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If you have type 2 or type 1 diabetes, sauerkraut is one of those unglamorous foods that does its job better than the internet promises.
So is sauerkraut good for diabetics? In most cases, yes. It isn't sweet, it's low in carbs, it adds volume to a meal, and it's a fermented food on top of all that.
I've made this point before about whole cabbage versus cabbage juice, and it applies here too. Whole sauerkraut is almost always the smarter choice over the liquid version.
Here's the part most people miss. The main thing to watch with sauerkraut is the salt, since the sugar and carbs are already low.
Key takeaways
- Sauerkraut is a low-carb food, so a normal portion usually won't raise blood sugar much.
- Its biggest practical drawback is high sodium (salt), which matters if you also have high blood pressure or kidney problems alongside diabetes.
- For a probiotic effect, look for unpasteurized sauerkraut from the refrigerated section (homemade is ideal). Pasteurized is still fine for diabetes thanks to the fiber and low calories, but it has fewer live cultures or none at all.
- The simplest strategy works best. Use it as a meal add-on next to protein and regular food, not as a snack in a giant bowl.
What is sauerkraut, and why is it linked to diabetes?
Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage. The cabbage sours through a controlled growth of microorganisms that change the food's composition.
Sauerkraut is interesting for diabetes for three reasons:
- Carbs are low, so the glycemic index of a portion is minimal.
- Fiber and volume help with fullness and make it easier to keep portions of other, riskier carbs in check.
- As a fermented food, it can deliver microbes and fermentation metabolites, depending on whether the cabbage is unpasteurized. This is increasingly linked to metabolism and insulin sensitivity, though to be fair, most of the evidence is indirect.
Benefits of sauerkraut for diabetes
Here's what sauerkraut can realistically offer, based on studies, without any magic:
- Fewer carbs per portion, so less chance of a bigger post-meal blood sugar spike.
- More fiber and volume in the meal, which helps with fullness and appetite control.
- Fermentation can increase the presence of bioactive compounds and postbiotics (metabolites). That's one reason fermented food is being studied in relation to metabolism.
- Potential support for gut microbiota, if the product has live cultures. Microbiota and metabolites like SCFAs come up often as part of the wider insulin-sensitivity picture.
Sauerkraut nutrition facts
Per 100 g, these are the numbers that matter most in practice:
- About 19 kcal
- About 4.3 g carbs
- About 2.9 g fiber
- About 1.8 g sugar
- About 0.9 g protein
- About 661 mg sodium
In plain terms, there isn't much here for your blood sugar to climb on, but the salt adds up fast if you like big portions.
The glycemic index of sauerkraut
With sauerkraut, the GI number doesn't really help you. GI only means something when a food has enough available carbs to produce a measurable response.
Sauerkraut has few carbs and plenty of fiber per 100 g, so the glycemic load of a portion is practically low.
How much sauerkraut is reasonable?
Here's a practical framework:
- As a side with a meal: 50 to 150 g is completely normal.
- If you have high blood pressure or watch your salt: aim for 30 to 80 g, or drain and briefly rinse it to remove some of the salt, then eat it with a meal.
- If you're new to fermented food: start with 1 to 2 tablespoons a day and build up over a week. Many people get a bit of bloating at first, then the body settles. That's normal and has shown up in small intervention studies too.
What does the science say about sauerkraut and blood sugar?
Honestly, we don't have many strong studies that measured blood sugar or HbA1c after regular sauerkraut consumption in people with diabetes.
What we do have are human studies looking at microbiota and metabolites.
One intervention study in healthy people (87 participants) looked at 4 weeks of daily consumption of 100 g of fresh or pasteurized sauerkraut. Researchers found changes in certain bacterial species, especially after eating sauerkraut.
This wasn't a diabetes study, though, and it didn't primarily measure glucose or HbA1c as an outcome.
A small pilot study in active athletes (11 men) with short-term sauerkraut supplementation found some longer-term microbiota changes, along with quite a few digestive side effects in the first days.
Why might sauerkraut actually help?
Here are the realistic mechanisms from a nutrition standpoint, without overselling:
- Fewer carbs per portion means a smaller direct glycemic hit. That's the simplest part of the story.
- Fiber increases fullness and often indirectly reduces the total intake of the more problematic foods in a meal.
- Fermented food can affect microbiota and metabolites like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs are often linked in the literature to insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.
These mechanisms make sense, but they don't mean everyone's blood sugar will improve just because they added sauerkraut.
How to eat sauerkraut for steadier blood sugar
Short and clear:
- Eat it as part of a meal: with meat, fish, eggs, beans, sweet potato, lentils, or cheese, or alongside any lunch that already has protein and fat.
- If you're watching salt: choose less salty versions, drain, rinse briefly, or cut the portion.
- If you want live cultures: get the unpasteurized kind from the fridge. If your main goal is blood sugar and carb portions, pasteurized is perfectly fine.
So, is sauerkraut good for diabetics?
Sauerkraut isn't a cure. As a food, though, it's often very good for diabetes. It's low in calories, low in carbs, decently high in fiber, and carries a bacterial culture that works in your favor.
If you want the simplest rule: eat it as a side in a normal portion, mind the sodium, and don't expect it to lower your HbA1c on its own. As part of a smart diet, it very often does more good than harm.
I've researched other diabetes-friendly and diabetes-tricky foods the same way, including a full look at apricots and diabetes if you'd like to keep reading.
Frequently asked questions
Is sauerkraut good for diabetics?
Yes, sauerkraut can be a good choice for diabetics because it's low in carbs, low in calories, and high in volume. In a normal portion, it usually doesn't raise blood sugar much. Still, it isn't a cure for diabetes, and you shouldn't expect it to lower HbA1c on its own.
Does sauerkraut raise blood sugar?
Sauerkraut usually doesn't raise blood sugar much because it has few available carbs and a decent amount of fiber. Its glycemic load is practically low, so the bigger concern with sauerkraut is usually the salt rather than the sugar.
How much sauerkraut can I eat if I have diabetes?
As a side with a meal, a reasonable portion is around 50 to 150 g. If you have high blood pressure, kidney problems, or need to watch your salt intake, a smaller portion of 30 to 80 g is a better fit. In that case, you can also drain or briefly rinse the sauerkraut before eating.
Is fresh, unpasteurized, or pasteurized sauerkraut better?
If you want a potential probiotic effect, unpasteurized sauerkraut from the fridge is better because it can contain live cultures. Pasteurized sauerkraut can still be good for diabetes since it's low in calories, low in carbs, and has fiber, but it usually has fewer live bacterial cultures or none at all.
Can sauerkraut help gut health and digestion?
Sauerkraut can help digestion in some people because it's a fermented food that also contains fiber. If you're new to fermented food, start with a small amount, for example 1 to 2 tablespoons a day, since it can cause bloating or digestive discomfort at first for some people.
Who should be careful with sauerkraut?
Caution is warranted for people with high blood pressure, kidney problems, or a need to limit sodium. Sauerkraut can be high in salt, and that adds up quickly through larger portions. In those cases, it's better to choose less salty versions, rinse it, reduce the portion, and eat it as a side rather than as a big standalone bowl.
