RAW SAUERKRAUT

Laurie’s Raw & Organic Juniper & Black Pepper Beet Kraut

410g, £5.49, health food shops and ocado.com

CLAIM: Laurie’s describes its products as ‘tummy loving’. This sauerkraut is made from beetroot, red cabbage, red onion and garlic and is ‘naturally cultured’ for a ‘hint of zing’.

VERDICT: Many shop-bought sauerkrauts will have been heat-treated, which will kill off all the live bacteria produced during fermentation. This one is raw, but the manufacturer doesn’t say how much bacteria is in it.

It does contain added salt. Salt is added to fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, as a preservative and to draw out water to make brine, which encourages the growth of lactic acid bacteria that can help with digestion. This has 1.7g salt per 100g, which is high, and the recommended 70g serving would provide 1.2g — 20 per cent of the maximum daily intake.