Surprise— it’s Sauerkraut!
Ready to hear how a little lacto-fermentation transforms cabbage into an immune-boosting superstar?
And an easy way to make your own?
Read on, my dear—after you feast your eyes on this….
Photo by Alina Zienowicz Ala z (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Ok… I admit that the sight of plain sauerkraut may not be the most inspiring of culinary sights, but what it lacks in beauty it more than makes up for in taste, health benefits, and frugality. In fact, I’m going to go so far as to say that this humble food is the single most important secret weapon to add to your routine this winter to help you keep your immune system strong.
To Improve your Immunity: Nourish your Gut
Before we get into the specifics of sauerkraut, let’s do a quick anatomy & physiology lesson.
Think of yourself as a hollow tube. Your skin creates a barrier between you and the outside world—but your gut also creates a barrier between you and the outside world. After you swallow a bite of food, that bite doesn’t immediately become part of you. As long as your soup and sandwich is being digested, it’s still “on the outside” physiologically. Your gut is lined with epithelial tissue that forms a barrier–just like your skin does. This barrier lets through the nutrients that you need to absorb from your food and keeps out the waste products that your body doesn’t want to absorb.
Just beyond this epithelial layer there is another layer of defense—the GALT, or Gut-Associated Lymphatic Tissue. The lymphatic system is an important part of your immune system, and this immune tissue is right here next to your gut because it’s so critically important that toxins and germs don’t make their way into your body from the gut.
And, even more amazingly, your gut immunity is also made up of a complex ecosystem of beneficial bacteria. You’ve probably heard a lot in recent years about how your gut flora are crucial for good digestion, but they play a crucial role in your immunity, too.
Sauerkraut—the Immune Superhero
Not only does sauerkraut have all of the phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber that you’d find in raw cabbage, but it’s chock-full of beneficial bacteria (or, probiotics) that help boost your immunity by supporting healthy gut bacteria. In fact, sauerkraut has MORE Vitamin C than raw cabbage and was a primary source of Vitamin C for sailors who were prone to scurvy. In addition to its immune-boosting properties, sauerkraut is wonderful medicinal food for people with IBS and has even been shown to have benefits for HIV+ children.
Here’s an easy way to make your own. Eating fermented foods like sauerkraut on a daily basis will help keep your immune system strong as we head into the holiday season—and flu season.
Make Your Own Sauerkraut
Kraut that you buy in a can at the grocery store has been heated and no longer contains those precious little probiotics—and brands like Bubbie’s that you might find in the refrigerator section of the health food store are
Ingredients:
1 head of cabbage: green or red
Optional: grated carrots or beets for added color & interest
Sea Salt (about 2-3 teaspoons)
Directions:
1. Grate your cabbage (and optional veggies, if using.) I use my food processor’s grating attachment to make this super quick and easy, but a regular box grater will work. You could also slice the cabbage into thin slices if you don’t have a food processor and find grating tedious.
2. Place cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with sea salt—about 2-3 teaspoons should be enough for one large head of cabbage. Massage the salt into the cabbage until it begins to soften and give off liquid.
3. Pack the cabbage and its liquid into a large wide-mouthed Mason jar. Press the cabbage down so that it is completely covered by liquid. Don’t let any of the cabbage stick out into the air—this can cause the batch to spoil.
4. Find a small cup that will fit inside the mouth of the Mason jar and fill it with something heavy—beans, coins, clean stones…anything you like that will help press down on the cabbage to keep it submerged.
5. Cover loosely with a cloth and allow to sit at room temperature for about 2 weeks. Check the kraut every day or so to make sure that you keep pressing the cabbage down below the brine to prevent spoiling.
After 2 weeks, your kraut is ready! Store it in the fridge and enjoy it daily to keep your immune system strong.
Next week I’ll be revealing two common kitchen herbs that you MUST have by your side during this cold & flu season, and inviting you to a special LIVE telelclass that will help you whip your immune system into tip-top shape.
