The Guardian - Life & Style • Feb. 7, 2026, 1:26 p.m.

Crunch, sourness and full of nourishment – but which jar of fermented cabbage is a cut above the rest? The best supermarket kombuchas When eaten raw, this sour, umami-rich and complex condiment is one of the simplest and most nourishing whole foods in the world.

Made by fermenting cabbage, and other vegetables, with spices and salt (the standard salt-to-cabbage ratio is 2% salt by total weight of cabbage, but a little either way is neither good nor bad, unless you’re actively avoiding salt), a little sauerkraut on the side of my plate each day is how I ensure I get my daily dose of probiotics. To stabilise the product, some sauerkrauts are heat-treated or pasteurised.

This is great for shelf-life but kills the beneficial bacteria and probiotic benefits.

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