Sauerkraut has withstood the test of time and gained widespread popularity as a renowned side dish and condiment in various cultures, particularly in Germany where it is considered a national dish. The name "sauerkraut" originates from the German words "Sauer" (sour) and "Kraut" (cabbage). This dish is prepared through a unique lacto-fermentation process, which not only imparts a tangy flavour but also grants it an extended shelf life. Its roots can be traced back over 2000 years to China, where slaves constructing the Great Wall survived on a diet mainly composed of cabbage and rice. To preserve the finely sliced cabbage, they utilized rice vinegar and fermentation, a common method in those times to prevent food spoilage. Through this fermentation process, sauerkraut gains a wealth of nutritional and health benefits that surpass those found in fresh cabbage.
Explore this article to know about the health benefits of sauerkraut and the step-by-step process to make it at home.
Also Read: Top 3 Vegan Probiotic Foods To Boost Your Overall Health
Nutritional Value of Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut comes with a wealth of nutrients essential for optimal health and well-being. A serving or one cup (142 grams) offers:
- Calories: 27
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbs: 6 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Protein: 1 gram
- Sodium: 41% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Vitamin C: 23% of the DV
- Vitamin K1: 15% of the DV
- Iron: 12% of the DV
- Manganese: 9% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 11% of the DV
- Folate: 9% of the DV
- Copper: 15% of the DV
- Potassium: 5% of the DV
*As Per The USDA
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Sauerkraut, being a product of fermentation, offers exceptional nutritional value as microorganisms digest the natural sugars in cabbage, transforming them into carbon dioxide and organic acids. Fermentation begins when yeast and bacteria that are present on the cabbage and your hands, as well as in the atmosphere encounter the sugars in the cabbage. In addition, sauerkraut fermentation makes favourable conditions that support the growth of beneficial probiotics, which are also found in yogurt and kefir. While probiotics are good bacteria that confer incredible health incentives. They also make foods easily digestible that increases the gut’s ability to assimilate vitamins and minerals. It is essential to note that sauerkraut contains higher levels of sodium compared to fresh cabbage. If you are mindful of your salt intake, it's important to consider this aspect when enjoying sauerkraut.
Potential Health Benefits
Eases Inflammation
Packed with powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory actions sauerkraut helps to curtail oxidative stress, thus safeguarding the body from free radical damage. The richness of phytochemicals supports the healing of any inflammation in the system. Resveratrol, anthocyanins, and curcumin are phytochemicals that inhibit prostaglandin production. The presence of prostaglandin is considered the main cause of inflammation.
Aside from these, sauerkraut contains ample reserves of enzymes, vitamins, good bacteria and lactic acid that sustains the gut healthy and inflammation-free.
Also Read: 5 Awesome Wellness Incentives Of Probiotics - Infographic
Bolsters Immune System
Being intrinsically rich in iron, sauerkraut triggers metabolism and improves blood circulation. Thus, providing the human body with high energy and boosting the immune system. While it also keeps up a healthy gut microbiome that improves antibodies actions by averting the growth of harmful bacteria. Consuming a spoonful of sauerkraut daily can avert several infections like UTI, common cold and flu.
Augments Cardiac Health
The goodness of probiotics, vitamin K, and fibre content in sauerkraut support keeping the cardiovascular system healthy and functioning. Dietary fibre is valuable in diminishing cholesterol levels and maintaining lipid profiles. While vitamin K holds a key role in controlling calcium in the body and blood clotting, by preventing calcium deposits from building -up in the arteries and helps maintain heart health.
Supports Weight Loss
Incorporating sauerkraut as part of the diet regimen may help maintain and lose weight. It is high in probiotics, dietary fibre and low in calories, thus keeping you satiated for a longer time, even with a reduced calorie intake. Also, the abundance of soluble fibre suppresses appetite and maintains gut bacteria.
Besides these, a few studies have shown that probiotics in sauerkraut reduce fat absorption through diet, helping you to lose weight.
Brain Health
Fuelling your tummy with a good lot of nutrients can make you calm, relaxed and stress-free. Fermented food like sauerkraut packed with probiotics may help ease stress and promote brain health. It can also keep away you from depression, anxiety, autism, and certain Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Apart from this, it is imbued with magnesium and zinc, these components promote high serotonin and dopamine secretion (happy hormones), which keeps you calm and happy.
Prevents Cancer
Sauerkraut is highly beneficial in lowering the risk of cancer. Being a powerhouse of antioxidants and other bioactive compounds, it lessens the chance of a tumour by neutralising the harmful effects of free radicals in the system. Plant compounds in sauerkraut avert cell damage. Cell mutation, increased cell growth and DNA damage may develop tumours. Regular intake of sauerkraut aids in suppressing the precancerous cells from growing.
Fortifies Bones
The richness of vitamin K 2 in sauerkraut assists in maintaining bones strong and healthy. Vitamin K2 activates the specific protein that binds to calcium, thus improving bone health and maintaining them strong over a period. Further, it also activates the formation and mineralisation of protein involved in bone development.
Healthy Skin
Suaerkraut comes with vast reserves of vitamins including vitamin C, K and A that aids to keep your skin supple and radiant. Vitamin C supports keeping the skin healthy and lustrous by promoting collagen production. It also combats free radicals from damaging healthy skin cells. While vitamin A aids avert sun damage by limiting collagen breakdown. Besides these, sauerkraut rich in sulfur is immensely valuable for reducing skin inflammation and optimising cell turnover.
How to Make sauerkraut At Home?
Well, making sauerkraut at home is a very simple and inexpensive process. It is made using a pickling process that preserves and increases the shelf-life of the product by anaerobic fermentation in brine. The pickling process is called lacto fermentation.
Lacto Fermentation
In the initial stage, anaerobic bacteria will act upon the cabbage and produce carbon dioxide and lactic acid. The bacteria further dies when it fails to deal with the highly acidic environment. Lactobacillus species replace those bacteria species to handle the highly acidic condition well. Hence, sauerkraut contains more lactobacillus bacteria than yoghurt. The cabbage is further fermented in the remaining sugar making it richer in lactic acid. This process continues until the mixture reaches a pH of about 3 and fermentation process stops and now sauerkraut is ready to be stored.
Ingredients
1 medium-sized green cabbage
1 tablespoon salt (non-iodised)
3 shredded carrots
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
I litre glass jar to store sauerkraut and smaller jar to press it down and a weighing scale to measure the cabbage mixture.
Method
Take carrots and garlic in a large bowl.
Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and then shred it well.
Add this into the large bowl with carrot and garlic mix.
Add salt and blend it into the cabbage mixture for 2-3 minutes until the brine starts depositing at the bottom of the bowl.
Now store this mixture in a clean 1-litre glass jar, pressing well to eliminate air pockets. Add the remaining brine to the jar. Ensure the mixture is wholly submerged, as air in the jar promotes the growth of harmful bacteria.
Trim the cabbage leaf set aside before, to the size of the jar opening to prevent veggies from floating to the surface.
Place a small jar without a lid inside the larger jar on top of the mixture, as this will help to hold the mixture below the brine during fermentation.
Leave the lid slightly loose to let gases escape during the fermentation process.
Keep it at room temperature, out of direct sunlight for 1-4 weeks.
Things To Consider While Buying Suaerkraut
Sauerkraut is readily available in most supermarkets, however, not all varieties are the same. Keep these simple tips in mind to get the most out of store-bought sauerkraut.
- Avoid pasteurized ones as this process typically destroys beneficial probiotics
- Most store-bought sauerkraut contains preservatives that may reduce the probiotic count
- Read the label and check if sugar or any other ingredient is added. Avoid added sugars
Precautions
Sauerkraut is highly valuable for optimising overall health. However, if taken in excess amounts may result in side effects including constipation, flatulence, and bloating.
The recommended daily intake of sauerkraut is one teaspoon per day. It is better to have it with food to avoid overconsumption. Having sauerkraut first thing in the morning with your breakfast is regarded as the preferred time to consume. People with sensitive gut should avoid eating it in large quantities as it can lead to abdominal cramps.
Furthermore, hypertensive, and renal patients should avoid taking it due to its high salt content.
Conclusion
Sauerkraut is an impressive source of probiotics and other vital nutrients that confers umpteen health incentives when taken in small amounts. It is abundant in Vitamins C, K, B6, manganese, iron, zinc, folate, protein, and fibre. Being low in calories and high on fibre it is a perfect food to include in your diet regimen and attain your fitness goal. Further, it is attributed to have anti-cancer and health immune boosting qualities. While it also maintains a healthy gut, brain and heart health.
