Sauerkraut…the perfect condiment that we all grew up with. Actually, to be honest, the very first time that I ever tried sauerkraut was less than two months ago. I can gladly say that it was homemade – by me! It was a bit different making something that I’ve never even tried before, not knowing what it’s suppose to taste like. It’s actually a very fun & invigorating experience. The photo above is my half eaten batch made from purple cabbage.
Sauerkraut holds a powerful punch of healthy nutrients. For anyone who doesn’t know what it even is – sauerkraut is finely shredded cabbage that has undergone a fermentation process by lactic acid bacteria. This (good) bacteria is present in raw cabbage, therefore the only ingredient needed to make this is the cabbage itself.
Fermented foods can be such an amazing addition to your meals because they provide us with good bacteria – probiotics – which aid digestion, produce enzymes, and promote a healthy flora colony in your digestive tract. Many digestive problems come from the lack of these good guys in our gut and adding fermented vegetables to your diet will promote growth and succession of the good vs bad bacteria ratio.
Sauerkraut, made from cabbage (a cancer fighting warrior), is also a very rich source of Vitamin C. Preservation in a brine (the juices of the cabbage) prevents the vitamin C from being oxidized. Also containing acetylcholine, Vitamin B-12 (hey hey vegetarians!), manganese, Vitamin-B6, folate, enzymes, and glutamine. Glutamine is an amino acid which is amazing anti-inflammatory properties (also amazing for the gut!).
If you’re going to eat sauerkraut you have to know that there is a strict difference between homemade and store-bought. Homemade contains all of the goodness previously mentioned, while store-bought sauerkraut is a wild guess. Most brands have been pasteurized, meaning it has been heated up during its process, which also kills the good bacteria, What’s the point of eating it then? Killing bacteria = killing the point of eating this stuff!
Here’s the recipe that I used when I made my first sauerkraut. It’s easy & fun….but make sure your muscles are wide awake and ready for action.
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Easy Homemade Sauerkraut
Use organic cabbage (purple makes it very colourful), as their bacteria has not been tainted with by sprays or genetic modification.
Clean the cabbage well and shred it finely.
Put all of your shreddings into a big bowl, add a pinch of salt, and then pound the living crap out of it with your hands, a big wooden spoon, or anything that can assist you in this step. Keep pounding away at it until you notice juices at the bottom of your bowl and the cabbage pieces are translucent.
Press your cabbage into a jar and pound it a bit more. Make sure to fill it only about 80% full as it expands during the fermentation process. Keep the jar on your counter top for about three days and then transfer over to your fridge.
Wait about 2 weeks and try it – it should be ready to go! It’s actually quite an exciting process to do, watch, and reap the benefits from. Try it 
