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The Best Tasting Blueberry Kraut
Blueberries
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I eat berries almost every day. I have them for breakfast with kefir and for snacks, too. I also put them in kraut, and it's like getting a mouth full of blueberries in your kraut. It gives kraut an incredible flavor!
I know my gut bacteria love blueberries, and they keep me energized. Those phenols in berries keep my skin and heart healthy. Your body and microbes also love berries.
Check out all the benefits in this recipe for an amazing kraut that will last nine months in your fridge and continue to age like a fine wine.
Berries Feed Your Bacteria
Berries are loaded with soluble fiber and feed a very important bacteria, Bifidobacterium. This is one of the first bacteria we get when we're born, and it helps us digest our mother's milk while it builds a strong foundation in the gut. Berries feed this important bacteria, and when you have a lot of Bifidobacterium it helps to feed all the other strains as well. If you have food allergies, chances are you are low in Bifido and other bacteria in your gut. I see this all the time - once you add good bacteria back in with cultured foods, the food allergies disappear. Researchers are finding the same thing. Check out this article to learn more about food allergies and your gut.
Reasons I Have Berries Every Day
Berries have strong anti-inflammatory properties
New research in a nurse's health study (done by Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard School of Public Health) was done with 70-year-old women who were found to have reduced cognitive loss when they consumed 1-2 servings of strawberries or blueberries per week. [1,2]
Blueberries and UTIs
I learned a long time ago that it was a good idea to include blueberries in my diet on a regular basis. They helped me a lot when I was younger and would get a urinary tract infection. This was before I found cultured foods, and I would frequently have bouts with UTIs. Blueberries helped me keep them at bay. According to a 1998 study published in “The New England Journal of Medicine,” blueberries have compounds called proanthocyanidins that prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract. After I found cultured foods, I never had problems with UTIs, but my blueberry habit stuck with me and it’s one of my very favorite snacks.
Berries and your blood sugar
Adding berries to your kefir means you're getting lots of antioxidants and polyphenols which help fight chronic disease, and they give me tons of energy! They're higher in fiber compared to other fruits and they're rich in vitamin C. Berries may also help regulate your blood sugar and insulin levels.
Human studies suggest that eating berries may protect cells from high blood sugar levels, help increase insulin sensitivity, and reduce blood sugar and insulin response to high-carb meals. [3,4]
Berries have huge anti-inflammatory properties
Inflammation is your body's response to infection or injury. However, certain lifestyle choices such as unhealthy food choices and lack of exercise can cause inflammation too. Inflammation is believed to be a contributing factor in diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Berries can help you reduce inflammation and give you sustained energy throughout the day. Inflammation also affects your blood pressure and heart health.
Blueberries contain antioxidant polyphenols called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins from berries may reduce oxidative stress and enhance the function of arteries which lowers the risk of heart disease. [5,6]
Blueberry Spinach Kraut
Blueberry Spinach Kraut
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Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon Cutting Edge Cultures - or ¼ cup Kefir Whey
- ½ cup blueberry juice
- ½ head green cabbage - shredded or chopped finely
- ½ tablespoon Celtic Sea Salt
- 1 handful spinach - chopped or shredded
- 1 large shallot - chopped finely
- 1½ cups blueberries - fresh
- Water - spring or filtered with minerals
Every ingredient with a link was selected by me to make it easier for you. I may receive a small affiliate commission if you buy something through my links. Thank you! ❤️
Instructions
- Mix the Cutting Edge Culture or kefir whey into the blueberry juice and mix well till culture package is dissolved.
- Place the shredded or chopped cabbage in a bowl and add the salt.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together well. Firmly pack the mixture into glass canning jar, leaving an inch or two for the cabbage to expand when it ferments.
- Add the starter (or whey) to chopped vegetables and fill the jar with water, leaving an inch or two at the top.
- Seal jar tightly and let sit on your counter for 6 days, then place in refrigerator.
- I like the taste best after it has been in the fridge for a few weeks. It gets better with age and at 4 to 5 weeks it is super tasty.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3582325/
- https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2012/04/berries-keep-your-brain-sharp/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5187542/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23990623/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26891216/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26740254/
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