Beneficial and harmful properties of sauerkraut. Perfect sauerkraut, video

I can talk for a long time about the benefits of sauerkraut. It is known that it has a general strengthening, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, bactericidal, and anti-carcinogenic effect.

However, in some cases, this revered food product can harm the body.

It is difficult to overestimate the enormous popularity of sauerkraut in our latitudes in winter. Cheap, tasty, deliciously crunchy, it takes place of honor on the table as an ideal snack. And what’s important: sauerkraut has an impressive list of useful properties.

Are there vitamins in sauerkraut?

Eat! First of all, it is vitamin C - indispensable for maintaining immunity in winter. In addition, sauerkraut contains vitamin K, as well as B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B12), which have general strengthening, wound-healing qualities and are extremely beneficial for the nervous system. In addition, sauerkraut contains a number of minerals, such as potassium, sodium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sulfur, silicon, zinc, boron and copper.

Medicinal properties sauerkraut

This food product is called the “intestinal orderly” because it contains milk and acetic acid suppress the development of putrefactive bacteria.

Experts recommend sauerkraut to obese patients - its delightfully low calorie content (25 kcal per 100 g of product) combined with a rich set of vitamins and biologically active substances make cabbage the number one product in the diet of overweight people. The fiber contained in sauerkraut binds carbohydrates and accelerates their elimination from the body.

Cabbage promotes digestion, regulates acid-base balance, normalizes sugar and cholesterol levels, thus helping patients with diabetes and people suffering from metabolic disorders.

There are studies that prove that sauerkraut contains substances that can inhibit the process of division of malignant cells, especially in tumors of the breast, lungs and intestines. Cabbage salads are also very useful for vitamin deficiency.

ethnoscience teaches that sauerkraut is extremely useful for diseases such as epilepsy and bronchial asthma. Women will find it useful for cosmetic purposes. A mask of sauerkraut will give freshness and velvety to the skin, discolor dark spots and will also help get rid of acne.

About the benefits of cabbage brine

Many useful substances pass from cabbage into brine, so it is used as dietary product with a whole bouquet healing properties. It is drunk to improve appetite, for liver diseases, chronic constipation, and hemorrhoids.

For cold tingling in the chest, cabbage brine is diluted with warm boiled water in a 1:1 ratio and drink 2-3 glasses of the drink until complete cure.

At diabetes mellitus sauerkraut juice is consumed in the company of a small amount lemon juice.

The ability of brine to alleviate the condition of hangover syndrome. Folk wisdom says: “Eat cabbage before drinking and you won’t get drunk; eat it after and you’ll disperse your hops.”

They also drink brine to combat tapeworm: cabbage juice you need to drink 500 ml throughout the day before meals for 20-30 days.

At high temperature cabbage brine helps replenish the loss of fluid, vitamins and minerals.

Harm of sauerkraut

Due to the high content organic acids sauerkraut is contraindicated for diseases of the pancreas, renal failure, stones in gallbladder and hypertension. It is not recommended to eat cabbage if you are sick. thyroid gland.

It is believed that sauerkraut should not be abused by the stronger sex - in men it can reduce semen production.

Despite the fact that sauerkraut is credited with healing properties peptic ulcer stomach and duodenum, with severe advanced cases and severe exacerbations, doctors strongly recommend abstaining from this snack. With increased acidity gastric juice sauerkraut is not something that is contraindicated - it just should be consumed within reasonable limits and preferably not in its raw form. In any case (if you really want sauerkraut!) For people with the listed diseases, experts advise that before serving, thoroughly wash it from the brine or initially ferment it with a minimum of salt.

(4 Votes)

Sauerkraut- a traditional dish of hospitable Russian cuisine, meanwhile, the recipe for its preparation was invented in the Middle Kingdom, back in the 3rd millennium BC. Sour cabbage, most likely from Beijing, history is silent about this, was fed to the workers who built the Great Wall of China. And they worked tirelessly, were hardy, cheerful, cheerful, and rarely caught a cold in winter. Sauerkraut helped them in this, the benefits and harms of which for the body were little studied in those days, but were obvious.

Useful properties of sauerkraut

Of course, because in terms of vitamin C content, this unpretentious cheap snack competes with lemons, oranges, black and red currants. Moreover, the concentration ascorbic acid, which stimulates the immune system and is involved in almost all metabolic processes, remains consistently high in sauerkraut for 7-9 months; this is now a scientifically proven fact. Just like the fact that cabbage in brine is rich in other useful substances, including quite rare ones.

Sauerkraut, crispy - against fat

For example, it contains an acid that is unique in its properties, tartronic acid. Of course, in fresh vegetable it is also present, so all types of cabbage (white cabbage, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts) are used in dietary nutrition, in the form of salads. During heat treatment, this chemical compound, like most of Natural macro and microelements, unfortunately, are destroyed. But sauerkraut doesn’t do anything with it, eat it for your health all winter and lose weight.

After all, tartronic acid is the worst enemy of fat, it not only prevents the formation of fat deposits, it successfully fights against old, long-term reserves, but also the level bad cholesterol in the blood decreases. He "scores" blood vessels, their walls, like corals, are overgrown with a hard coating, so-called cholesterol plaques.

The lumens of the arteries narrow, their capacity decreases. Vital important organs First of all, the heart and brain suffer from a lack of oxygen. And in the event of a catastrophe, a sudden rupture of a vessel, they die altogether. The most effective prevention of heart attacks and strokes, which claim millions of lives every year, is healthy diet. And not the least place in it is sauerkraut; the benefits and harms for the body of the dish, which is still made according to an ancient recipe that came from time immemorial, never ceases to amaze with its rationality.

It is known that “bad” cholesterol clings and settles only in those areas where there is the slightest damage to the internal vascular wall. And sauerkraut contains a unique “building” material for strengthening and timely “repair” of an extended and branched circulatory system(capillaries, veins, arteries). These are vitamins K, C, B, PP, U and a lot of wonderful enzymes that appear in the appetizing snack during the fermentation process.

Delicious sauerkraut - for digestion

Many people are familiar with the saying: a person is what he eats. Really, experienced doctor Using the daily menu, he can easily “calculate” the patient’s weaknesses and hidden diseases. And today even those who are considered healthy have problems with digestion. This is indicated by pale skin, dull hair, brittle nails, weakness, irritability, emotional lability. Stress, poor nutrition, uncontrolled use of antibiotics leads to the death of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, which are involved in digestive processes, because of this, the intestinal microflora is disrupted. From here excess weight which is difficult to deal with.

Our ancestors did not know such misfortunes because all year round consumed fermented products. They drank kvass, yogurt, fermented baked milk, and for the winter they fermented fruits, berries, wild herbs, and vegetables. And not only, but also beets (rich, ice-cold beetroot soup, only cooked with pickled beets), turnips. They soaked apples, lingonberries, cranberries, and prepared wild garlic for future use. That is, they continuously replenished the ranks of invisible helpers, beneficial bacteria, which, for example, accompany sauerkraut.

Moreover, salt was used to a minimum in winter supplies; it was not for nothing that in the old days they said not salted cabbage, but sour cabbage. But we don’t regret it at all when canning, in case the homemade preparations go bad. And so that they last through the winter, we also season the delicious pickles with vinegar, just to be safe. Who are we making them for? After all, children, elderly people, as well as those with diseases gastrointestinal tract, heart, liver, kidneys, you can’t eat such canned food, except try it occasionally. How advantageous sauerkraut looks against this background (benefits), and a spicy preparation, made correctly and wisely, is unlikely to cause harm to the body.

Sour cabbage - in the Lenten menu

In the old days, the fermentation of cabbage in the fall was extended over a week, they prepared it in barrels, and prepared for the upcoming fasts, Christmas and Great Lent. What quick food compares to sauerkraut? Thanks to fibrous structure It takes a long time to digest, creating a pleasant feeling of satiety. Coarse fiber, like a brush, cleanses the intestines of toxins. Salted cabbage also helps eliminate toxins.

It's no secret that when switching to a vegetarian diet plan, without meat, milk, eggs and butter, which, in fact, happens in Orthodox posts, V large quantities are formed harmful substances, fat breakdown products. The body is forced to burn their reserves because the low-calorie, plant food unable to provide it with the energy necessary for normal life. The first days of fasting are difficult for beginners; they experience mild intoxication, which sauerkraut helps relieve (benefits). And the harm to the body from a sudden change in diet is quickly neutralized as waste and toxins are removed unpleasant symptoms disappear. For this reason, delicious sauerkraut is held in high esteem by pregnant women experiencing toxicosis.

Previously menu The winter fast was not particularly varied; they cooked and ate mainly what grew in the garden and was collected in the forest. If it were not for the sauerkraut, crispy, vegetable oil, flavored with onions, vitamin deficiency would not have been long in coming. And so, I ate a plate of sour snacks, and seasonal infections (flu, ARVI) and colds are not terrible, live and be happy.

Sauerkraut cures cancer

Latest Scientific research confirmed that sauerkraut, due to the vitamin U it contains (it is not synthesized by the body) and fermentation enzymes, has a powerful antitumor effect. These substances prevent cells from degenerating into malignant ones. Setting up immune system to recognize and destroy carcinogens, have a strong antioxidant effect. I can't even believe that we're talking about about modest white cabbage, only not fresh, but sour, pickled.

In cabbage leaves from the garden, glucosinolates are present in a “rudimentary” state. And they “wake up”, become more active during the cooking process, when the cabbage is chopped, ground with salt, kept for several days at room temperature, in a word, fermented. The main thing is to prevent the appearance of listeria, bacteria dangerous to health, in sauerkraut. For this purpose, the pickle, in a pan or jar, is periodically pierced to the very bottom with a long wooden splinter, a knitting needle, or a kebab skewer to ensure complete gas exchange.

The minimum therapeutic dose of delicious sauerkraut is 1-2 servings (150-200 g), the maximum recommended dose is 5-6 servings per week (a total of 500-600 g). This amount is enough to inhibit the development of breast, prostate, Bladder, lungs, colon and stomach. Salted cabbage destroys Helicobacter, a microorganism that provokes the formation of stomach ulcers. Him in malignant tumors this body is accused.

Sauerkraut: contraindications

In reasonable quantities, no more than 100 g per day, almost everyone can eat sauerkraut. The only exceptions are patients with pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), gastritis and gastric ulcers in the acute stage.

Excessive consumption sauerkraut due to the presence of sulfur in it, it causes bloating, intense gas formation, and flatulence. People who have thyroid problems should not get carried away with this pickle, since cabbage interferes with the absorption of iodine, which leads to growth and enlargement of the thyroid gland.

It must be remembered that 2-3% of the mass of sauerkraut comes from table salt, sodium chloride. It retains fluid in the tissues of the body, thereby causing swelling. For hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, chronic renal failure, it is reasonable salted cabbage Before use, rinse with cool boiled water. Or cook by adding less salt. It will turn out soft, will not crunch, but will be healthier.

There is an opinion that delicious sauerkraut is contraindicated for people with increased acidity gastric juice, in fact, this is not so. Pour any vegetable oil (sunflower, olive, flaxseed) over the appetizing snack and eat to your health, there will be no heartburn.

I am sure that now homemade sauerkraut (there is no benefit and no harm to the body) will take its rightful place on your table. It will help you get rid of excess weight, get enough vitamins, and overcome winter depression and have fun meeting the New one.

Without a doubt, every resident of our country is familiar with sauerkraut firsthand. And in Germany it is generally a national dish. But it’s unlikely that everyone knows about the large number of beneficial properties of sauerkraut, because that’s not why we fell in love with it

Each housewife prepares this crispy snack according to her own signature recipe. In general, the point of preparing sauerkraut is to achieve fermentation of lactic acid bacteria, which is affected by salt, air and outside temperature. The result of proper cooking is delicious and incredible healthy dish, persisting quite long time with proper storage.

Sauerkraut contains a lot of useful elements, vital for our body:

Vitamins A, groups B, E, C (“responsible” for vascular health, liver function, improves iron absorption, helps hematopoiesis processes and strengthens the immune system), H, P (strengthens capillaries, saturates tissues with oxygen and reduces the body’s response to action foreign bodies), U (protects the gastric mucosa) and K;
Minerals - F (phosphorus), Na (sodium), S (sulfur), Cl (chlorine), Zn (zinc), I (iodine), Cu (copper), Cr (chromium) and Mo (molybdenum), Ca (calcium ), K (potassium), Mg (magnesium) and Fe (iron);
The dish is rich complex carbohydrates- starch, pectin, fiber and organic acids. All of them promote good digestion, remove waste products, regulate metabolism and prevent cancer.

This rich composition gives sauerkraut its benefits and many medicinal properties:

For digestive system- increasing appetite, enhancing intestinal function, normalizing microflora and acting as a mild laxative effect. For example, gastritis is treated with brine low acidity, has a stimulating effect on bile secretion, and is also used to relieve constipation and hemorrhoids.
For the cardiovascular system, the fiber in the composition is able to absorb cholesterol, preventing it from penetrating into the blood; removes bile acids from the body, preventing the development of atherosclerosis and ischemia.
For diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2, since it does not contain sucrose (if you do not add sugar during preparation) and little simple carbohydrates. Enriching cabbage with lactic acid and enzymes ensures fermentation, which improves the activity of the pancreas, which is reduced in this disease. Symptoms of neuropathy are relieved due to the presence of B vitamins in cabbage. Diabetes mellitus often causes problems with excess weight, which the snack also helps to get rid of.
The vitamin and mineral composition, as well as antioxidants in sauerkraut, help the body resist viruses and infections during cold weather. But even if you have already caught a cold, cabbage brine will relieve a sore throat, cough and high fever. To do this, you just need to dilute it with boiled water and drink or gargle.
For the central nervous system - the B group of vitamins has a positive effect on the transmission of nerve impulses, the functioning of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system, increasing resistance to stress. The lack of these elements makes a person irritable, impairs sleep, causes headaches and contributes to fatigue, which leads to neuropsychiatric disorders.

The benefits of sauerkraut also extend to women, helping to maintain youth and beauty, eliminating some problems in appearance - lotions and masks eliminate acne, age spots, freckles and oily porous skin.

About contraindications and dangers of sauerkraut

Despite the general recognition by doctors and nutritionists of the health benefits of sauerkraut, it still has some contraindications. Organic acids and salt in the composition prohibit the consumption of snacks for the following health problems:

People with high acidity of gastric juice.
When there comes a period of exacerbation of gastritis and stomach ulcers.
If increased gas formation is observed.
For hypertension and pancreatitis.
If edema is diagnosed due to heart disease.
Renal failure and other kidney diseases, for which a salt-free diet is indicated.
Gallstones.

The snack also has some other properties that have a negative effect on the body - it stimulates the appetite, which is not very necessary for people who are overweight, and salt leads to fluid retention + fermentation processes stimulate severe gas formation.

When consuming sauerkraut, always focus on how you feel. To soften the effect, you can simply remove excess juice and add vegetable oil, which will help the body tolerate the dish without unpleasant side effects.

Another important point - keep it in moderation without overeating, and then you will have a pleasant experience delicious product will not be overshadowed by anything.

Choosing cabbage for pickling, features of recipes and additives

To make sauerkraut as healthy as possible, without harm to the body, you first need to choose a good, dense and fresh cabbage - this is white cabbage, in which the cabbage on top is slightly flattened. Followed by classic recipe preparations:

the cabbage is peeled from the top leaves and finely shredded, placed in a prepared bowl, mixed thoroughly and ground with salt;
Peel and wash the carrots, then grate them on a coarse grater and add them to the cabbage;
Pack the mixture tightly so that as little air remains as possible.

After a few hours, the juice should completely cover the entire cabbage to the top. If this is not the case, then you need to add boiled chilled water to the required volume.

The container should stand in a room at room temperature for 3 days, during which time you need to pierce the surface with a fork, or better yet, a thin wooden stick, after which the finished cabbage should be transferred to a cool place.

You can also use various additives that will add benefits and give the dish a unique taste. These can be apples (Antonovka is better), cranberries and lingonberries, pumpkin and beets. Spices add piquancy - Bay leaf, horseradish, cumin and allspice.

Homemade sauerkraut recipes

Now let's move on to the recipes for delicious sauerkraut. Classic version has already been given earlier. Now try to master making a healthy snack with apples:

Chop 3 forks of white cabbage into strips;
Peel 2-3 apples with 1 large carrot and grate on a coarse grater, adding to the cabbage and adding salt (3 small spoons);
mix the composition thoroughly and mash until the juice releases;
compact the prepared composition into prepared clean jars and leave in a room at room temperature for 40 hours to achieve fermentation.

For a snow-white color and a characteristic crunch, it is necessary to ensure the release of gases that occur during fermentation - this will be achieved by inserting wooden sticks.

At the end of the fermentation process, put the finished snack in the refrigerator, and after a couple of hours it can be consumed.

There is a recipe for making cabbage with plums, lingonberries and rowan berries. For a 5-liter jar you will need 3 and a half heads of cabbage, 6 apples, the number of cranberries to taste, 5 juniper berries, ¼ cup of sugar, some carrots, White bread(crust), currant leaf, a few caraway seeds and a glass of vodka:

Place large pieces on the bottom of a clean container. cabbage leaves and a crust of bread.
The cabbage is finely chopped and mixed with sugar, salt (to taste), carrots and cumin. It is necessary to compact it to a thickness of approximately 5 cm.
Then currant leaves are placed on top.
Peel and seed the apples, cut them and place in the next layer.
Then again cabbage, mixed with cranberries (lingonberries) and caraway seeds.
The last layer is again cabbage and carrots.
Place juniper berries evenly on top, pour vodka and cover the top of the jar with gauze.

Leave at room temperature for 3 to 5 days, then also put in a cold place. Lingonberries and cranberries can be replaced with plums or chokeberries.

Like these ones interesting recipes They will diversify your diet and at the same time fill your body with healthy ingredients.

I can talk for a long time about the benefits of sauerkraut. It is known that it has a general strengthening, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, bactericidal, and anti-carcinogenic effect. However, in some cases, this food product can harm the body.

Are there vitamins in sauerkraut?

Medicinal properties of sauerkraut

This food product is called the “intestinal orderly” because the lactic and acetic acids it contains suppress the development of putrefactive bacteria.

Experts recommend sauerkraut to obese patients - its delightfully low calorie content (25 kcal per 100 g of product) in combination with a rich set of vitamins and biologically active substances makes cabbage the number one product in the diet of overweight people. The fiber contained in sauerkraut binds carbohydrates and accelerates their elimination from the body.

Cabbage promotes digestion, regulates acid-base balance, normalizes sugar and cholesterol levels, thus helping patients with diabetes and people suffering from metabolic disorders.

Traditional medicine teaches that sauerkraut is extremely useful for diseases such as epilepsy and bronchial asthma. Women will find it useful for cosmetic purposes. A mask made from sauerkraut will give freshness and velvety to the skin, fade pigment spots, and also help get rid of acne.

About the benefits of cabbage brine

Many useful substances pass from cabbage into brine, so it is used as a dietary product that has a whole bunch of healing properties. It is drunk to improve appetite, for liver diseases, chronic constipation, and hemorrhoids.

For cold tingling in the chest, cabbage brine is diluted with warm boiled water in a 1:1 ratio and drink 2-3 glasses of the drink until completely cured.

For diabetes mellitus, sauerkraut juice is consumed in the company of a small amount of lemon juice.

The ability of brine to alleviate hangover symptoms is widely known. Popular wisdom says: “Eat cabbage before drinking and you won’t get drunk; eat it after and you’ll disperse your hops.”

They also drink brine to combat tapeworm: cabbage juice should be drunk 500 ml throughout the day before meals for 20-30 days.

At high temperatures, cabbage brine helps replenish the loss of fluid, vitamins and minerals.

Sauerkraut juice is considered effective means with the so-called “silent” stomach ulcer and duodenum. Drink it 1/4-1/3 glass 3 times a day an hour before meals. Preventive course - 2-3 weeks.

Harm of sauerkraut

Due to the high content of organic acids, sauerkraut is contraindicated for diseases of the pancreas, kidney failure, gallstones and hypertension. It is not recommended to eat cabbage if you have thyroid diseases.

It is believed that sauerkraut should not be abused by the stronger sex - in men it can reduce semen production.

Despite the fact that sauerkraut is credited with the properties of curing gastric and duodenal ulcers, in severely advanced cases and severe exacerbations, doctors strongly recommend abstaining from this snack. With increased acidity of gastric juice, sauerkraut is not only contraindicated - it should just be consumed within reasonable limits and preferably not raw. In any case (if you really want sauerkraut!) For people with the listed diseases, experts advise that before serving, thoroughly wash it from the brine or initially ferment it with a minimum of salt.

How is sauerkraut beneficial for women? It is known that after fermentation the vegetable becomes much more useful, it is enriched vitamin composition. As a result, sauerkraut turns out to be rich in many vitamins and elements that are simply necessary for the health and beauty of a woman.

Composition and calorie content of sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is a dish that simply needs to be included in the menu when losing weight. Despite the calorie content of 100 g of product being only 19 kcal, its nutritional value is very high.

Important. The most useful cabbage is the one that yielded natural process fermentation. When using vinegar, it loses some of its beneficial substances.

Pickled vegetables are several times healthier than fresh ones. This is a source of a huge amount of vitamins, microelements and other useful substances.

Let's take a look at the composition:

vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B4, B5, B6, B9, E, K, PP, U;
trace elements - iron, iodine, manganese, copper, selenium, zinc and fluorine;
macroelements - potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium and phosphorus;
beta and alpha carotene;
betaine;
lutein;
cellulose;
nonessential and essential amino acids;
fatty, saturated and polyunsaturated acids.

Quite impressive. And when proper storage cabbage does not lose its beneficial properties for 8 - 10 months.

How is sauerkraut beneficial for women?

The beneficial properties of sauerkraut manifest themselves in the following effects on the female body:

Thanks to the high content of ascorbic acid, the immune system is strengthened, the aging process is slowed down and cell regeneration is enhanced. Natural quality lasts longer female beauty, the condition of hair and skin improves.
The level of bad cholesterol decreases.
The likelihood of tumors and cancer cell growth is reduced.
A large number of dietary fiber in the composition (up to 14%) helps cleanse the body of waste, toxins, bile acids and other metabolites.
Appetite improves.
Metabolism is normalized.
Vitamin deficiency goes away. The vegetable can be a worthy replacement for pharmacy vitamin complexes.
Improves health in case of allergies and bronchial asthma, since cabbage contains antihistamines.
Strengthens nervous system, mood swings during PMS or menopause disappear

As you can see, the benefits for a woman’s body from consuming sauerkraut are quite great. By regularly including this vegetable in your menu, you can not only improve your health, but also rejuvenate.

Beneficial properties for the pregnant woman's body

For pregnant the greatest benefit Cabbage brine has a beneficial effect because it helps cope with toxicosis. The vegetable also saturates the pregnant woman’s body with all the beneficial substances that both she and the baby need. Cabbage increases protective forces body, reducing the risk of contracting infectious or viral diseases.

But pregnant women should not abuse this vegetable. The salts in the composition can put additional stress on the kidneys. And also after a portion of such a dish, bloating and heartburn may occur. Therefore, let's go back to where we started - it's better to drink cabbage brine.

Sauerkraut juice: benefits and harms

As stated above, it is useful not only to eat cabbage itself, but also to drink its juice. It is effective in losing weight, and with its help you can easily get rid of extra pounds. Tartronic acid in its composition promotes the removal of fat, and then prevents it from accumulating in the body.

There is no coarse fiber in the brine, so it has a more soft action on the gastrointestinal tract, but at the same time relieves constipation and dysbacteriosis.
The juice has a diuretic effect and removes stones.
It has a positive effect on the cardiovascular and respiratory system, liver and pancreas.
Helps get rid of lamblia.

You should not drink juice if you have hypertension, high stomach acidity, coronary disease And chronic diseases gastrointestinal organs.

Is sauerkraut good for the gastrointestinal tract?

Definitely, juice is good for the gastrointestinal tract. It improves digestion and secretion of gastric secretions, increases its acidity. You can even drink it to prevent gastritis. In addition, this liquid contains lactic acid, which can overcome intestinal infection and other pathogenic microorganisms.

Important. If you have problems with digestion or feel heaviness after eating, then you should wash down your food with cabbage brine or eat a little sauerkraut. The heaviness in your stomach will go away.

Product for diabetes

The vegetable is also good for diabetics. The fiber in its composition has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the pancreas and, accordingly, blood sugar levels decrease.

The product also promotes fat burning and weight loss, which is important point for diabetics, who are often obese.

Sauerkraut for hypertension

This product displays bad cholesterol and slags, dissolves atherosclerotic plaques, cleanses blood vessels and strengthens them. Due to this, the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases. Nevertheless, it is not recommended to use sauerkraut if you have hypertension.

The product contains salts that retain fluid in the body, increase blood volume, and accordingly indirectly increase arterial pressure. The consequence of abuse of such a dish can be a hypertensive crisis.

Note. For hypertension, you can eat no more than 100 g of product per week.

Benefits for weight loss

Low calorie content, high nutritional value, vitamin PP and tartronic acid content in sauerkraut are factors that contribute to weight loss. As a result of eating this dish, metabolism is normalized, bad cholesterol and other harmful substances are eliminated. Despite the fact that the woman is on a diet, she feels good.

But you shouldn’t overuse sauerkraut. It stimulates the gastrointestinal tract to secrete gastric juice, therefore improving appetite. If you eat this vegetable in large doses, you can constantly feel hungry and, as a result, “eat” extra pounds.

Use for cosmetic purposes

You can make face masks from sauerkraut, which increase skin elasticity, smooth out wrinkles and get rid of inflammatory processes skin.

Using cabbage brine you can not only remove acne and pimples, but also get rid of freckles. It is enough to apply the juice daily for 10 minutes. on the face.

Contraindications and possible harm

There are few contraindications to consuming sauerkraut, but they do exist.

This product should be introduced into the menu with caution in the following cases:

increased stomach acidity (heartburn appears);
peptic ulcer;
pancreatitis;
gastritis with increased stomach acidity;
intestinal obstruction (bloating and flatulence occurs);
severe heart pathologies (you should avoid the vegetable due to its high sodium content);
renal failure (due to high salt content);
cholelithiasis.

Absolute contraindications to the use of this product are gastrointestinal diseases in the acute stage and breast-feeding. All acids and salts contained in pickled vegetables are transferred to the baby along with breast milk. This can lead to poor digestion, increased gas formation and colic in the stomach. If you have breastfeeding, you should discard the product.

Important. Under no circumstances should you ferment cabbage in tinned or zinc containers. During fermentation, substances are released that can cause great harm to health.

100 g of sauerkraut contains more than 600 mg of sodium. This is not always a good thing, since this macronutrient removes potassium from the body. Therefore, when eating a cabbage diet, you should definitely increase your potassium intake.

In other cases, when there are no contraindications, sauerkraut can and should be eaten! And especially in the cold season, when the body is so lacking in nutrients.