We are now in the fast lane towards fall, and as we all know, with cooler weather comes the dreaded flu season. The kids are at school bringing home unwanted germs that can affect the entire house and put it out of commission for a week or more. Well, what if I told you there’s a great way to easily boost your immune system and get ahead of that unwanted guest, without a flu shot that MAY or may not prevent the strain that’s going around? One word: PROBIOTICS!
But not just any old probiotic. REAL probiotics that you can make at home for pennies. Probiotics that go to work right away balancing your gut, helping it absorb the good stuff from the food you eat, and delivering immediate results. If there was a health problem that requires serious attention right now, it would be a damaged digestive system. The “gateway to health,” aka the gut, has been severely abused through antibiotics, prescription drugs, heavy metal intake, pesticides, fluoride intake, processed foods, and lack of products. fresh organic foods that contain beneficial enzymes and probiotics.
Fermented foods are AMAZING for probiotic health and easier to digest than any pill. Miso (fermented soybeans), umeboshi paste (Japanese salted plums, DELICIOUS) and sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) added to your diet can take care of your gut, they are easily absorbed by the body because they are already broken down and help absorb nutrients of the food you eat.
This is where sauerkraut, the king of probiotics, reigns supreme. Due to its nutrient and digestion friendly content, it may very well be the most important thing you can do regularly for your health.
Some of the nutritional benefits of sauerkraut include:
• Vitamin B1, B6, B9, C and K
• Manganese, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron
• A great source of dietary fiber
• An excellent source of antioxidants and phytonutrients
• Rich in indole-3-carbinol (a known cancer fighter and toxin remover)
Most importantly, sauerkraut is the superior source of LIVE enzymes and probiotics, and due to its predigested state caused by the fermentation process, these nutrients are highly bioavailable to the body.
Why not just take a supplement pill?
Making sauerkraut is an ancient process that produces a flavor profile that many find unpleasant. It’s a taste you have to get used to, I know. But which is better, eating something a little sour or taking a disgusting cough medicine? The acidic characteristics are markedly different from the sugar addiction society has become accustomed to, and as a result, most have turned to probiotic capsules to get the good bacteria without having to eat what is normally a rejected food.
Unfortunately, the two formats are not comparable and recent research has shown this.
A 4- to 6-ounce serving of homemade sauerkraut that was recently tested in a lab showed that it contained literally 10 trillion bacteria! To give some perspective, 2 ounces of homemade raw sauerkraut had more probiotics than a bottle of 100 probiotic capsules. Put another way, 16 ounces (2 cups) of sauerkraut is equal to eight bottles of probiotics! Even one of the most popular and potent brands of probiotics “only” provides 50 billion active bacteria in a 3.5 ounce bottle.
To date, only quantity studies have been conducted, and current analyzes now focus on the different types of bacteria that exist in fresh and raw sauerkraut.
As you consider just how big of a revelation this is for your health, keep in mind that with every bite of raw homemade sauerkraut, you’re consuming trillions of beneficial microbes, which kill off pathogens in the gut and restore the beneficial flora that are key factors in good health. digestive health. This is easily one of the simplest and best things you can do for your overall health. Much better than yogurt or capsules.
Sauerkraut is a fantastic way to add some flavor to your recipes and is an important component of a healthy digestive system. The trick to good sauerkraut is to make sure it’s not pasteurized so that all of the beneficial enzymes and probiotics are largely intact. Make sure it’s raw by making it yourself with my homemade sauerkraut recipe!