Sauerkraut — What’s the Big Deal?

There is it . . . finally . . . after I donated three heads of cabbage to my compost pile.  It seems there is a strong element of procrastination when I am attempting a new activity.  Well, not every one.  There was nothing holding me back when I decided to build my shed.  But sauerkraut . . . well, that was a different story.  And, it isn’t that hard to do.  It takes maybe . . . 20 minutes.  Now, I am on my way.

So sauerkraut.  Why is it important?  First, it is a great way to preserve food.  It wasn’t that long ago that people didn’t have refrigeration.  It still needs to be kept cool after it’s made but it can last up to a year.  So, if we want to be prepared for the future, this is good to know how to do.

Second, it contains probiotics.  Fermenting foods is what people did, and we are missing out on those probiotics in our body.  Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are are good for our intestines.  Your standard canned sauerkraut doesn’t have any probiotics because it is heated in the canning process.

There are other beneficial fermented foods and drinks like kim chi, kefir, and kombucha tea.  I am sure there are many more..

I have to say, my sauerkraut tastes really good.  It is amazing how it makes that transformation from cabbage to sauerkraut.  They recommend having it sit for 2 weeks.  Mine sat for 7 days.  I may try being a little more patient and comparing the difference.

Kim chi is next.  That has garlic, ginger, and cayenne added to it.  Nothing better to spice up a breakfast with!