I’ve had a couple of heavy chesty colds and other viruses lately and once I felt better it gave me a new incentive to concentrate on eating well for my health and immunity and to make some small changes.

One of the changes that I have made is to eat more sauerkraut!

It helps that I like it and it’s cheap and so easy to grab as a snack straight from the fridge, you just need a fork!

So what is sauerkraut?

It’s a type of fermented cabbage with lots of health benefits. Thought to have originated in China more than 2,000 years ago when fermentation was a method used to stop foods spoiling too quickly.

It contains lots of nutrients such as Vitamin C , Vitamin K, Iron, Manganese, Vitamin B6, Folate, Copper and Potassium which all provide a wide range of health benefits but it is particularly nutritious because of the fermentation that occurs where microorganisms digest the natural sugars and convert them into carbon dioxide and organic acids that promotes the growth of beneficial probiotics.

This makes sauerkraut great for your gut health which affects how long you live, your immune system, your mood and your sleep.  In fact, it influences everything to do with your body!

As a population we have lost 50% of gut microbes compared to 50-100 years ago! However, they are not lost forever and you can start increasing yours now. 

There is so much in our power to improve and nurture our gut health.

The microbes in our gut love plants and a wide variety of them. The more diverse your plant foods, the more diverse your microbiome, which then offers you more benefits and protection. Sauerkraut has 28 different varieties of probiotics!

We need small amounts of probiotics each day to keep out gut bacteria topped up and they are particularly beneficial in preventing infections such as the common cold or urinary tract infections as they keep the gut lining healthier and stronger and prevent unwanted substances getting in.

During and after illness they are also brilliant as they can help to fight infection and replace the healthy bacteria in the gut.

They also help your body to absorb more vitamins and minerals from other foods.

I enjoy sauerkraut straight from the jar but it’s also great in salad or as a relish.

Other good foods with probiotics are kimchi and kefir.

Do you like fermented foods? Do you even make your own?

Come and experience the tasty food on our Fitfish Retreats this year!