Sauerkraut is quite common these days and easy to pick up in local health food stores. However, making your own at home is also fun and easy and a great way to use up a big cabbage! Not to mention all the healthy benefits that fermented foods also offer.

While pickled or fermented foods like sauerkraut may seem quite new, they have actually been around for centuries and were once very valuable in the era before refrigeration. The fermentation process of sauerkraut is similar to the process of making kimchi or pickles, meaning that heat is not applied during the process, as this will kill the bacteria that makes the fermentation process possible.

As well as being delicious, Sauerkraut contains high levels of dietary fibre as well as significant levels of Vitamin A, C, K and B vitamins. Furthermore, it is a good source of iron, copper, manganese, sodium, magnesium and copper in addition to contributing a moderate amount of protein to your diet.

The same beneficial microorganisms that create lactic acid in our digestive system are naturally present in all vegetables and are responsible for turning raw cabbage into highly-digestible sauerkraut. The fermentation process increases the number of microorganisms dramatically.

When we eat sauerkraut we reap the benefits of absorbing an entire ecosystem into our own internal ecosystem. The lactic acid from the sauerkraut offers a tremendous source of beneficial bacteria that supports our digestive function and keeps our inner ecology healthy and balanced.

According to leading holistic nutritionists, incorporating unpasteurized lacto-fermented vegetables into the diet on a daily basis makes for excellent digestion.

Making your own sauerkraut at home may feel daunting, but you will be pleased to know that the recipe is very easy and the process almost foolproof. So, if you are also new to the world of fermentation, give this recipe a try. Once you get the base recipe down, you can experiment by using other types of cabbage or vegetables and adding in other flavours or spices like caraway, chili or mustard too.

Ingredients:

– 1 medium head of green cabbage
– 1 tablespoon of sea salt
– purified water

Method:

Remove three of the outer leaves of the cabbage and set aside.

Very finely chop the entire cabbage (discarding the hard core) either with a regular knife on with the slicing blade in a food processor.
Place the cabbage in a large bowl and add the sea salt.

With your hands, massage the cabbage until it begins to break down. It will release its liquid and wilt in size. Keep massaging for around ten minutes until you have soft cabbage with lots of juice.

Pack the cabbage into clean glass jars, pushing down as you go so that the cabbage remains submerged in liquid. Leave around one inch at the top of the jar and then take the outer cabbage leaves you reserved and roll them up, inserting them into the jar to push down the cabbage to ensure all of it is underneath the liquid.

Place the lid on loosely and set in a relatively cool, dry place for around 7 days. Over the days, the cabbage will bubble a little and appear cloudy, remove any scum that may appear with a spoon. When ready, remove and discard the outer cabbage leaves and keep refrigerated.

Add to any meal you like for an added probiotic boost!