How do you feel about sauerkraut? Do you like it? Coming from German heritage, I remember my family eating it semi-often. Mostly at my great grandmother’s house. She was an amazing cook and made the more interesting meals at times. She made frog’s legs, and would always tell us kids it was just small chicken. My favorite was soup in a turtle shell. She was a prime example to me of living off the land. She utilized her resources and made the best of what she could catch and prepare herself. She was happy and it made those around her feel the same.
As a kid I would eat sauerkraut but it wasn’t my favorite. If I could select a meal without it, I would. It wasn’t until recently that I started to learn the value of this interesting food. To be honest, I didn’t even know what it was. Do you?
Plain and simply, sauerkraut is fermented cabbage. What is the value of fermenting cabbage? Let me list just a few facts that make it a super food:
- It has NO fat! If you are calorie and fat conscious, this would be a big plus to you.
- It is HIGH in fiber! This helps to keep your intestines clear and healthy.
- It is HIGH in manganese! This is important for bone health as well as over all organ function.
- It is HIGH in iron! For those of us that are plant based eaters, this is an important thing to get in our food.
- It contains NATURAL probiotics! This will boost your gut health without needing to take a single probiotic supplement.
- It is a GOOD bacteria booster! Doing so can help you fight things dangerous to you such as virus, bacteria, parasites, infection, etc.
- It will CHANGE your gut’s microbiome! It is high in fiber and low in fat. Higher probiotic count causes your body to not absorb as much fat from your foods.
- It gives MENTAL clarity! The more probiotics in your system, the more healthy you will feel overall. Brain, organ, digestive tract, will all benefit. When you are healthier, you will feel more happy.
- It REDUCES DNA damage! Cancer is mutation to your cells. Studies have shown it helps to protect the health of your DNA.
- It is HIGH in Vitamin K! This vitamin helps to prevent calcium from building up in your arteries. This is an amazing way to reduce the risk of heart disease.
- It contains HEALTHY protein! This will help you to digest your meals and decrease your chances of dealing with heartburn.
- It INCREASES your healing rate! This means as our bodies age and slow down in healing, it can help to speed this back up.
- It LOWERS cholesterol! Cholesterol is a build up of fat in your arteries and veins which can lead to heart attack or stroke.
- It helps BREAKDOWN the foods you eat! If added to meats or other hard to digest foods, it can actually help your body to break down those items.
- It can COMBAT the negative effects of antibiotics! If you have an infections that requires treatment with antibiotics, you will need something that will work to promote good bacteria growth. Antibiotics kill all bacteria in your body, the good and the bad. This can cause gastrointestinal issues.
I had a head of cabbage in my fridge and decided to jump in with both feet and attempt to make my own sauerkraut. Homemade anything is always better than store bought in quality, taste and benefit. It was super easy to make. You finely chop the cabbage into a large bowl, thoroughly salt the cabbage with sea salt, then massage the cabbage squeezing it. This and the salt will release the water in the cabbage. Do this until you see a good amount of water and the shredded cabbage looks soggy. Place the cabbage into a large canning jar, the size you would use for sun tea. Pour any liquid over the cabbage. Use a smaller jar and fill it with stones and push down the cabbage so it is under the liquid. Cover the whole thing with cheesecloth and a rubber band. Push down the cabbage now and then so it stays below the water level. Let sit until day 3 and taste it. If you like the taste, screw the lid on and put it in the fridge. If you want more of a sour flavor, leave it for a couple more days and taste again until you are happy with the taste.
Despite the fact that sauerkraut is a super food, you don’t want to over-indulge. There can be some serious negatives if you over eat this food when your body isn’t used to it. Be sure to ease into eating it and increase your intake slowly over time.
How do you feel about sauerkraut? Do you love it or hate it? Have you made it yourself or know someone who has made it for you? I want to hear from you in the comments!
Sources: https://simplyhealth.today/14-amazing-health-benefits-of-sauerkraut/15/; https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/science/microbiome/index.cfm; https://bestprobioticsinfo.com/sauerkraut-effects-bad/