DOCTOR: 2 OUNCES OF HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT HAS MORE PROBIOTICS THAN 100 PROBIOTIC CAPSULES
Fermented foods have been very popular lately due to the successful traditional food movement. We are finally paying attention to the wisdom of our ancestors. Fermented foods have been a staple of the human diet for centuries. For instance, sailors in the 18th century ate sauerkraut to prevent scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency?
ONE TABLESPOON OF SAUERKRAUT EQUALS ONE BOTTLE OF PROBIOTICS
According to Dr. Joseph Mercola just two ounces of the sauerkraut has more probiotics than an entire bottle of 100 probiotic capsules.
Dr. Mercola had a sample of his own homemade sauerkraut tested in a lab for probiotics and the results were surprising.
“We had it analyzed,” Dr. Mercola said. “We found in a 4-6 ounce serving of the fermented vegetables there were literally ten trillion bacteria.”
Sauerkraut is made by pickling cabbage in a process called lacto-fermentation.
Sauerkraut is loaded with enzymes that help with digestion and nutrient assimilation. Sauerkraut boosts your body’s ability to digest foods properly. Be aware, not all sauerkraut is equal. Most conventional store bought sauerkraut is heavily treated and pasteurized. It does have the same beneficial properties. Use your own sauerkraut recipe to ensure you are getting enough probiotics.
SIMPLE HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
- 6 pounds cabbage
- 3 tablespoons sea salt
DIRECTIONS
- Remove large outer leaves from cabbage and set aside.
- Shred cabbage.
- Mix cabbage with sea salt in a bowl.
- Massage the mixture with your hands for about 15 minutes in order for the juices to be released.
- Place the cabbage in a large fermentation container and pound down until juices come up.
- Cover the cabbage leaving about 2 inches of space at the top.
- Cover the sauerkraut with a plate. Place a heavy glass jar filled with water on the plate to press it down.
- Press down to add pressure to the cabbage and help force water out of it.
- Keep it at room temperature (covered with a towel). Fermentation will begin within a day, depending upon the room temperature. It will ferment best in a cool, dark place at a temperature that is consistently 64 to 70 degrees.
- Fermentation can take up to 3 weeks to a month. After fermenting, you can transfer it to the refrigerator.
TAKE REISHI FOR A LEAKY GUT, IBS, AND ANY DIGESTIVE ISSUES
A mushroom a day may keep the doctor away. The active ingredients in Reishi mushroom can change bacteria in your stomach for the better, researchers have discovered. The Reishi mushroom can alter gut bacteria, thus preventing and reversing symptoms of obesity, including weight gain and insulin resistance.