2019 was the year that we decided to leave employed work to set up an online health service using a functional medicine model. Since we were going to be online we didn’t really need to be in the UK, and so we decided to create our future while living in Austria for the winter to dabble in a bit of skiing when we were not chained to our computers. And while there were many things in the Austrian diet were not so great, we also found sauerkraut… and have been hooked ever since.

It’s like nothing else that is found in the standard british diet and we now realise our meals and bodies were missing this key health food bigtime! Fermented foods have actually been a key part of the human diet for thousands of years and were a big part of what our ancestors ate. Like most things in health – the further we get from how we are designed to live and what we are designed to eat, the worse off we are. And a good source of probiotic foods are one thing we are designed to have, but really lack in the modern western diet.

When should I avoid it?

We are all different and react to different foods differently, so listen to your body for any possible reactions. Although it is an indication that you need more beneficial bacteria if you have GI problems, fermented foods can cause irritations in conditions such as SIBO, histamine intolerance, FODMAP intolerance and inflammatory bowel disease if not done under proper guidance.

Please contact us or consult us with a free 15 minute consultation if this is you and you would like help these issues.

We always knew how healthy sauerkraut and other fermented foods were, however nobody had told us how delicious it was, and how easy it was to make. Here is one of our favourite recipes:

Method

1. Sanitise everything to avoid contamination! Make sure you clean your hands, all the kitchen equipment and your jar (we use a mason jar with a clip fastening) with boiling water to make sure you don’t start culturing any nasty stuff.

2. Add all your ingredients into a large (sanitised) mixing bowl.

3. Wash your hands, and get them dirty again by massaging and squeezing the bowl ingredients together for around 5-10 minutes. The mixture will start to soften, reduce in size and release water which is exactly what you want. Keep doing this until it is all thoroughly combined in one big juicy mess.

4. Give it a taste and add more salt, ginger, turmeric or garlic depending on what flavour you want more of. Do not double dip without cleaning your spoon first!

5. Using your hands or a spoon – transfer the mixture and juices into your sanitised jar and press it all down firmly. The juices released from your massage efforts should be enough to rise up and cover the mixture in the jar, however if not – top up with some filtered water. There should be atleast 1-2 inches of space between the mixture and the jar lid.

6. Seal the lid, and store on the side out of direct sunlight and pop the lid everyday to release air, and press the mixture down with a santised spoon to make sure the mixture is still submerged in the juice.

7. The warmer your environment, the quicker it will ferment. Sometimes this can be as quick as 24 hours, or it can take up to two weeks. Occasionally give it a sample taste with a sanitised spoon/fork to check its tanginess. Leave it to ferment more if you would like it tangier.

8. Once the desired level has been reached, transfer it to the fridge where it can be kept for up to 6 months. It has amazing durability however don’t double dip to avoid contamination and check for mold growth by looking for spots and giving it a smell.