Sauerkraut, the top cancer cell killer

Several foods contain healthy bacteria. These bacteria are instrumental in fermenting foods, thereby releasing bioactive nutrients. It is now well-established that consuming fermented foods is likely to increase your variety of gut bacteria. Among the foods that are made with bacteria, Sauerkraut occupies a top position.

Indeed, sauerkraut is incredibly rich in microbes. It is made by fermenting thin slices of cabbage with lactic acid-producing bacteria, called Lactobacilli. A single cup of Sauerkraut contains up to five trillion bacteria. Sauerkraut has been reported to originate from China, where merchants brought it to Eastern and Central Europe via trade routes. There, it was incorporated into Slavic and German cuisine. Nowadays, Sauerkraut can be found everywhere. In the Alsace region of France, sauerkraut is a mouth-watering local specialty, prepared with white cabbage and pork meat.

To prepare Sauerkraut, the shredded cabbage is first salted. This allows the Lactobacilli to settle and grow on the cabbage. A great variety of bacteria are involved in the fermenting process, and the cabbage becomes increasingly acid during this step. During this process, the bacteria population continuously changes until the maturity stage is reached.

Upon bacterial fermentation, a great many bioactive components are released, such as glucosinolates which are broken down into smaller fragments called isothiocyanates. These powerful nutrients are even able to kill cancer cells. Of particular note is the levels of isothiocyanates, which are even higher in sauerkraut than in the native cabbage.