By Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD

Fermented vegetables; 

Sauerkraut is one of many fermented vegetables our ancestors consumed for 2 reasons, health benefits and conservation. 

“Sauerkraut is a fermented white and/or red cabbage, commonly consumed in Germany, Russia and Eastern Europe. It is a wonderful healing remedy for the digestive tract full of digestive enzymes, probiotic bacteria, vitamins and minerals. Eating it with meats will improve their digestion as it has a strong ability to stimulate stomach acid production. For people with low stomach acidity I recommend having a few tablespoons of sauerkraut (or juice from it) 10-15 minutes before meals. For children, initially add 1-3 tablespoons of the juice from the sauerkraut to their meals. 

Thinly slice medium-size white cabbage and add 2 shredded carrots. you can use red cabbage or a mixture of white and red. Add salt to taste; about 1-2 heaped tablespoons per medium-size cabbage. Knead the mixture into a suitable glass or stainless steel bowl. Press it very firmly to get rid of any trapped air until the cabbage is drowned in its own juice. Place a plate, which is about 1cm smaller in diameter than the bowl, on top of the cabbage. The gap will allow the fermentation gases to escape. On top of the plate place something that is heavy enough to keep the cabbage constantly submerged in its juice. Cover the whole thing with a kitchen towel to keep it in the dark. It should take about 7 days inside a warm house for the sauerkraut to be ready. It will take two weeks in a cool place, like a garage. When the sauerkraut is ready skim off any cabbage on the top, which may have gone dry, and throw it away. The rest of the cabbage will have a tangy, healthy smell and taste. Once ready, pack the sauerkraut into glass jars, making sure that the cabbage is submerged in its own juice and cover tightly. Store the jars in a cold place. It will keep refrigerated, or in any other cold place, for at least a year. Sauerkraut is delicious with any meal and it can be added to your home-made soups and stews. 

Using this method you can ferment any vegetable or a mixture of vegetables. Just make sure that you add salt at the beginning and knead well with your hands so a lot of juice comes out. The reason for this is that during the fermentation process the vegetables must be completely covered by their own juice. If they are dry, they will rot. So, if any vegetable you are using is not very juicy, you may add a little bit of water until it is completely covered with liquid. It is essential to add salt at the beginning because the salt will stop any bad bacteria growing until the good ones start producing lactic acid, which will take over from the salt and stop any rotting. Experiment with your own mixtures and combinations, add natural spices, aromatic seeds (such as coriander, cumin, dill, fennel seeds, etc), cranberries and fresh herbs.

Click on the subscribe button below to sign up for our monthly newsletter