a jar from a local health food store for $9.49.

Occasionally, I’ll buy Kühne Traditional Barrel Sauerkraut, which contains only white cabbage and salt, from a regular grocery store for $2.99. However, unlike Karthein’s, the Kühne brand is pasteurized, meaning it lacks active probiotics. Put simply, it’s dead! But I’ve found a way to bring it back to life…

Reviving Pasteurized Sauerkraut

Since Kühne is pasteurized and lacks beneficial bacteria, here’s a simple trick to repopulate it with probiotics:
➡️ Once you finish a bottle of Karthein’s, transfer the leftover juice into Kühne’s jar. The good bacteria will colonize and create a new home there, restoring its probiotic benefits.

Try this method next time you pick up pasteurized sauerkraut—you’ll enjoy the health benefits of live bacteria while saving money in the process!