When I turned 50 I received in the mail a free introductory magazine from AARP (American Association of Retired Persons). An article in the magazine mentioned a study of Polish women who ate cabbage in the form of sauerkraut four or more times a week. The study concluded that the Polish Women were 74 % less likely to develop breast cancer than a control group. The article also mentioned that sauerkraut eaters were less likely to develop colon cancer. The study was done by the American Association for Cancer Research, a highly respected organization in America. Issue and date is mentioned in the introduction to my class at WWU,
Culturing from the Heart.
Fermented and cultured foods, - sauerkraut being one of them, are some of the most wonderful foods created. They are kind of miracle foods. Just a table spoon or two is enough to harvest all the benefits of these wonderful tasty fermented and cultured foods. Why are sauerkraut and other fermented and cultured foods so important in our diet? Here are three basic reasons for eating fermented and cultured foods.
One is the fermentation process or the culturing process helps digest the food that are being fermented or cultured. When we ferment foods we often just use salt, some times water -that is all. Some people add whey as a starter. When culturing foods, for example making yogurt, we add a starter, -a culture, to the milk to create yogurt. Dairy is difficult for many people to digest. Cultured milk becomes so much easier to process. I had a client who could not digest milk – and wheat for that matter. When she changed her diet and life style she turned around her intolerance to milk and wheat and was able to enjoy both. Wheat can be extremely difficult to digest when not prepared well. It is only by fermenting the wheat, or the gluten, during the process of making sourdough bread that the wheat is predigested and therefor not harmful to eat. This is the first reason for eating fermented and cultured foods; that the fermentation process or the culturing process help digest the foods that are being fermented or cultured.
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Second main reason to ferment and culture foods is that these healthy bacteria and enzymes created during the process, benefit our entire digestive tract and therefor our immune system. We have about 4 pounds of healthy bacteria in our digestive tract that are hugely important for breaking down the foods we ingest and keeping unwanted bacteria at bay. I will in the course,
Culturing from the Heart, go into more details.
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Third reason is that fermented and cultured foods help digest the meal we are eating. Say we are having rice and burritos with sauerkraut. The sauerkraut helps digest the rice and beans and especially the oils and fats in the meal.
In the class, Culturing from the Heart, you will be guided in a step-by-step process to make, beside sauerkraut, kimchi and brine pickled vegetables. You will get a hands on experience in making yogurt, kefir, soft cheese, as well as cultured and fermented drinks such as kvass, wild berry elixir and rosemary beer. Most of all I want to help you gain confidence and ease when making these wonderful, very simple and inexpensive, yet highly nutritious and medicinal foods.
Both courses that I offer (the other being
Cooking for the Love of the Children), will be customized to your needs as much as possible. I want you to share with me challenges or health concerns you may have. I want to help you answer any questions related to the courses, as for example, 'What does it mean when mold appears on the sauerkraut?' or 'How do I help my children to appreciate broccoli or green leafy vegetables, like kale?' I look forward to working with you!
Juicy, Healthy Sauerkraut
2 pound green cabbage
1 tablespoons sea salt
Take the outer layers of the cabbage and discard.
Shred the cabbage very, very fine.
With your very clean hands rub the salt into the cabbage until the cabbage get shinny and juicy.
Fill a wide mouth quart jar with boiling water to sterilize it. Pour off the water.
Pack the jar with the shredded cabbage. Press it down firmly so that the liquid is above the cabbage. Place an air tight lid on the jar. Let the jar sit covered on the counter in room temperature around 70 degrees. After one day check if the liquid is still above the the cabbage and that no cabbage is exposed to air. If not add extra brine by boiling 1 cup water with an added 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Let it cool before pouring it in the jar.
Cover the jar with a kitchen towel and let it sit in a dark place at room temperature, not higher than 72 degrees for the first 2 days. Place the jar in a cooler place about 65 degrees and let the kraut sit for 5-12 days.
When the sauerkraut is done it will have an appetizing sweet and sour taste with a unique aroma. Keep the sauerkraut in the refrigerator.
Anne-Marie Fryer
Cooking for the Love of the World