Glastonbury Ferments
Live, Raw, Probiotic, Fermented Food & Drinks
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What is Sauerkraut?
A Brief History
Fermented foods have existed in many cultures throughout history with Sauerkraut being one of the most well-known traditional fermented cabbage dishes. Chinese pickled cabbage or suan cai has existed as far back as the building of The Great Wall!
The practice then spread from Asia to Cenral and Eastern Europe with the Tartars. Roman were also particularly partial to a piece of pickle. Cato (in his De Agri Cultura) and Columella (in his De re Rustica) mentioned preserving cabbages and turnips with salt.
Pickled cabbage spread all over Europe to countries including the Netherlands (zuurkool), France (choucroute) and to Britain where it borrowed from the German for "sour cabbage".
What are the benifits of Sauerkraut?
Nutritional Value of Sauerkraut
The fermentation process that Sauerkraut undergoes is what makes it particularly nutritious. Yeast and naturally present bacteria that are present on the cabbage, in the air and on your hands come into contact with the sugars in the cabbage. Fermenting cabbage to make Sauerkraut causes the bacteria to digest the natural sugars and convert them into carbon dioxide and organic acids.
Sauerkraut fermentation creates conditions that promote the growth of beneficial probiotics. It's a similar process when creating products like yogurt and kefir which contain similar probiotics.
Probiotic bacteria provide many proven health benefits as well as helping make foods more digestible. This increases your gut’s ability to absorb the vitamins and minerals contained in your food.
Did You Know...Your gut is said to contain over 100 trillion microorganisms or “gut flora,” which is more than 10 times the total number of cells in your body.
Our unpasteurized sauerkraut is rich in gut friendly probiotics. These are the beneficial bacteria that act as a first line of defence against toxins and harmful bacteria. They also improve your digestion and overall health. Sauerkraut is a rich source of vitamins, minerals and fibre and it's these probiotics that help your body absorb nutrients more easily. This makes sauerkraut more nutritious than raw cabbage or coleslaw.
Research shows that probiotics help reduce gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and symptoms linked to Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
How Sauerkraut Helps with Digestion
Fun Fact...1 gram of sauerkraut may contain 1,000–100 million probiotic colony-forming units CFUs.
Different probiotic strains provide different advantages to gut health. Consuming a wide variety of strains may give you a broader range of health benefits. Research has reported that one serving of Sauerkraut may contain up to 28 distinct bacterial strains.
Does Sauerkraut Help My Immune System?
Did You Know...The bacteria that populate your gut can have a strong influence on your immune system.
Sauerkraut is a source of immune-boosting probiotics and nutrients.
The probiotics found in sauerkraut can help improve the balance of bacteria in your gut, which helps keep your gut lining healthy. A stronger gut lining helps prevent unwanted substances from “leaking” into your body and causing an immune response. Maintaining a healthy gut flora also helps prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and may even boost the production of natural antibodies.
Consuming probiotic foods like sauerkraut may reduce your risk of developing infections, such as the common cold and urinary tract infections. If you do get sick, regularly consuming probiotic-rich foods may help you recover faster.
In addition to being a source of probiotics, sauerkraut is rich in vitamin C and iron, both of which are essential to a healthy immune system. Upping your vitamin C intake when you have the common cold may help you get rid of symptoms more quickly.
Other Health Benefits of Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut’s low calorie, high fibre, and high probiotic content may help prevent weight gain and promote the loss of unwanted body fat.
Sauerkraut promotes healthy gut flora and may increase the absorption of mood-regulating minerals from your diet. Both of these effects help reduce stress and maintain brain health.
The fiber, probiotic, and vitamin K2 contents of sauerkraut may contribute to lower cholesterol levels, slight improvements in blood pressure, and a lower risk of heart disease.
Sauerkraut contains vitamin K2, a nutrient that promotes healthier, stronger bones.
