Sauerkraut, with all its simplicity, contains a huge amount of biologically active substances that favorably affect all the functions of the human body.
It is useful for many ailments, and is also indispensable for patients who are forced to adhere to strict dietary diets, including people suffering from diabetes. However, in order to get the maximum benefit for the body from the use of sauerkraut, it is important to know in which cases it is recommended, and when it is better to abandon the product.
Chemical composition and calorie content
Significantly enrich the diet with vitamins, including even a small amount of sauerkraut in the daily diet.
Important! Sauerkraut is very useful for women during pregnancy, because it contains a large amount of folic acid, which is necessary for the safe bearing and prevention of fetal pathologies.
So, in 100 g of the product contains:
- ascorbic acid (vitamin C) - 14.5-14.7 mg;
- tocopherol (vitamin E) - 0.1-0.15 mg;
- nicotinic acid (vitamin B3) - 0.1 mg;
- choline (vitamin B4) - 10.3-10.4 mg;
- pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) - 0.1 mg;
- pyridoxine (vitamin B6) - 0.1 mg;
- folic acid (vitamin B9) - 24 mcg;
- Vitamin K - 12.9–13.0 mcg;
- beta-carotene - 8.0-8.1 mcg;
- alpha-carotene - 5.0-5.2 mcg.
Being a rich source of vitamin C, fermented cabbage helps to fill up the deficiency of this vitamin in the winter.
Another fact indicating the usefulness of this product is that of the 12 essential amino acids it contains 9 (most of all contains tryptophan, valine and histidine).
Fermented vegetables are rich in micro and macro elements:
- potassium - 170 mg;
- calcium - 30 mg;
- magnesium - 13 mg;
- sodium - 661 mg;
- fluorine - 20 mg.
In smaller amounts are iron, manganese, selenium, zinc. The product is included in the menu of many weight loss diets. With a low energy value, the vegetable is rich in fiber and fiber, which contribute to the rapid saturation and increased intestinal motility.
Nutritional value of 100 g sauerkraut is:
- proteins - 0.91–, 92 g;
- fats - 0.14 g;
- carbohydrates - 1.38 g;
- dietary fiber - 2.9 g;
- calorie content - 19 kcal.
This affordable and familiar vegetable has a beneficial effect on the body, is used in dietary, therapeutic and preventive nutrition due to the wide range of its beneficial properties.What properties does sauerkraut have
In the process of preparing sauerkraut, complex biochemical processes take place in it, as a result of which the vegetable acquires special taste and a lot of useful properties that are not inherent in fresh cabbage.
Did you know? When preparing cabbage for fermentation, it is recommended not to chop it into strips, but to cut it into 4 parts. This method allows you to increase the amount of vitamins, macro- and microelements by 2 times.
When using a product as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent, you need to know what properties it has and what its healing qualities are. It is equally important to have information about possible contraindications to its use.
Benefits and healing properties
Sauerkraut is one of the most affordable products and, having a significant amount of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, is used in a complex of therapeutic measures in the treatment of many diseases.
- The healing properties of this product are very diverse:
- immunomodulatory;
- antispasmodic;
- antibacterial;
- antifungal;
- exchange;
- antiparasitic;
- metabolic
- antimicrobial;
- antitumor;
- anti-scaling;
- choleretic.
- The chemical composition of sauerkraut and the ratio of various nutrients in it allow us to talk about the many healthy qualities of this product:
- stimulates the production of immune bodies, especially useful during the period of massive respiratory viral diseases;
- stimulates cell metabolism;
- facilitates the course of colds and flu, accelerates recovery;
- improves digestion;
- fights against pathogens in the intestines;
- strengthens and stimulates the growth of nails and hair;
- enhances metabolism;
- supports eye health and prevents cataracts;
- strengthens bone tissue;
- reduces pain in the joints;
- lowers blood pressure;
- improves the color and quality of the skin;
- prevents stomach ulcer;
- relieves stomach cramps;
- accelerates the cure of diarrhea;
- relieves constipation;
- used for the prevention and treatment of gastritis;
- relieves symptoms of toxicosis;
- reduces the risk of neoplasms in the intestine;
- reduces blood cholesterol;
- helps with high blood sugar;
- improves the condition of those suffering from diseases of the bronchi;
- improves blood outflow with hemorrhoids.
The brine obtained by fermenting cabbage helps to get rid of intestinal parasites.
Harm and contraindications
Sauerkraut is certainly a very useful product. But including it in your menu, you must take into account the state of the body and possible contraindications.
A large number of enzymes, high acidity and high salt content can harm if there are problems with the functioning of some organs.
- Limit or abstain from use should be available:
- kidney disease;
- increased acidity of gastric juice;
- pancreatic dysfunction;
- gallstones;
- hypertension
- pancreatitis.
If the fermented product, which is salted cabbage, is something new for you, it is better to start incorporating it into the diet in small portions, starting with a teaspoon, gradually increasing them to the usual ones.Important! Doctors recommend abstaining from the use of sauerkraut until the end of the fermentation process. Especially dangerous are the third and fourth day of salting. During this period, the maximum number of pathogenic bacteria is concentrated in it.
Regarding the use of this product for diabetes, doctors and nutritionists do not have a clear answer. But given its useful properties, the balance is still leaning in favor of the product.
Is it possible to eat sauerkraut for diabetes
- The main advantages in favor of this product for diabetics are:
- Rich vitamin and mineral composition.
- The ability to lower cholesterol.
- Activation of the body's own enzymes, which facilitates the digestion of food.
- Stimulation of metabolic processes in the body.
- Stimulating pancreatic function, which helps to lower blood sugar.
- Dietary properties.
- A positive effect on the cardiovascular system, which diabetics have an increased load on.
- Activation of the immune system.
Although a fresh vegetable is more recommended by nutritionists and physicians, the low energy value and glycedemic index give every reason for consuming your product in food for diabetes.
The quality of the product and adherence to its preparation technology are especially important points for diabetics. If you do not ferment cabbage yourself, you must carefully approach the process of choosing it in the market or in the store.
Features of choosing cabbage when buying
In order to choose the “right” sauerkraut that will bring maximum benefits to the body, you need to know a few rules:
- The amount of brine. The whole product must be covered with liquid, otherwise it will quickly lose its beneficial qualities.
- Smell. Fermented cabbage has a specific smell, but you should pay attention to the presence of extraneous spicy aromas.
- Consistency. Sliced pieces should crunch and creak. If they are sluggish and soft, this indicates a violation of the fermentation process, non-observance of the storage regime or expired product.
- Taste. A properly cooked product should have a slightly spicy and pungent taste. If other products are added to it, then their taste should be slightly felt. Foreign tastes and aftertaste are not allowed.
The use and norms of sauerkraut in type 2 diabetes
A feature of type 2 diabetes mellitus is that it most often occurs as a result of overweight, so dieting for patients is a very important factor in maintaining normal blood sugar levels.
One of the main principles of nutrition for diabetics is to limit the energy value of the diet in such a way that the energy requirement is equal to the cost of the body.
Did you know? Cabbage juice is an excellent anti-aging agent. Regularly using it to make homemade masks, it allows you to always have fresh and radiant skin.
Very often, patients with type 2 diabetes have a saturation problem. Nutritionists in this case recommend that diabetics increase the number of foods on the menu that contain large amounts of fiber and plant fiber.
Dishes from cabbage are useful in any form: You can cook as an addition to various dishes (meat, fish) from a fresh vegetable, or you can include it in a pickled menu.
- For patients with type 2 diabetes, this product will be useful because it:
- helps overcome hunger without consuming large amounts of food;
- gently lowers sugar levels;
- activates the production of its own enzymes;
- cleanses the blood.
There are no strict restrictions on the use of this product., it can be included in the daily diet, not forgetting that everything should be a measure.
Storage rules for sauerkraut
If you harvest cabbage for the future or buy in large quantities, it is necessary to create conditions under which the quality does not suffer and its useful properties are not lost.
Depending on the volume of finished products, store it in a wooden barrel, pots, jars, film, adhering to the following conditions:
- wooden barrel - at a temperature of -1 ... + 4 ° С - up to 8 months;
- enameled bucket (pan) - at a temperature of -1 ... + 4 ° С - up to 3 months;
- glass jar - at a temperature of -1 ... + 4 ° C - up to 2 weeks;
- polymer film - at a temperature of +2 ... + 4 ° С - no more than a week.
During storage, make sure that the mass is covered with brineotherwise the product will lose its quality. If mold has formed on the surface, it can be carefully collected and sprinkled with mustard powder on the surface.
You can extend the shelf life by adding cranberries to the cabbage. Sauerkraut has a very rich vitamin, mineral and amino acid composition. With virtually no contraindications, it improves the functioning of many systems of the human body.
It is a particularly valuable product for diabetics who follow a fairly strict diet that is poor in nutrients. With the right choice of the product, its storage and moderate use, fermented cabbage will bring only benefits to the body and improve well-being.
