The word sauerkraut is translated as "sour cabbage" in English. It is used to describe a naturally fermented vegetable-a traditional German food.
The fermentation process prevents bacteria from growing on the cabbage, which makes sauerkraut stay fresher than unfermented cabbage.
Sauerkraut has a pungent smell and a strong sour taste. In the United States, it is probably best known for its use on Reuben sandwiches.
Health benefits
Because sauerkraut is made from cabbage, it has many of the expected health benefits of ordinary green leafy vegetables. However, the fermentation process adds to the unique health benefits of sauerkraut. Let's take a look at the benefits of adding this food to your diet for your body.
Improve digestion
A serving of sauerkraut contains two grams of fiber-a nutrient known to help digestion. For patients with constipation, fiber increases the weight and size of stool and softens it, making it easier to pass. For people with diarrhea, fiber can absorb excess water and solidify the stool.
However, it's not just the fiber content of sauerkraut that makes this food so good for digestion. Sauerkraut is also rich in probiotics, which can improve your overall intestinal health. This combination makes sauerkraut an excellent food to help digestion.
Promoting weight loss
Obesity affects more than 40% of American adults and is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, digestive problems, and type 2 diabetes.
There are many reasons why sauerkraut helps to lose weight. On the one hand, sauerkraut is low in calories and high in fiber, which can help you feel full for longer. This can help reduce the amount of food you eat in a day without making you hungry.
The probiotics in sauerkraut may also reduce fat absorption. These studies are still in the preliminary stages, and the results have not yet been replicated in humans. However, these early studies are promising and point out that probiotics are the key to weight loss.
Nutrition
Among other benefits, sauerkraut is a source of many key nutrients, including:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K1
- iron
- Folic acid
- manganese
- copper
- Potassium
Nutrients per serving
Half a cup of canned sauerkraut contains:
- Calories: 16
- Fat: 0 grams
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 219 mg
- Carbohydrates: 3 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Sugar: 1g
- Protein: 1g
Weight
Sauerkraut is rich in vitamins and nutrients. Because of its low calorie and fat content, eating sauerkraut may be tempting, especially if you want to lose weight. However, as with most foods, moderation is the key to making sauerkraut part of a healthy diet.
Sauerkraut is rich in sodium, and one serving contains 9% of the recommended daily intake. Most Americans already have too much sodium in their diets, and adding high-sodium sauerkraut to your day will not help. Too much sodium in the diet can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and congestive heart failure.
To prevent these problems, limit yourself to one serving of sauerkraut every day and avoid processed foods to keep sodium levels low.
How to eat sauerkraut
Sauerkraut can be purchased in cans or cans at most grocery stores. It is usually used as a condiment to add a unique flavor to food, but it can also be eaten as a side dish or healthy snack.
Some ideas for using sauerkraut include:
- On the sandwich
- On hot dog
- As a dip for French fries
- On avocado toast
- In the devil's egg
- Eating burrito
