Live Today - Graduate Mentorship Program Open House
Nutrition & Herbs from Ayurveda & Greek Medicine

Nutrition & Herbs from Ayurveda & Greek Medicine
Enroll Now
 
Magnolia Hill College

Nutrition & Herbs from Ayurveda & Greek Medicine


MORE OPTIONSDown Triangle

FIND RECIPES

FIND FOOD

AYURVEDA DIET 101

AYURVEDIC DIET FOR SEPTEMBER

SEASONAL TIPS

MY SAVED INGREDIENTS

AYURVEDIC FOODS

Sauerkraut Benefits (Ayurveda Insights)
Study Natural Medicine

Print Sauerkraut
Share on Social Media Share

Share Content with Friends & Clients

Click one of the buttons above, or cut and paste the following link to share this page with your network. This link will automatically track your referrals:

Share URL for Sauerkraut

Copy Link

About Sharing Content & Referrals.

Compare with other ferments
5.00 out of 5 stars 2 ratings, 147 likes

Customer Reviews

5.00 out of 5 stars
Sign in to review or comment

See all reviews

Table of Contents

About This Food

CONSTITUTIONAL & METABOLIC INSIGHTS

Sauerkraut is the perfect remedy for a hot dog. Often you can find wisdom in the food combinations of cultural cuisine. The ballpark, as it turns out, is no exception. Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage. Its name literally means 'sour-cabbage'. It becomes sour during the fermentation process. As sour taste encourages your mouth to salivate, it encourages juicy enzyme production throughout the GI tract, aiding your digestion. The digestive aid of sauerkraut, like many condiments, helps you draw nutrients from your otherwise un-digestible hot dog.

Sauerkraut may be an ideal treat in January and February when cold air constricts blood vessels in your skin. The stagnant blood makes skin appear lifeless, dry, dull and gray. The sour taste of sauerkraut, since it is a diaphoretic, helps restore blood flow to the skin and reduce lymphatic congestion. That's why sauerkraut is a natural food for late winter.

Due to the gassy nature of live cultures in sauerkraut, Vata people should cook sauerkraut to avoid suffering from excess gas. Kapha should eat sauerkraut raw, to benefit from its probiotic qualities.

Learn about the health benefits of sauerkraut for FREE

You'll receive free access to our entire website including healthy recipes, nutritional diet plans, medicinal uses of ingredients, & ayurvedic health tips. Sign in once and you can use our website indefinitely..

Please register or sign in to continue.

first name
e-mail address*
confirm your e-mail*
enter a password*
Want our natural Metabolic recipes and health tips? Click YES to subscribe to our newsletter!
(
find out more
Frequency: You'll receive our most popular Ayurvedic health tips every day for a week, and then 1-2 emails a week ongoing.
).
Yes No
Register

Is Sauerkraut a Good Match for My Body?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Sauerkraut' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

Take the Quiz

Classical Metabolic Theory (CMT) is tailored to the individual. In the kitchen, especially during your family’s formative years, you shape your family's lifelong health.

Understanding your child's constitution is key to raising resilience, instead of wiring in disease. Study Classical Metabolic Theory to discover the keys to personalized nourishment.

Rooted in the insights curated from Ayurveda and Greek medicine, CMT teaches you which foods match your body, so you and your family have true vitality, strength, and balance. See How it Works.

Metabolic Impact of Sauerkraut

Classical Metabolic Theory uses biocharacteristics to classify the metabolic impact of food, herbs, lifestyle choices, your body, and disease.

METABOLIC IMPACT / BIOCHARACTERISTICS

Metabolic Impact / Biocharacteristics

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (vital qualtiies). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.

Find Out More

LIGHT

ABOUT LIGHT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Lightness is identified by reduced weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT

EASY

ABOUT EASY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly.

LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY

HOT

ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOT

LIQUEFIED

ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIQUEFIED

TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

Find Out More

SOUR

ABOUT SOUR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Sour refers to anything fermented or acidic.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SOUR

AYURVEDA BODY TYPES (DOSHAS)

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.

Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.

Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.

The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).

Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.

Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.

Find Out More

PACIFIES
Vata pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Kapha aggravating Pitta aggravating

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.

Find Out More

PACIFIES
MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANCHOLIC

AGGRAVATES
CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERIC

PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

A Phlegmatic has a cold and wet metabolic nature. The coldness implies a slow metabolism, the moisture that you are well-nourished. Phlegmatics tend towards sluggishness and thickened fluids, including mucus.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

A hot and oily nature with a moderate metabolism and a well nourished body makes Sanguine individuals vigorous, vivacious, outgoing and generous, and prone to impulsivity and self indulgence. Bullish and intense when out of balance.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Sauerkraut
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

(see all)
Digestion:
Sialogogue

SIALOGOGUE

A sialogogue increases saliva. Sour foods are often great sialogogues, and increase output of all exocrine glands. Salty taste is very moistening as well. Bitter, pungent and sweettastes also increase salivary output but to a lesser degree. Astringents.

SEE ALL 'SIALOGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS

Mind, Stress & Sleep:
Improves Focus

IMPROVES-FOCUS

Reduces scattered thoughts. Creates a steady mind. Includes herbs that relax (for Vata) and herbs that stimulate (for Kapha).

SEE ALL 'IMPROVES-FOCUS' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Metabolic Impact to Sauerkraut

  • Tamarind

    Tamarind has these Actions in Common

    Sialogogue, Improves-focus

    LEARN MORE

  • Red Wine Vinegar

    Red Wine Vinegar has these Actions in Common

    Improves-focus, Sialogogue

    LEARN MORE

  • White Vinegar

    White Vinegar has these Actions in Common

    Improves-focus, Sialogogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Apple Cider Vinegar

    Apple Cider Vinegar has these Actions in Common

    Sialogogue, Improves-focus

    LEARN MORE

  • Lime

    Lime has these Actions in Common

    Sialogogue, Improves-focus

    LEARN MORE

  • Strawberries

    Strawberries has these Actions in Common

    Improves-focus, Sialogogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Lemon

    Lemon has these Actions in Common

    Improves-focus, Sialogogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Green Mango

    Green Mango has these Actions in Common

    Improves-focus

    LEARN MORE

  • Umeboshi Plums

    Umeboshi Plums has these Actions in Common

    Improves-focus

    LEARN MORE

  • Pickle (Cucumber)

    Pickle (Cucumber) has these Actions in Common

    Sialogogue

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Metabolic Impact to Sauerkraut

  • Garcinia Cambogia Fruit

    Garcinia Cambogia Fruit has these Actions in Common

    Improves-focus, Sialogogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Triphala

    Triphala has these Actions in Common

    Improves-focus, Sialogogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Schisandra

    Schisandra has these Actions in Common

    Improves-focus, Sialogogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Amalaki

    Amalaki has these Actions in Common

    Improves-focus, Sialogogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Reduced lemon juice

    Reduced lemon juice has these Actions in Common

    Sialogogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Lateral Charana (Knee) - Leg Marma Point (Zanglingquan GB-34 in TCM)

    Lateral Charana (Knee) - Leg Marma Point (Zanglingquan GB-34 in TCM) has these Actions in Common

    Improves-focus

    LEARN MORE

  • Vomit Therapy (Vamana)

    Vomit Therapy (Vamana) has these Actions in Common

    Improves-focus

    LEARN MORE

  • Vacha (Calamus, Sweet Flag)

    Vacha (Calamus, Sweet Flag) has these Actions in Common

    Improves-focus

    LEARN MORE

  • Lobelia

    Lobelia has these Actions in Common

    Sialogogue

    LEARN MORE

  • Brahmi - Gotu Kola

    Brahmi - Gotu Kola has these Actions in Common

    Improves-focus

    LEARN MORE

  • Wild Ginger

    Wild Ginger has these Actions in Common

    Sialogogue

    LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Sauerkraut may temper these symptoms. The suitability of any food for a condition is highly dependent on the individual and constitution. Please see your doctor before using this food to treat a medical condition.

View other ingredients
for Autumn-Winter

Sauerkraut is recommended for Autumn-Winter. Check out these other Autumn-Winter foods here.
VIEW ALL AUTUMN-WINTER FOODS MORE FOODS FOR VATA MAIN INGREDIENT PAGE

Classsical Metabolic Theory: Strengthen Your Health Naturally

When your dietary choices align with your individual nature (constitution), it supports your metabolism, energy, and health naturally. A personalized diet, fitting to your constitution, leverages your natural strengths while gently supporting your body where it's vulnerable.

Classsical Metabolic Theory (CMT) is especially beneficial for digestion, a foundational pillar of health influencing your entire well-being. Balanced digestion fortifies your body's natural defenses against illness and enhances your resilience when illness does arise. A healthy digestive fire (*agni*) eases discomfort, speeds recovery, and naturally uplifts your mood.

By embracing CMT, you will soon experience a profound sense of renewal, vitality, and inner strength.

CONTINUE READING

Clinical Tools & Resources

Give smart recommendations to your clients, and improve efficiency in your clinic with these tools.

Create a Diet for
your client

Clinical Tools &
Resources

Master Ayurvedic
nutrition

About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, offers professional clinical training in personalized diet, lifestyle and herbs through Classical Metabolic Theory (Ayurveda & Greek Medicine). His approach is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful.

John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, classical Christian philosophy for mental wellness, languages (French, Arabic, Bengali), cooking & botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. John, his wife Natalie, and their 8 kids live in Asheville, NC.

Learn More
Please update link

upcoming courses

About the College Apply for a Scholarship
Monthly payment plans available.

The Practitioner's Path

Enroll for $250 / month. Starts Mon Oct 12.

Master Natural Digestion & Nutrition - Advanced Gut Health Certification

Enroll for $250 / month. Starts Tue Oct 13.

Fundamentals of Natural Medicine - Master Personalized Diet, Lifestyle & Herbs (Level 1)

Enroll for $250 / month. Starts Aug 2027.

Clinical Specialist in Natural Medicine - Counselor Level Certification (Level 2)

Enroll for $250 / month. Starts Aug 2027.

What is Ayurveda?

Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’

Comments & Questions About 'Sauerkraut'

Do you like 'sauerkraut'? Why or why not? What makes it unique? Is there something else you'd like to know about 'sauerkraut'?

(5.00 out of 5 stars) 2 ratings, 147 likes
Sign in to review or comment

cardamama
2013-06-26
“I thought that ferments were beneficial for pitta... not so? "
Like Reply
Kimberly Kubicke Asbury park, NJ
2016-09-08
“Fermented foods are generally contraindicated for Pitta."
Like Reply
ENZYME DEFICIENCIES

ENZYME DEFICIENCIES

Free Sample Class
BOOKS BY JOYFUL BELLY

BOOKS BY JOYFUL BELLY

GET YOUR FREE CHART
Master Ayurvedic Digestion & Nutrition

Master Ayurvedic Digestion & Nutrition

Enroll Today

Join Joyful Belly

Want our natural Metabolic recipes and health tips?
Subscribe to our free newsletter!

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information and products on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.