Kids and Sauerkraut

My kids did not gravitate to sauerkraut easily. Neither did I. The key for me was finding a recipe that suited my taste buds. I found that I love caraway and a hint of apple.

Once I crossed over, I was ready to make my kids try it. I was not popular for a day or two; however, I redeemed myself quickly as they began to combine the sauerkraut with their meat. Before long they were enjoying the flavor combination. Within a month Colin was making his own, using red cabbage exclusively. Colin's tip? A few cubes of diced apple and your favorite songs on iTunes.

Read More...

Overcoming My Fermentation Fears

I wrote an article recently for the organization HandPicked Nation about my former fear of fermentation. I am no longer afraid of letting food sit on a counter or in a pantry, because I understand the power of probiotic foods. This method of food preparation has been around for centuries, and for good reason. Here is an excerpt from the article:

In ancient Egypt apple cider vinegar was used as an internal and external antiseptic. In the 1500s sailors discovered that sauerkraut, loaded with vitamin C, could prevent scurvy during their long expeditions. Asian countries have relied on fermented soy for years in the form of natto and miso.

These cultures intuitively understood the health benefits without fully understanding the microbiology behind fermentation. Modern science has shown that bacterial cells in the body outnumber human cells by a factor of 10 to 1 (see this Scientific American article for more information). These cells comprise our microbiome and offer a rich source of protection for the human body. The bacterial physiology goes something like this: Beneficial microbes produce numerous metabolites. Lactic acid found in sauerkraut, fermented milk, and other food is one of these metabolites. The metabolites help crowd out harmful bacteria, essentially offering a self-regulating, safe antibiotic. Introducing lacto-fermented food is like sending in military reinforcements.

Since more than 70 percent of our immune system lies in the digestive tract, it makes sense to build up our microbial army.

Once convinced of the value of fermented food, I faced my fear of preparation. I can chop vegetables for a salad, but can I pound cabbage, add salt, and trust that it will turn into something edible? Can I handle sour milk?

I began with dairy kefir. Drawing on our local farmer’s goat milk, I purchased kefir grains online. I combined the two, and voilà! Goat kefir. The sour taste was a bit of a shock, but I slowly adjusted and (to my surprise) so did my taste buds.

Gradually I built up the courage to try sauerkraut. After a couple of botched jobs, I quickly learned there are no shortcuts when it comes to fermentation. It’s far better to use the proper equipment and follow directions. Creativity comes later.

Soon I mastered yogurt. Twelve months later I tried fermented fruit leather. In time I tried water kefir. Most recently I dazzled my family with lacto-fermented ketchup.

It’s been more than two years since I embarked upon my fermentation journey. I see the difference in my family’s health as well as my own. I find great reward in my at-home pharmacy and love the feeling of satisfaction every time I place a freshly-made ferment on my pantry shelf.

To read the entire article, visit the HandPicked Nation website.

Below is a tutorial from our momsAWARE Natural Year Challenge showing the steps involved in preparing sauerkraut. For the recipe and printed step-by-step instructions, see our Natural Year Challenge: Food Edition - Make a Vegetable Ferment.

Read More...

Health Benefits of Lacto-Fermented Foods

We avoided all fermented foods for the first year of our mold recovery journey. I wish we hadn't. I didn't understand the difference between pasteurized fermented foods laden with preservatives and true lacto-fermented foods like sauerkraut, beet kvass, and kefir. (This article by Dr. Joseph Mercola offers a good explanation of the distinction.)

To understand the virtue of lacto-fermented foods, it's important to understand the digestive process itself. Two things happen when we eat. First, ingested foods are broken down. Second, nutrients are built up. If the breaking-down process is incomplete, the building up will not happen correctly.

In her book Making Sauerkraut and Pickled Vegetables at Home, Annelies Schoneck explains the role of lacto-fermented foods:

What is astonishing is that lactic acid contributes to both processes - that of decomposition and that of reconstruction. On the one hand it supplies digestive juices in the form of organic acids that help break down the foods we eat, and on the other hand it activates the metabolic processes whereby these foods are transformed into new living substances.

Lacto-fermented foods normalize the acidity of the stomach. If stomach acidity is insufficient, it stimulates the acid-producing glands of the stomach, and in cases where acidity is too high it has the inverse effect. Lactic acid helps break down proteins and thus aids in their assimilation of iron. The decomposition in the stomach of the organic forms of iron depends on the quantity of hydrochloric acid present as well as the amount of vitamin C, which is why sauerkraut and other lacto-fermented vegetables rich in this vitamin have such a favorable influence.

...Lactic acid activates the secretions of the pancreas, which is particularly important for diabetics... Sauerkraut contains large quantities of choline, a substance that lowers blood pressure and regulates the passage of nutrients into the blood... Choline has another interesting property in that it aids the body in the metabolism of fats. If choline is lacking, fats accumulate in the liver... Sauerkraut also contains acetylcholine, which has a powerful effect on the parasympathetic nervous system. It helps reduce blood pressure, slows down the rate of heartbeat, and promotes calmness and sleep. As acetylcholine is destroyed by cooking, raw sauerkraut and its juice is preferable to cooked.

Sauerkraut is easy to make. It requires a head of cabbage, sea salt, and a mason jar or other container. Pickl-It offers glass jars uniquely designed to help make the fermentation process successful. The Raw Diet offers a similar product.

For those who would rather purchase it, look for products that say "live cultures" on the label. Brands like Bubbies  and Farmhouse Culture are available at many health food stores.

Sally Fallon points out in her book Nourishing Traditions,
Scientists are mystified by the proliferation of new viruses - not only the deadly AIDS virus but the whole gamut of human viruses that seem to be associated with everything from chronic fatigue to cancer and arthritis. They are equally mystified by recent increases in the incidence of intestinal parasites and pathogenic yeasts, even among those whose sanitary practices are faultless. Could it be that in abandoning the ancient practice of lacto-fermentation and in our insistence on a diet in which everything has been pasteurized, we have compromised the health of our intestinal flora and made ourselves vulnerable to legions of pathogenic microorganisms? If so, the cure for these diseases will be found not in vaccinations, drugs, or antibiotics, but in a restored partnership with the many varieties of lactobacilli, our symbionts of the microscopic world.

In the 1800's sailors made the connection between sauerkraut and the prevention of scurvy. Perhaps in our day we'll make the connection between gut health, toxicity, and lacto-fermented foods.

Read More...

Supplement Shopping

My number one source of anxiety over this last year has been the issue of supplements. I would rather shop for a used car than decide which supplement to buy.

I have a hard time sorting through the promises. I can’t decide if we need it. I’m not sure what I’m looking for when I read the list of ingredients. I don’t know which company to trust. Does the most expensive option necessarily mean the best option?

The most haunting question for me: Is there some miracle supplement we’re missing?

Which has made me especially vulnerable to the promises.

One thing that has helped me sort through the supplement selection process is to rule out anything with magnesium stearate. There are opposing views on this subject. One side says the stearate scare is exaggerated. The other insists magnesium stearate is a toxin.

Magnesium stearate, stearic acid and calcium stearate are made with cottonseed or palm oil. The oils are hydrogenated and then added to the raw materials so that machinery will run faster.

Are these stearates added in levels high enough to do us harm? I don’t really need to know the answer. Much like with toxic mold, I can't lose to avoid it.

For an interesting look at the potential hazards of supplementation, see this article.

The magnesium stereate issue confirms my inclination to drink my nutrition. For those of us with digestive problems due to toxic injury, it makes sense to question the absorbability of the supplements.

Thus I have focused my attention on improving digestion rather than picking the right supplement. The lining of the gut is a delicate membrane and the wall behind it contains 80% of the immune system.

One of the most affordable and potent ways to boost the digestion is raw unsalted sauerkraut. Fermented cabbage produces compounds known as isothiocyanates, which in animal studies have been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer. Fermented cabbage also produces lactobacilli, or friendly bacteria, which promote the growth of healthy flora.

We have acquired a taste for the dill sauerkraut by Rejuvenative Foods found in the refrigerated dairy or probiotic section of most health food stores.

There are many other ways to boost digestion. The simple process of chewing, for example. Drinking lots of good clean water. Chicken and beef broth. Eliminating processed foods.

This emphasis in our recovery process has saved my sanity as much as it has our health.

We still add to our diet in various ways, but I'm far more relaxed about it all.

I'm content to rebuild our digestive tracts, and our lives, one lactobacillus at a time.

Read More...