Raw Sauerkraut, Probiotics & Fermented Foods

Fermented foods and probiotics make bellies happy. You've probably heard before about the health benefits of them. The yoghurt ads on TV with the flat bellies and the promise of a happy belly are all referring to the power of probiotics. The reason for these claims are basically because the more probiotics in your belly the less chance of the bad bacteria causing you any problems! 

This is why many people like to eat fermented and cultured foods as they are naturally occurring in probiotics. There are many types of fermented foods such as kimchi, pickles, yoghurt and kefir. One of my favourites is raw sauerkraut. 

I thought it would be fitting to mention the benefits of it as we are in the middle of the silly season and I'm sure I'm not the only one that's gotten slightly off track. 

Christmas parties, a few wines here and there all begin to take a toll on your digestive system after a little while. For people that suffer IBS like myself,  it can take only a few meals to get the balance out of whack which can cause massive stomach upsets. I read a blog post recently where the writer talks about how introducing fermented foods helped her with all sorts of health problems [click here to read]

When people say "gut health" they are usually referring to looking after your gut by feeding it lots of good bacteria so the bad bacteria doesn't wreck havoc on your system. I once read somewhere that the key to happiness is to have a healthy gut! Don't you think this to be true? When everything is running smoothly in your digestive system, you don't seem feel lethargic, worn out or depressed, instead you feel full of energy, light and ready to take on the day!

What I had noticed over the past few weeks of parties and unmindful eating and drinking were things like bloating, cramping, being constantly tired and feeling like it was taking hours (which it probably did) for my food to digest. Do you feel that too? 

To help combat any stomach problems I've upped the anty on probiotic rich, fermented foods such as home-brewed kombucha and home made raw sauerkraut and I'm already noticing a huge difference in how I feel and how my belly feels! If you missed my post on how to make your own raw sauerkraut, you can check it out [here]. It is so easy to make, very inexpensive, takes barely any time and has so many benefits. Sarah Wilson has talked about the the benefits of raw sauerkraut and other fermented foods, you can check out her post [here] (I love what she talks about on her blog, you may find her site useful too!).

After speaking to a naturopath about fermented foods she recommended that they are always introduced slowly so you don't shock your system. Start with a tablespoon of raw sauerkraut or a small glass of kombucha and slowly work up your tolerance to it. I usually now have one or two glasses of kombucha per day and when I have some made I have a little bowl of sauerkraut before or with dinner. These foods/ drinks are quite tangy and can take some getting used to but stick with it and after a couple of tries you will hopefully love it! If you don't really like sauerkraut you can always hide in your salad by mixing a few tablespoons through. With kombucha you can always flavour it during the second fermenation stage (more on that here) and that can make it more palatable for some. 

Fermented foods make a huge difference to many people and from personal experience I think they are definitely worth introducing to your diet.

NOTE - store bought sauerkraut is NOT raw sauerkraut, it has been pasteurised which means all of the beneficial enzymes and probiotics are no longer remaining. If you can find raw sauerkraut in a health food store you could give that a try before you make your own, but don't bother with the regular sauerkraut from the supermarket.



TIP - You can add any flavours to my basic sauerkraut recipe. The most recent batch of sauerkraut which was really delicious was just 1 small purple cabbage, a couple of carrots and an apple & pear grated up and all mixed together with salt. You can follow the easy instructions on my post [here]. I have friends that add caraway seeds to theirs and say it's delicious. I am sure there are many other great variations that I am yet to try. 

If you make your own sauerkraut or kombucha, what are your favourite flavours to add in?

Cheers to a happy gut! :)

Bee xx

Here is a great post on the health benefits of fermented foods, if you are interested in having a read from a blog I love by The Wellness Mama.