Sauerkraut properties contraindications It is believed that sauerkraut arrived in Europe at the hands of the Tatar nomads, who in turn would have discovered fermented cabbage in China, a country that has a varied and extremely ancient tradition in the field of fermentation.
Sauerkraut is the Spanish name; in German it is called sauerkraut, and the French know it as sauerkraut. It is prepared in various styles throughout Europe, depending on the region; For example, in the war-torn lands of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, cabbage is often fermented whole, in large barrels.
A variant of Russian origin uses apples to sweeten the final product. The Germans, for their part, are so associated with chucmt that they are called, in pejorative jargon, «krauts.» Let’s see, next, properties of sauerkraut contraindications
Sauerkraut properties
It has been known for a long time that the cabbage or cabbage and other vegetables from the Brassicaceae family (such as broccolicauliflower, Brussels sprouts, mustard, kale, collard greens, bok choi, and many more) contain a host of cancer-fighting nutrients, but in the case of fermented cabbage, that property is magnified.
According to a new Finnish study, published in the Journal of Agrkulture and Food Chemistry, fermentation breaks down the glucosinolates in cabbage into compounds called isothiocyanates, which are already known to fight cancer. “We are discovering that fermented cabbage could be healthier than raw cabbage or cooked, especially to fight cancer,» says Eeva-Liisa Ryhanen, one of the report’s authors.
The fermentation of cabbage, until it becomes sauerkraut, is not the work of a single microorganism (hence why it is considered a food probiotic). This preparation, like most fermented ones, requires a succession of different microbe species; and the same is true of life in a forest, where a number of different trees make up the dominant species, each altering the general conditions in favor of the next.
A bacterium called coliform initiates the fermentation and, while it is in charge of producing acid, the environment becomes more favorable for the leuconostoc bacteria. The coliform population decreases as the leuconostoc population increases.
As the acid continues to increase and the pH decreases, the leuconostoc is followed by the lactobacilli. As you can see, fermentation consists of a succession of three different types of bacteria, determined by the increasingly high degree of acidity.
Do not be discouraged by the biological complexity of the transformation. That happens on its own once you provide the simple conditions that are needed. Sauerkraut is very easy to prepare.
How to prepare sauerkraut or fermented cabbage
First it is necessary to know that the total preparation time of a sauerkraut is approximately 4 weeks (or more).
The necessary material consists of a ceramic pot or plastic bucket suitable for food use, with a capacity of 4 liters (1 gallon) or plus 1 plate that will fit inside the pot or bucket. 1 1-gallon (4-liter) jug filled with water and a cloth to cover (such as a pillowcase or towel)
As for the ingredients, these are 2 kilos/5 pounds of cabbage and 3 tablespoons/45 ml of sea salt
The process is the following:
1 Cut or grate the cabbage, into fine or thick pieces, including or not its central part; as you prefer. I love to mix red and green cabbage together for a hot pink sauerkraut. Place the vegetable in a large bowl while you cut it.
2 Add salt as you cut. The salt removes the water from the cabbage (by osmosis), and that creates the brine in which it can ferment and sour without going into a state of putrefaction. Salt also helps keep cabbage crisp by inhibiting cabbage softening organisms and enzymes. Roughly speaking, about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of salt is enough for 2 kilos (5 pounds) of cabbage.
3 Add other vegetables, if you like. grate carrots if you want to get a sauerkraut that looks like coleslaw. Other items I usually add are onions, garlic, seaweed, leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, whole baby cabbage, turnips, beets and cadillo roots. You can also incorporate fruits (apples, whole or in pieces, are the most classic) and herbs and spices (the seeds of carawayof dill, of celery and the juniper are also the most classic, although you can try the ones you want). experiment.
4 Mix all the ingredients and pour them into the bowl. Do it little by little, so that you can crush each «layer» with your fists or any other heavy kitchen implement. By exerting pressure you get the sauerkraut to be well compressed in the vessel and the cabbage gives off water.
5 Cover the sauerkraut with a plate or other lid that fits snugly inside the crock. Next, place a clean weight (such as a glass jar filled with water) on the lid. This weight fulfills the function of keeping the cabbage submerged under the brine. Cover everything with a cloth to keep out dust and flies.
6 Push down on the weight to add even more pressure to the cabbage and force it to continue releasing water. Repeat this action periodically (as often as you deem appropriate, every several hours) until the brine rises and is above the level of the lid. This can take up to 24 hours, as the salt causes the cabbage to slowly release water.
Some cabbages, especially if they are old, contain less liquid; so if the brine does not rise to cover the dish the next day, add enough salted water to do so. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of salt to 1 cup (250 ml) of water and stir until completely dissolved.
7 Let ferment. I usually keep the pot in a discreet corner of the kitchen where it doesn’t bother anyone and I don’t forget it. You can also leave it in a cool cellar if you want a slower fermentation that preserves the product for longer.
8 Check how the sauerkraut is doing every day or two, keeping in mind that the volume reduces as the fermentation progresses. Sometimes mold appears on the surface; many books call it «dirt,» but I prefer to think of it as a sprout. Get rid of all the mold you can; keep in mind, however, that it will split and you probably won’t be able to remove it all. Don’t worry.
It is only a superficial phenomenon resulting from contact with air; the sauerkraut is under the anaerobic protection of the brine. Remove the plate and weight, and taste the cabbage. Generally speaking, it begins to taste sour after a few days, and the flavor intensifies as time goes on.
9 Subjected to the low temperatures of a cellar in winter it can continue to improve for months and months. In summer or in a heated room, its life cycle is faster. In the end, the sauerkraut softens and its taste is less pleasant.
Enjoy it. I usually pour the sauerkraut into a bowl or jar and keep it in the fridge; I start tasting it when it is young and enjoy the evolution of its flavor over the following weeks. Also try the juice from the sauerkraut left in the bowl when you eat the vegetables: it’s a very rare delicacy and a digestive tonic like no other.
Every time you take some sauerkraut out of the crock, don’t forget to put the lid back on properly. Make sure the sauerkraut is well pressed into the crock, that its surface is flat, and that the lid and weight are still clean.
Sometimes the brine evaporates; so if you notice that the sauerkraut is not submerged, simply add as much salted water as you need. Let’s see, next, the contraindications sauerkraut.
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sauerkraut contraindications
Sauerkraut Contraindications Trying new fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, can introduce an entirely different group of foods to your digestive system. At first, discomfort and disturbances may be experienced. Then slowly over time your digestive system will stabilize as a new balance is found.
The most common contraindications and side effects include:
gas and bloating
nausea and diarrhea
Dizziness and racing heart
It’s important to note that a strong reaction isn’t always a bad thing, especially if you’ve just started consuming sauerkraut. However, if the reaction resembles an allergy or exasperates allergy symptoms, it is recommended to avoid that particular type of ferment in the future.
Along those lines, people with histamine intolerance should be careful introducing sauerkraut or tempeh or any of the other fermented foods, either because they are high in histamine or because yeast or mold are involved in the fermentation process. If you have any questions about the properties of sauerkraut contraindications, you can ask them in the comments section.
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