The Benefits of Sauerkraut are many and will likely surprise you what an amazing superfood it is. It really provides extraordinary health and immune system benefits while being super inexpensive and tasting great at the same time. Sauerkraut is a 'tart' tasting food that has been 'Lactofermented' or cultured with probiotic supplements in the same way that milk is lactofermented into yogurt. Even though the end result looks different, they are actually cousins in terms of benefits that can be derived from eating these raw and living foods full of good probiotic supplements that you need. One of the most interesting benefits of sauerkraut, qualifying it as a superfood, is that culturing the vegetables actually provides an INCREASE in the nutritional content over canned, frozen, dried and even FRESH foods. When you eat cultured foods, you are also consuming the probiotic supplement microorganisms which are actually very rich source of B vitamins.
Even when the original food had no B vitamins at all, the final lactofermented product can be an excellent source of B vitamins, and particularly of Vitamin B12. Since being a vegetarian or vegan is one of the Causes of B12 Deficiency, consuming cultured foods is one way to get the Vitamin B12 that is so often missing.
Another of the benefits of sauerkraut is that the lactic acid produced by the bacteria not only prevents spoilage, but actually 'digests' the food, making sauerkraut extremely easy to digest and making the nutrients present more easily absorbed by the body. This makes these foods perfect for those with gastrointestinal problems like Gluten Sensitivity, Increased Intestinal Permeability and Inflammatory Bowel Problems.
Cabbage and a few other vegetables, in their raw state, contain substances called 'Goitrogens'. These goitrogens actually 'block' the action of the thyroid gland, over time creating a hypothyroid situation in those that would eat these foods regularly. But cooking and lactofermentation both inactivate goitrogens, making sauerkraut safe to eat as regularly as you would like- even though eating cabbage raw is NOT safe to do on a regular basis.
One of the MAJOR benefits of sauerkraut is that it can lead to a directly maintenance and improvement the immune system through the action of the probiotic Good Bacteria that it contains. We think of our Immune System as being an amorphous and anonymous part of our bodies that just 'arises' when we need it and it is 'somewhere' out there on duty when we don’t. But this is not the case at all and, depending upon who you talk to, between 60 to 85% of the immune system lies in the digestive tract- much of which is a DIRECT result of the up to 5 POUNDS of Good Bacteria that are present.
Every single time that you eat, you are fighting off millions if not billions of potentially pathogenic organisms that could make you sick. Since the VAST MAJORITY of threats to your health come in through your digestive tract, if you REALLY want to protect yourself from pathogens, forget the chronic Handwashing, which may only serve the opposite goal of WEAKENING the immune system, strengthening the immune system in your digestive tract by keeping it populated with good bacteria from:
Sauerkraut, Kefir & Yogurt.
Bowel Regulation, Aside from the immune system benefits that probiotics provide, one of the benefits of sauerkraut is its ability to regulate the bowels. Probiotic yogurts have been advertised recently as promoting "guaranteed regularity in just 7 days". Well, the 'magic' in these yogurts is the Probiotic organisms that are present which, aside from being an integral part of the immune system, help to regulate bowel motility.
Probiotics are vital to a healthy and happy digestive system. They help support your immune system and aid your production of essential nutrients.* What's more – they help reduce fat, keeping your body slim, fit and looking good!*
"Good Health Begins in the Gut", and Probiotics are an essential tool towards achieving digestive health. Probiotics containing multiple strains of live bacteria can lead the way to a stronger immune system and efficient weight management.
Lack of 'good bacteria' in our diets due to modern processing may be one of the reasons for the widespread problem of chronic constipation. While constipation is often one of the Signs of Magnesium Deficiency, it can also be a sign of not enough good bacteria in the bowels. Providing these good bacteria along with much needed fiber can help to improve constipation and the overall health of the bowels.
The Benefits of Sauerkraut are many and this inexpensive easy to make staple should be a part of your overall diet that is aimed at maintaining and increasing your health. It is no accident that the probiotic organisms that are in sauerkraut and other cultured foods are the EXACT same organisms that we need to make us healthy. Before refrigeration, your ancestors would have cultured foods EXTENSIVELY for longer storage- and eaten them regularly as a result.
While the advent of refrigeration has been a boon for mankind, it also brought about the demise of the probiotic supplements in many cultured foods- to the direct detriment to our health. Learning to make and eat raw living sauerkraut and enjoying the many benefits of sauerkraut is something that is easy, fun and beneficial to your health by providing you with a living probiotic supplement.
But make sure that you ONLY make or buy RAW and UNPASTEURIZED sauerkraut. Many commercial sauerkrauts are pasteurized (heated) to kill bacteria- and the good bacteria are killed along with the bad, making them useless as a probiotic supplement. But if sauerkraut isn't for you, you can simply take a high quality probiotic supplement such as Prescript Assist Probiotic Keep reading to see what benefits these probiotic Good Bacteria can provide for your overall health.
Lack of 'good bacteria' in our diets due to modern processing may be one of the reasons for the widespread problem of chronic constipation. While constipation is often one of the Signs of Magnesium Deficiency, it can also be a sign of not enough good bacteria in the bowels. Providing these good bacteria along with much needed fiber can help to improve constipation and the overall health of the bowels.
The Benefits of Sauerkraut are many and this inexpensive easy to make staple should be a part of your overall diet that is aimed at maintaining and increasing your health. It is no accident that the probiotic organisms that are in sauerkraut and other cultured foods are the EXACT same organisms that we need to make us healthy. Before refrigeration, your ancestors would have cultured foods EXTENSIVELY for longer storage- and eaten them regularly as a result.
While the advent of refrigeration has been a boon for mankind, it also brought about the demise of the probiotic supplements in many cultured foods- to the direct detriment to our health. Learning to make and eat raw living sauerkraut and enjoying the many benefits of sauerkraut is something that is easy, fun and beneficial to your health by providing you with a living probiotic supplement.
But make sure that you ONLY make or buy RAW and UNPASTEURIZED sauerkraut. Many commercial sauerkrauts are pasteurized (heated) to kill bacteria- and the good bacteria are killed along with the bad, making them useless as a probiotic supplement. But if sauerkraut isn't for you, you can simply take a high quality probiotic supplement such as Prescript Assist Probiotic Keep reading to see what benefits these probiotic Good Bacteria can provide for your overall health.
The Benefits of Sauerkraut are many and this inexpensive easy to make staple should be a part of your overall diet that is aimed at maintaining and increasing your health. It is no accident that the probiotic organisms that are in sauerkraut and other cultured foods are the EXACT same organisms that we need to make us healthy. Before refrigeration, your ancestors would have cultured foods EXTENSIVELY for longer storage- and eaten them regularly as a result.
While the advent of refrigeration has been a boon for mankind, it also brought about the demise of the probiotic supplements in many cultured foods- to the direct detriment to our health. Learning to make and eat raw living sauerkraut and enjoying the many benefits of sauerkraut is something that is easy, fun and beneficial to your health by providing you with a living probiotic supplement.
Good Bacteria in
Probiotic Supplements
Are the Prescription for Your Good Health
The word probiotics means, "for life", and probiotic Good Bacteria truly mean life to us. Lining our digestive system, the sum total of more than 400 different species of living creatures outnumber the cells in our body 10 to 1 and are estimated to weigh between 2 to 5 POUNDS!
Probiotic supplements were scientifically ‘discovered’ in the 1900’s in the fermented milk products of Bulgarian peasants. It was realized that these products actually contained organisms that lived in our bodies and could confer health benefits. Elie Metchnikoff won the Nobel Prize for his work, but 100 years later, we are just barely starting to acknowledge the health benefits of these good bacteria.
It is not coincidental that humans eat and thrive on the cultured foods that contain these beneficial organisms. It’s likely that we evolved with them until the relationship became truly symbiotic. We provide these intestinal flora with nutrients and a place to live while they provide us with multiple bodily functions that we could not live without.
 |
Neither one can live without the other. Most cultures (no pun intended) around the world have traditional cultured and fermented foods, like Kefir, that have been enjoyed since before recorded history. It’s reasonable to assume that just about every country that milked animals had a version of yogurt or other cultured milk products, and most populations have some form of cultured vegetable such as the Benefits of Sauerkraut provide.
It makes sense because foods like Kefir Milk and Cultured Vegetable like Sauerkraut really just 'make themselves' if we leave them alone. You can even learn to make these cultured foods easily and safely right in your home.
It is interesting that in the US, it seems that we have become obsessed with being clean. We classify all microorganisms as being 'bad bacteria' and this has spilled over into cultured foods as well. These foods seem to have fallen out of favor in the past decades with the advent of processed and fast food. It’s no wonder that the health of our nation has been in decline. Lack of good bacteria may be a contributing factor in the drastic increase in chronic illnesses in western countries.
It makes sense because foods like Kefir Milk and Cultured Vegetable like Sauerkraut really just 'make themselves' if we leave them alone. You can even learn to make these cultured foods easily and safely right in your home.
It is interesting that in the US, it seems that we have become obsessed with being clean. We classify all microorganisms as being 'bad bacteria' and this has spilled over into cultured foods as well. These foods seem to have fallen out of favor in the past decades with the advent of processed and fast food. It’s no wonder that the health of our nation has been in decline. Lack of good bacteria may be a contributing factor in the drastic increase in chronic illnesses in western countries.
These bacteria and fungus confer benefits to us that we are just starting to learn about. Among their many functions are:
• Lowering the intestinal pH
• Controlling growth of pathogens like the H Pylori Bacteria and Intestinal Candida
• Taking up space on the intestinal wall to prevent bad bacteria from adhering
• Production of essential nutrients like Vitamin B12 and Omega 3 Fatty Acids
• Regulation of the levels of IgE and IgG antibodies in immune responses
• Binding and metabolizing Environmental Toxins
• Regulation of intestinal motility
• Mucus production
• Controlling growth of pathogens like the H Pylori Bacteria and Intestinal Candida
• Taking up space on the intestinal wall to prevent bad bacteria from adhering
• Production of essential nutrients like Vitamin B12 and Omega 3 Fatty Acids
• Regulation of the levels of IgE and IgG antibodies in immune responses
• Binding and metabolizing Environmental Toxins
• Regulation of intestinal motility
• Mucus production
Because of these many functions of probiotics, studies are showing that probiotics are beneficial in the treatment of many chronic illnesses that seem to have nothing to do with each other.
From gastrointestinal problems to Eczema, good bacteria seem to play a major role in general Immune System Health.
Probiotics and the Immune System. Even though these good bacteria live in the digestive system, the fact that they affect the entire body makes perfect sense when you understand all of the functions of the digestive system.
It's not there simply to digest food. The digestive system is actually the immune system powerhouse of the body. Up to 70% of the immune system is located in this long tube-like series of organs. Some of these immune system functions are a result of the complex workings of the liver, but most is because of a phenomenon called Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue or GALT.
"There is a solid theoretical basis
for why probiotics should help
prevent... and even reverse cancer.
Probiotics produce short chain fatty acids
in the colon, which acidify the environment.
Lower colon pH is associated with
lower incidence of colon cancer.
Probiotic bacteria reduce the level
of procarcinogenic enzymes...."
for why probiotics should help
prevent... and even reverse cancer.
Probiotics produce short chain fatty acids
in the colon, which acidify the environment.
Lower colon pH is associated with
lower incidence of colon cancer.
Probiotic bacteria reduce the level
of procarcinogenic enzymes...."
The GALT is an extremely important part of the immune system. It's first and most important job is to neutralize bad bacteria, fungi and viruses that come into our bodies through food. The GALT manages to eliminate most of these bad bacteria and pathogens by coating them with a protein called secretory Immunoglobulin A or sIgA. Along with high amounts of stomach acid, this antibody effectively eliminates pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract WITHOUT alerting the rest of the immune system.
These features are extremely important. Because we ingest so many pathogens every day, our immune systems would be constantly on alert if these invaders regularly triggered a whole body response. And, in fact this may be one of the problems with autoimmune disease- which in turn is why it's important not to take antacids due to what you think is Too Much Stomach Acid. Stomach acid is of vital importance in reducing the amount of pathogens in the intestinal tract and assisting the GALT in its important work!