The benefits of sauerkraut for the body, properties and preparation

The benefits and harms of sauerkraut is an interesting question, since there are many myths around this product. To understand the properties of a snack, you need to study its composition and understand how it affects the body.

The chemical composition and calorie content of sauerkraut

Even small portions of the product contain a huge amount of valuable components. And in particular:

• vitamins A, C, K and E;
• vitamins B1, B9, B4, B2, B6 and B5;
• PP acid;
• a large amount of ascorbic acid;
• mineral components iron, fluorine, zinc, manganese and copper;
• sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium;
• organic acids - Omega-9, linolenic, palmitic, caprylic, stearic and others;
• amino acids and vegetable protein;
• probiotic substances;
• cellulose.

The product is considered very dietary - 100 g contains only 19 kcal.

Why sauerkraut is useful

The benefits of sauerkraut for the human body lie not only in its dietary properties. The product has a positive effect on the body because:

• helps to improve bowel function and get rid of constipation;
• strengthens resistance to viruses and colds;
• serves as the prevention of scurvy, has a beneficial effect on teeth and gums;
• relieves inflammation of the mucous membranes;
• protects against anemia and vitamin deficiency;
• helps get rid of intestinal parasites;
• lowers bad cholesterol in the blood - this is the great benefit of sauerkraut for the liver;
• strengthens blood vessels and improves heart function;
• eliminates nausea and increases appetite;
• good effect on the nervous system and protects against chronic fatigue, depression and irritability.

The benefits of sauerkraut for women

The benefits of sauerkraut for a woman's body are manifested in several points. First of all, the product is very beneficial for the figure and promotes weight loss. The appetizer is actively used by folk beauty recipes, it improves skin condition and fights wrinkles.

In addition, it is beneficial to use the product during menstruation. A salty snack replenishes the loss of vitamins and minerals.The woman's well-being improves, her mood is leveled, and bouts of irritability become less frequent.

The benefits of sauerkraut for men

The beneficial properties of sauerkraut for a strong half of humanity are that sauerkraut eliminates hangover syndrome. The product relieves dehydration, delivers minerals and vitamins to the body. The harm done to the body is reduced, and discomfort after heavy libations disappears very quickly.

It also increases stamina and improves mental performance. It is useful to use it for men suffering from hemorrhoids.

Can sauerkraut be pregnant and lactating

The product is highly recommended for use during pregnancy, since it not only saturates the body with vitamins, but also relieves attacks of toxicosis. However, it is recommended for women to eat a snack in small quantities, it contains a lot of sodium, and an excess of it harms the joints and kidneys.

Sauerkraut for breastfeeding is a product that is best avoided. It contains too many salts and acids that can harm the baby, for example, cause colic or intestinal upset.

At what age can children be allowed to cabbage

Sauerkraut is considered a product with aggressive properties that can harm a child's body. A snack can cause gas, stomach cramps and diarrhea. Therefore, for the first time, you can offer a product to a baby no earlier than 2-3 years old and in a minimum amount.

By the age of 5, the daily rate is allowed to be increased to 100 g. At this age, the child's digestive system finishes forming, and it is less likely that the product will be harmful.

Sauerkraut for weight loss

On a diet, the product becomes one of the most valuable - there are very few calories in it, and there are many substances necessary for the body. The use of sauerkraut for weight loss is that the product normalizes metabolic processes, removes toxins from the intestines, and promotes the breakdown of adipose tissue. The snack itself takes a long time to digest, which means that after eating it, the feeling of satiety remains for a while.

Sauerkraut at night

During weight loss, especially strong hunger is felt in the evening. At the same time, most products are not recommended to be consumed at night in order to avoid the deposition of calories in adipose tissue.

However, sauerkraut is an exception to the rule. It can be consumed even shortly before bedtime, from such a relaxation in the nutrition schedule, the lost kilograms will not return back. On the contrary, even at night, a useful product will continue to work in the body and will contribute to the breakdown of fats.

The benefits and harms of sauerkraut juice (brine)

In the process of fermentation, juice is abundantly released from the vegetable, which then becomes a concentrated brine. The juice is also very useful for consumption, it contains all the substances contained in cabbage leaves, but even in large volumes. The beneficial properties of sauerkraut juice are especially valuable for constipation and poor appetite, for sluggish stomach and atherosclerosis.

At the same time, the drink contains a lot of salt and organic acids, this is its harm. It should not be consumed in quantities greater than a glass per day. And with hypertension, pancreatitis, ischemia and gastritis with high acidity, the juice should be completely abandoned.

How to use sauerkraut for medicinal purposes

The beneficial properties of the product are used in home therapy for many diseases. There are several reliable recipes based on it.

From bronchial asthma

For allergic, infectious or congenital asthma, it is recommended to take 500 g of sauerkraut daily, mixed with finely chopped garlic clove and chopped onion. The properties of the product will help get rid of cough and shortness of breath, bronchial spasms will occur less often.

For constipation and hemorrhoids

A useful product effectively enhances peristalsis, so it not only eliminates constipation, but also protects against their occurrence in the future. To get rid of a delicate problem, you need to drink cabbage brine three times a day in a volume of no more than half a glass.

Also, sauerkraut promotes the resorption of hemorrhoids. It is recommended to combine 2 treatments:

• drink a glass of brine in the morning and evening;
• make lotions for the anus with a medical napkin dipped in brine.

To get rid of worms

Sauerkraut has strong anthelmintic properties. To get rid of the worms faster, you need to eat 200 g of the product daily, and it is better to do this in between meals. For the best effect, it is recommended to supplement the therapy with sparing pharmacological agents.

With vitamin deficiency

In the autumn-winter period, many people suffer from vitamin deficiencies. If you drink a glass of brine every day before meals and also eat fresh salads with sauerkraut, your health will quickly improve, and your immune system will become stronger.

For gallstones

Hard stones in the gallbladder can make you feel bad and cause excruciating pain. The properties of cabbage brine help to cope with the problem; it should be drunk three times a day, half a glass before eating. The tool promotes crushing stones and easier removal of them from the body.

Pickle for liver disease

The medicinal properties of sauerkraut play an important role in the prevention of liver diseases and help to cope with existing ailments. For a comprehensive cleaning of the body from toxins, it is recommended to drink a glass of cabbage brine mixed with tomato juice in equal volumes three times a day.

Cabbage pickle for a hangover

The use of sauerkraut is invaluable in case of hangover syndrome - the product quickly eliminates lethargy and nausea, arrhythmia and tremors. After heavy libations, you can simply drink a glass of brine, or you can prepare a special healing cocktail.

1. Mix 3 cups of brine with a large spoonful of tomato sauce.
2. Add 100 g of chopped onions, sugar, salt and ground black pepper to the mixture to taste.
3. Throughout the day, use half a glass of the drug.

If necessary, such a cocktail can be slightly diluted with water for a thinner consistency.

Treatment of psoriasis and eczema

The beneficial properties of the product relieve skin inflammation and promote the healing of the epidermis. With eczema and psoriasis, you need to make compresses from gauze or sterile cloth soaked in cabbage brine several times a day.

Features of the use of sauerkraut for certain diseases

The product is beneficial in the treatment of many ailments, and in other diseases it can be harmful. It is necessary to find out in advance when the properties of the snack are especially useful, and when it is better not to use it.

With diabetes

There are practically no sugars and simple carbohydrates in the product, so the glucose level does not increase when consumed. Sauerkraut for type 2 diabetes mellitus is a very valuable product for the diet. But there is an important condition - cabbage must be fermented without sugar.

A useful product saturates the body of diabetics with vitamins C and B, improves the functions of the pancreas. Regular consumption of snacks helps prevent obesity, which develops very often in the presence of diabetes.

With gastritis, pancreatitis and stomach ulcers

The benefits of salted cabbage for gastritis depends on the acidity of the stomach.If the production of gastric enzyme is reduced, then the product will be beneficial, but with high-acid gastritis from cabbage and brine, there will be harm.

During an exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease, the snack will harm - its effect on the mucous membranes of the stomach will be irritating. But during the period of remission, it is highly recommended for use, since it allows you to prevent the next exacerbation.

In acute pancreatitis, the product is strictly prohibited, it will only increase inflammation. It is better to give up sauerkraut and during remission or eat very small portions of the product with plenty of water.

With gout and cholecystitis

The properties of the product well remove excess salts and uric acid deposits from the body, so eating a snack for gout is not only possible, but also necessary.

With cholecystitis, sauerkraut is allowed, but before using it for food, it must be thoroughly rinsed, and even better processed at a high temperature.

With hypertension

Sauerkraut contains a lot of salt. Therefore, with chronically high blood pressure, it is better not to eat the product, although sauerkraut without salt can be beneficial. It is also recommended to rinse the cabbage before eating so that there are as few pressure-increasing substances as possible in it.

The use of sauerkraut in cosmetology

Even with internal use, a useful product has a positive effect on the condition of the skin and hair. But cabbage works even more effectively as a part of masks and rinses - valuable properties enter the tissues directly through the skin.

Whitening face mask

The product allows you to lighten the skin tone. To prepare a healthy sauerkraut face mask, you need to carefully squeeze out a small amount of cabbage, chop finely and apply on clean skin, and cover with a napkin on top. After a quarter of an hour, the mask will need to be washed off and lubricated with a nourishing cream.

Anti-wrinkle mask

Another product-based product allows you to keep the skin youthful longer. Sauerkraut in a volume of 2 large tablespoons is mixed with egg yolk and a small spoonful of vegetable oil, spread over the face for 15 minutes.

After the procedure, it is also recommended to treat the face with a moisturizer. You need to make the mask regularly, then the effect of it will be stable.

Cabbage pickle for acne

Sauerkraut juice for the face is an effective folk remedy for acne. To deeply cleanse your pores, you can simply make a mask of finely chopped sauerkraut three times a week.

You can also use juice for cosmetic purposes. A thick napkin is impregnated in it and applied to the face for a quarter of an hour.

Cabbage brine for hair beauty

To give your hair its natural shine and prevent hair loss, it is recommended to rub a healthy brine mixed with the same amount of honey into the scalp on a weekly basis. It is recommended to use the product half an hour before the next hair wash.

Hand bath

A common problem among women is rough and rough skin of the hands, especially during the cold season. To restore skin tone, you can do the following baths twice a week:

• half a glass of cabbage juice is mixed with the same amount of kefir;
• fingers and palms are dipped into a medicinal solution in a prepared container;
• after 10 minutes, the hands are taken out, washed with warm water and smeared with a nourishing cream.

There will be harm from this - the skin will receive a slight chemical burn and will begin to peel off more.

Harm of sauerkraut and contraindications

In some cases, the beneficial properties of the product can be harmful to health. The list of contraindications includes:

• pancreatitis, gastritis with high acidity and ulcers during periods of exacerbations;
• renal failure;
• hypertension;
• insufficiency of liver function, cirrhosis and hepatitis;
• flatulence and heartburn.

You cannot eat a snack during breastfeeding - for a baby, sauerkraut will not benefit, but only harm.

Which cabbage is healthier: sauerkraut or fresh

It is believed that the greatest benefit of products is kept fresh, since some of the valuable properties are usually lost during processing.

However, this is not true for cabbage. In fermented form, it is much healthier than fresh. The starter culture additionally enriches the product with minerals and vitamins, while maintaining all the original properties.

Recipe for a delicious sauerkraut for the winter

There are many ways to ferment fresh cabbage, but the classic one is the most popular. It requires a minimal set of ingredients, and fermentation does not take much time.

1. 2 kg of fresh white cabbage and 1 kg of carrots are finely chopped and mixed together.
2. Then 40 g of coarse salt without iodized additives are added to the ingredients and the vegetables are properly rubbed with it so that they let the juice out.
3. The workpiece is rolled up in large glass jars, tightly tamping inside on the "shoulders" of the container, and then cover the throat with gauze and secure it with an elastic band or braid.

At room temperature, the cabbage is kept for about 5 days, from time to time piercing the workpiece with a wooden stick and releasing the accumulated gas. At first, foam will appear on the surface of the cabbage, but then it will disappear, and from that moment the sauerkraut can be considered ready. It should be refrigerated and consumed as needed for food or for treatment.

How to choose and store sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is often easier to buy in the store than to make at home, and there is a decent choice in supermarkets. But the health benefits and harms of sauerkraut depend on its naturalness. Therefore, when buying a product, you need to pay attention to several points.

1. Date of manufacture and expiry date. Purchased sauerkraut is not stored for long, so you need to choose a product that was produced recently.
2. Composition. A natural product should contain only cabbage, salt, fermented milk, other types of vegetables, sometimes cumin or pepper. There should be no additional ingredients in cabbage - preservatives and flavors indicate a low-quality product.
3. Tightness of the package. If the lid on a plastic or glass jar with the product does not fit tightly, then the shelf life is greatly reduced - perhaps such cabbage has already deteriorated.

You need to store the snack in the refrigerator, and for a limited time. So, open cabbage in a plastic container retains its beneficial properties for only 3-4 days, then it is already undesirable to eat it. In an open glass jar, cabbage can be stored for up to 2 weeks, and if the container is hermetically sealed, up to 2 months.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of sauerkraut depend on the state of health. If there are no strict contraindications to use, then the product will delight you with a pungent taste and will be beneficial for medicinal purposes.