It's no secret that sauerkraut is much more useful than fresh cabbage, its positive properties are preserved for 8–10 months. And also takes one of the first places among the blanks of any housewife. Next, we will consider what benefits and harm it brings to the human body.

Nutritional value and chemical composition of sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is special in that it contains a large amount of vitamins, minerals, and at the same time it is considered a dietary product. Energy value per 100 grams of product is:

• KBZhU: 19 kcal, 1.8 g, 0.1 g, 4.4 g;
• alimentary fiber: 4 g;
• water: 88 g;
• vitamins: C (38.1 mg), B1 (0.03 mg), B2 (0.04 mg), B3 (0.7 mg), B5 (0.2 mg), B6 ​​(0.1 mg), B9 (8.9 μg), K, PP (0.97 mg), U, H (0.1 μg), E (0.2 mg), A (0.6 mg);
• minerals (macro- and microelements): calcium (50 mg), magnesium (16.3 mg), sodium (21.8 mg), potassium (283.4 mg), phosphorus (29.8 mg), sulfur (34.6 mg), iron (0.8 mg), and zinc, iodine, copper, manganese, chromium, fluorine, boron, vanadium, cobalt, etc. are also present;
• glycemic index: 15.

Important! During storage, it is necessary to ensure that the cabbage is completely covered with brine.

The benefits and harms of sauerkraut

Despite the huge amount of nutrients that make up this pickled vegetable, it can be both beneficial and harmful to the body.

For men

• Given the characteristics of the male body, this dish has a beneficial effect as follows:
• juice increases male potency;
• improves the quality of seminal fluid;
• prevents the occurrence of prostatitis, adenoma, prostate cancer;
• is an indispensable snack;
• ideal for those involved in sports, relieving muscle pain after training, strengthening bones;
• boosts immunity;
• lowers the risk of myocardial infarction or stroke;
• recommended for a hangover.

• But there are also contraindications to this product:
• can not be used for diseases of the thyroid gland, with high pressure, with a stomach ulcer during an exacerbation, with colitis;
• when taken in large portions, bloating, gas formation may appear;
• can not be taken after removal of the gallbladder;
• homemade sauerkraut can cause harm in bodybuilding on drying, retaining fluid in the body and preventing the formation of muscle relief.

For women

• The female body no less than the male needs the consumption of an acidic product that helps him deal with such problems:
• prevents the development of breast cancer;
• possesses high cosmetological properties;
• used for the prevention of colds;
• Helps to transfer climax easier;
• normalizes sleep;
• for the prevention of neurosis, depression;
• for the treatment of mild iron deficiency anemia;
• for the treatment of diarrhea due to the use of antibiotics;
• in oncology, removes toxins from the body, uric acid, free radicals.

• It is not advisable for women to consume this product for the following reasons:
• stimulates appetite;
• can not be taken with hypertension and kidney disease, with cystitis, with cholecystitis;
• retains fluid in the body.

Did you know? Initially, in Russia, during the fermentation of cabbage, rye flour was used instead of salt, which at that time was very expensive.

For children

It is recommended to give sour cabbage to children, starting from 2-3 years of age. The portions should be small, because the intestinal microflora has not yet formed.

• Useful properties for children are:
• from regular use gums and teeth are strengthened;
• the likelihood of stomatitis is reduced;
• increased immune resistance to disease;
• the intestines are cleared of parasites;
• memory rises.

• In which cases it can not be eaten by children:
• with diseases such as pancreatitis, thyroid disease, gastritis, urolithiasis, kidney disease;
• it can be harmful to the liver;
• small children under 2 years of age, since flatulence can be caused, metabolic disorders;
• contains a small amount of alcohol, which is strictly forbidden to give a small child.

During pregnancy

• For expectant mothers, sour cabbage will be useful in the following cases:
• relieves nausea during toxicosis;
• does not allow you to quickly gain weight;
• helps to better absorb protein foods;
• maintains hemoglobin in the blood;
• eliminates heartburn;
• folic acid, which is part of the dish, helps the fetus develop better;
• Vitamin K provides blood coagulation during childbirth.

• What can be dangerous for pregnant women:
• swelling may occur;
• contraindicated in diseases of the liver, kidneys, gastritis, pancreatitis;
• in large quantities leads to flatulence;
• due to the enhanced fermentation process, diarrhea can occur;
• due to the salt and sodium contained in the product, blood pressure may increase, and late toxicosis may occur in the later stages.

Did you know? Sauerkraut helps the liver break down alcohol.

Consumption rate per day

Experts recommend consuming sauerkraut and drinking pickle, given the following information:

• optimal dose for good life a healthy adult body will be 100-150 g of product every day;
• the calorie content of sauerkraut with onions and vegetable oil is - KBZhU: 63 kcal, 1.6 g, 4.6 g, 4.9 g;
• consuming 100-120 g of this product per day with type 2 diabeteslowers blood sugar;
• if you take a meal three times a week for 100 g, the risk is reduced lung cancer and prostate cancer;
• 4 times a week for 100 g will reduce the risk of development breast cancer;
• to avoid low acidity gastritis, for 2-3 weeks daily it is necessary to eat small portions of sour vegetable for half an hour before each meal;
• 2-3 meals a week will reduce the risk of stomach cancer;
• at bronchial asthma you need to eat 500 g of a sour dish per day, adding onions and garlic;
• for potency in men, it is necessary to consume 300 g of this product daily with vegetable oil;
• drunk 1 cup of brine per day will cure hemorrhoids;
• sick flatulence it is recommended to use 100 g of brine 3 times a day;
• the constant use of cabbage and cabbage juice will relieve vitamin deficiency;
• at helminthiasis it is necessary to eat 100-200 g of cabbage alone without oil 2-3 times a day;
• drinking 0.5-1 cup brine 3 times a day for half an hour before eating, you can treat atherosclerosis.

Scope of application

Due to its taste and medicinal properties, sour cabbage began to be used not only in cooking, but also in traditional medicine, cosmetology, and nutrition.

In folk medicine

Very often sauerkraut and brine are used for medicinal purposes, for various diseases, not forgetting about their contraindications:

• apply juice in the form of lotions for the healing of burns, wounds on the skin due to diathesis in children, for the treatment of lichen;
• hair masks are done to get rid of lice;
• brine helps with hemorrhoids and constipation;
• serves to prevent the development of stomach ulcers;
• normalizes microflora, improves peristalsis, which is good for intestinal function;
• recommended for cardiovascular diseases;
• juice is recommended for the prevention of atherosclerosis;
• The juice diluted with boiled water helps relieve sore throat and treats tonsillitis;
• juice relieves bleeding gums;
• juice is used to prevent viral and bacterial infections;
• can be taken with diabetes mellitus of the first and second type, but only if sugar was not used in its leaven;
• brine makes up for fluid loss at high body temperature;
• applying leaves of pickled product to the forehead relieves headache;
• compresses from the leaves relieve breast inflammation in mastitis;
• with psoriasis, psoriatic polyarthritis, it is necessary to lubricate the affected areas of the skin with a brine before bedtime;
• to relieve inflammation in the joints helps regular use of sauerkraut;
• with diarrhea, you need to drink 1-2 cups of brine half mixed with tomato juice during the day.

Important! When taking sauerkraut juice for medicinal purposes, it is necessary to monitor so that there are no spices in it.

In cooking

Besides the fact that sauerkraut brings tasty benefits, it is still widely used for preparing first courses, salads, snacks can be prepared from it, it serves as a filling for dumplings, pies, and serves as a side dish for meat and fish dishes.

In cosmetology

Also, this product is used as a cosmetic product:

• masks from sour cabbage cleanse the skin of the face and narrow the pores;
• nicotinic acid, which is part of the dish, glosses the hair and strengthens the nails;
• hair mask strengthens the roots and prevents baldness;
• with the help of juice, freckles and age spots are removed;
• finely chopped sauerkraut is used instead of peeling.

For weight loss

Sauerkraut plays an important role for those who are on a diet or counts how many calories fit in this product.

She has such qualities:

• does not contain many calories;
• improves metabolism;
• gives a feeling of satiety;
• enhances intestinal motility;
• prevents the conversion of carbohydrates to fats;
• refers to negative calorie foods;
• alkalizes, but does not acidify an organism in any way.

Features storage sauerkraut

In order for cabbage to retain its taste for a long time, it was crispy, and also it could be eaten for a long time,

• the optimal storage temperature will be from + 4 ° C to -1 ° C;
• can be kept in cold cellars, in refrigerators, on balconies, etc .;
• the most suitable containers are those that retain all the properties of the product, namely: wooden barrels, glass jars, enameled pots or buckets without damage, since lactic acid, which is part of the cabbage, causes corrosion of metals.

Sure, sauerkraut should be included in the diet of every healthy person. But is it possible to eat it for people sick of various diseases or not, and how it affects the patient’s body, it is necessary to approach this individually and, necessarily, after consulting a doctor.