Sauerkraut
Traditionally made sauerkraut is a powerful probiotic food with health benefits

This process of lacto-fermentation involves placing the vegetables and fruit in brine and letting bacteria turn the sugars there into lactic acid.  This was used initially as a food preservation process, but its benefits have now made it the essential process for home-made probiotics foods.  These probiotics kill off bad pathogens in the intestines such as bacteria, yeast and viruses.  For this reason, they are thought to be able to kill off cancer-causing toxins in the body, particularly those that cause colon cancer.  These probiotics also increase the amount of certain vitamins in your body - vitamin K, folic acid, vitamins B3 and B6.  

One common food made from this lacto-fermentation process is pickled vegetables.  You can pickle practically anything.  When it comes to vegetables, the most commonly pickled ones are carrots, cucumbers, garlic and even mushrooms.  We’ve already looked at other pickled vegetables, but the most popular of all pickled vegetables is sauerkraut.  It’s actually a German word, translated as ‘sour cabbage’, and that’s exactly what it is.  The fermentation process here acts on the sugar in the cabbage turning it to lactic acid.  This in turn prevents the cabbage from spoiling.  

One of the main benefits of sauerkraut is that it is rich in vitamin C, enzymes, and lactobacilli (the essential probiotics we’re seeking).  In fact, this is true of any fermented cabbage dish.  It is said to be healthier to eat lactic cabbage than any raw vegetable!  This means the continued benefits of sauerkraut are boosting the immune system and better overall digestion. 

Make it Yourself
To make sauerkraut is quite easy as all the ingredients can be bought from your local supermarket (green or purple head cabbage, and sea salt).  Make sure you have a large jar to place the finished product

1.Core and chop your cabbage into a bowl.  You can make the slices as large or as small as you want. 

2.Measure out 3 teaspoons of salt for every 1½ pounds of cabbage.  You may need to guess a bit here.

3.Toss the cabbage and salt whilst squeezing the cabbage.  The cabbage will soon start bringing out its liquids.  You could also use a mortar and pestle for the same effect

4.The cabbage should taste very salty before you start packing it into the jar.  If it isn’t, add more salt 

5.Pack the cabbage carefully, avoiding making any air bubbles.  Make a brine with 1 tsp of salt to 1 cup of water (not very salty), and slowly pour over the cabbage.

6.Cover the jar tightly and place in a part of the kitchen that is relatively warm.  Leave for 24hours.  If you live in the West, it’s best to do this in the summer months to get the right ambient temperature.

7.It takes a between 1 and 4 weeks to ferment.  You can taste is daily to make sure it gets to the taste you are comfortable with.

Sauerkraut is also sold in jars in shops.  Unfortunately, most commercially available sauerkraut is made with vinegar or are pasteurized.  Vinegar is used as it speeds up the fermentation process.  The pasteurisation process involves heating and is used to ensure a long shelf-life.  Using either process means any bacteria that would have been alive in the mix will be killed in the process.  So it’s really best to make your own to ensure you’re getting that essential microflora in your gut.  Some producers have made plans to have organic, unpasteurized sauerkraut in shops.   These will have to be refrigerated to ensure the live bacterial cultures are not affected.  If you do find these in your local shop, make sure you check the label to ensure sodium benzoate hasn’t been added.  This is preservative is usually found in vinegar, and is used to prolong shelf life.  In short, homemade is best.

Next: Probiotic Soy Foods

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