The benefits of sauerkraut for weight loss and 4 rules of admission

Sauerkraut is a special fermented product , which promotes weight loss through various mechanisms and is recommended as a method of adjunctive therapy for obesity.

On the basis of sauerkraut, modern nutritionists have developed recipes that allow you to reduce excess weight and at the same time reveal all the taste qualities of the dish.

Why does it help to lose weight?

Sauerkraut is a special product obtained by lactic acid fermentation of fresh cabbage. With regular addition to the diet, it allows not only to control weight, but also to reduce body weight.

Among the mechanisms by which sauerkraut is useful for weight loss, the following can be distinguished:

1. Low calorie content. One of the main advantages of the dish is its low energy value (about 19 kcal per 100 grams).
2. Developing a feeling of satiety. Sauerkraut contains large volumes soluble fiber . These dietary fibers, after entering the body, begin to actively absorb water and increase in volume, quickly quenching hunger and reducing cravings for food. The mechanism is reflex and neuroendocrine in nature. According to scientists , this circumstance can be used to control the eating behavior of obese people.
3. Reduced fat absorption. The exact mechanisms of this effect have not been fully studied. It is assumed that this is due to the presence of a variety of sauerkraut Probiotics (live cultures of beneficial bacteria). Japanese scientists have proved that lactobacilli present in the product inhibit hydrolysis and subsequent absorption of fats in the lumen of the digestive tube, enhance the excretion of fat particles along with feces. Similar results animal experiments have demonstrated that fermented foods prevent the growth of fat depots at the stage of absorption in the intestine. Dutch experts It is recommended to include products with probiotics in the obesity treatment regimen. They claim that weight normalization is also associated with the production of short-chain fatty acids and the suppression of chronic inflammation, which affects the overall metabolism.

In total, quite a lot of studies have been conducted on the effects of sauerkraut on body weight. Most of them showed positive results, both for women and men.

Recall that in the last article we reviewed 9 proven facts about the benefits of sauerkraut →

How to use – 4 rules

Below are the main tips for using sauerkraut, which will help to achieve maximum effect:

1. Consider the amount of salt. 100 g of sauerkraut contains half the daily value of table salt. Excessive salt intake can lead to the development of edema and an increase in blood pressure. Therefore, do not eat more than 100-150 grams of cabbage per day. You should also not drink sauerkraut juice (brine) due to the high salt content.
2. Eat cabbage between main meals (as a snack). It has an extremely low energy value and quickly causes a feeling of saturation of the body, therefore, during the main meal, you will eat less. It is allowed to warm up the dish before use (40 seconds in the microwave).
3. Add it to lunch and dinner. Cabbage is perfectly combined with any protein products, especially chicken breast and other dietary meat. It will additionally enrich the body with fiber, which  extremely important for weight loss , maintaining intestinal microflora and overall health. It is also important to keep in mind that pickled cabbage does not go well with any fatty foods, neglect of this rule can lead to dyspeptic disorders (flatulence). Due to its low calorie content, sauerkraut can be eaten in the evening for dinner, or even at night.
4. Drink more water. You should additionally take about 600 ml of liquid for every 100 g of sauerkraut per day. This will allow you to remove excess salt from the body and increase the volume of cabbage, which can be eaten per day, up to 240 g per day.

3 low-calorie recipes

Modern cooking offers many recipes for diet dishes based on sauerkraut, which should be included in the daily diet to reduce body weight.

Let's look at the simplest and most effective dishes for weight loss.

1. Dietary cabbage soup

To prepare dietary cabbage soup, you will need:

• 100 g. chicken breast fillet;
• 200 g of sauerkraut;
• 60 g of rice;
• 1 medium-sized carrots;
• ½ head of onion;
• 1 bunch of dill;
• Salt, black pepper and bay leaf – to taste (there is no need to add salt).

Cooking steps:

1. Rinse the chicken fillet thoroughly and cook over low heat until boiling. Then keep on fire for 2-3 minutes and drain the broth.
2. Add 800 ml of water and simmer for about 10 minutes. It is necessary to remove the foam every 2-3 minutes.
3. Grate the carrots on a fine grater. Finely chop the onion. Add the vegetables to the chicken broth and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
4. Add sauerkraut (if necessary, it should be pre-sliced) to future cabbage soup.
5. Remove the chicken breast, chop finely, then add it back to the broth. Continue cooking for 5 minutes.
6. Add spices to taste. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and let stand for 10-15 minutes. The dish is ready. Before use, you can add herbs (dill).

This sauerkraut soup goes well with any meat products. Cabbage soup can be seasoned with a slice of lemon or 1 tbsp sour cream.

2. Salad &171;brush&187; with cabbage and carrots

Carrot and sauerkraut salad called &171;brush&187; is used as a side dish to any meat products.

Ingredients:

• 200 g of sauerkraut;
• ½ head of onion;
• 1 carrots;
• Vegetable oil (preferably olive oil) – no more than 1 tbsp. l.;
• Salt and sugar (it is recommended to abandon these products);
• Dill greens – to taste.

For cooking, you should:

1. Peel the carrots and grate them on a coarse grater. Cut the onion into half rings.
2. Put the cabbage in a container for the future salad. If it is too acidic, rinse it under water.
3. Add salt and sugar to the cabbage, mix thoroughly.
4. Add onion, carrot and finely chopped dill.
5. Season with vegetable oil. The dish is ready.

3. Vinaigrette

You can also make a vinaigrette of baked vegetables with sauerkraut.

Main ingredients:

• 5 medium-sized potatoes;
• 2 medium-sized carrots;
• 2 medium-sized beets;
• 100 g of canned green peas;
• 100 g of sauerkraut;
• 3 medium-sized pickles;
• 2 tbsp olive oil;
• Ground black pepper – to taste.

Recipe scheme:

1. Boil potatoes, carrots and beets until tender.
2. Peel the vegetables and cut into small cubes with a side of about 5 mm.
3. Chop onions and pickles into small cubes (about 2 times smaller than other vegetables);
4. Add chopped sauerkraut;
5. Mix all the ingredients.
6. Season the dish with olive oil, add spices and mix thoroughly again. The dish is ready.

How to cook cabbage at home?

Nutritionists recommend cooking sauerkraut yourself, and not buying it in stores.

This will require:

• 1 kg of white cabbage;
• 25 g of salt.

Recipe scheme:

1. Chop the cabbage and put it in a glass or enameled metal container.
2. Add salt. Mix thoroughly.
3. Tamp down the mass with a wooden pusher.
4. Cover the product with a plate or any disc made of food material. A load weighing from 4 to 6 kg must be placed on top. You can use a bottle or any other containers filled with water.
5. Leave to ferment for 5-7 days at room temperature. Every 2-3 days, open the dish and pierce it with a wooden stick or fork to remove excess gases.
6. Put the dish in a glass container and store in the refrigerator.

According to scientists from Germany, the maximum benefit is observed when eating cabbage on 7-9 days from the moment of cooking.

How to choose in the store?

If you do not intend to cook cabbage at home, then buying it in the store you need to follow these rules:

1. Give up pasteurized options. Heat treatment of cabbage kills beneficial microorganisms.
2. Avoid preservatives. Any chemical additives that prolong the shelf life can negatively affect the number of beneficial bacteria. A high-quality product should have only 2 ingredients: cabbage and salt.
3. Check for sugar. Sugar inhibits the growth of noble microorganisms and significantly increases the energy value of the dish. High-quality cabbage should not contain sugar.

Contraindications and side effects

The amount of sauerkraut in your diet should be rationed. Excessive consumption is fraught with the development of a number of adverse reactions:

1. Increased blood pressure and the development of edema. The intake of large doses of table salt into the body leads to an increase in water absorption at the level of the renal tubules and an increase in the volume of intravascular fluid. Action scientifically proven .
2. Increased acidity of gastric juice. It is not recommended to eat sauerkraut for any inflammatory lesions of the stomach and duodenum, peptic ulcer, gastroesophageal reflux disease.
3. Decreased functional activity of the kidneys. Sauerkraut is contraindicated in kidney diseases with a decrease in filtering or reabsorbing ability (CKD).
4. Flatulence. When consuming more than 200 g of the product per day, the processes of fermentation and putrefaction in the intestinal lumen are activated.

Conclusion

Thus, sauerkraut can be recommended for maintaining and reducing body weight. There are many different dishes that can be prepared on the basis of this product, all of them have a fairly low calorie content and differ in a large set of useful properties. Sauerkraut should not be abused to avoid the development of undesirable reactions from the body.