As you know from the Apricot Coleslaw post I have cabbage coming out of my ears over here in Pearltopia. What better to do with it than make sauerkraut?! Sauerkraut actually means sour cabbage. It gets the sour taste from the lactic acid produced when bacteria ferments sugars in cabbage. Yep that’s right, eating sauerkraut means you are eating the bacteria too, yummy.
The bacteria in our guts have a huge impact on our health. They protect the intestinal lining, assist the immune system, break down food, produce nutrients, and can even modulate inflammation in the body. Research has demonstrated that a imbalance in gut bacteria may also play a role in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract including Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis, cancer, formation of gallstones, obesity, allergies, type 1 diabetes, obesity, and possibly even autism [1].
Consuming probiotic foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and other fermented vegetables can help to suppress pathogenic bacteria, help treat diarrhea, relieve symptoms of IBS, improve lactose intolerance, prevent cancers of the GI tract, decrease inflammation, improve immune functioning, increase nutrient absorption, and may assist in the prevention of the above illnesses [2, 3]. So, SAUERKRAUT FOR EVERYONE!
Ingredients
- ½ head cabbage, core removed and finely shredded
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 T salt
- 1 T cumin
- ½ tsp coarse ground black pepper
- ½ cup lukewarm water
Instructions
- Add cabbage, garlic, salt, cumin, and pepper to a large bowl
- Using your hands, squeeze the cabbage and spices together and continue to mix until the cabbage becomes limp
- Transfer cabbage and juices from bowl to a mason jar and pack as tightly as you can
- Add water to jar (if necessary) to ensure all cabbage is below the water line
- Cover loosely (I used a paper towel and a rubber band)
- Keep the kraut in a cool dark place like your pantry for 7-10 days
- After fermentation process is completed refrigerate and serve cold
Let’s hear it…
What fermented foods are in your diet?
Let me know in the comments!
