Showing posts with label digestion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label digestion. Show all posts

Why and how to soak nuts, legumes, seeds and grains

Soaking some foods helps to make nutrients more digestible and bioavailable. In other words, it is less a matter of what you eat, and more how you prepare it. Not only can you miss out on the health benefits inherent in the food but, in some cases, sub-optimal preparation can even create digestive problems, including the depletion of nutrients that you need.

This is particularly the case with very nutritionally dense nuts, legumes, seeds and grains. When dried, they are potential trees in dormancy (sometimes for as long as 50 years), just awaiting their activation. The nutrients you want are also locked within this same dormancy. Water is the awakening catalyst that triggers the release of these nutrients. The nutrients are most available when the product is ready to germinate, in other words, when the seed has activated enough of the nutrients to provide for the potential tree's growth.

As a natural defense against premature consumption, anti-nutrients like phytic acid and oxalates exist in the products as a deterrent against predators. Anti-nutrients make the product less appealing because it reduces nutrient absorption and often leads to digestive discomfort, including leaky gut problems. The activating effect of water breaks down phytic acid.


Why soak (in summary)

  • to promote digestion
  • to increase availability of nutrients, including proteins. 
  • to reduce cooking time


Steps to soak raw material

  • Select only raw material (nuts, legumes or seeds)
  • Rinse thoroughly under running water
  • Completely emerge in lukewarm water in a glass or ceramic bowl
  • Include these optional, highly recommended additives
    • a splash of vinegar or lemon juice 
    • a pinch of salt. Salt helps water to become absorbed faster than otherwise. It also helps in breaking down anti-nutrients
  • cover with something breathable 
  • allow to stand for several hours, usually 6 to 12 hours, depending on the product type. Required soak times are as follows.
    • almonds, 12 hours
    • amaranth, 4 hours
    • barley, 6 hours
    • black beans, 12 hours
    • Brazil nuts, 4 hours
    • buckwheat, 6 hours
    • cashews, 6 hours
    • chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans). 12 hours
    • garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas), 12 hours
    • hazelnuts, 12 hours
    • lentils, 6 hours
    • lentils (black), 12 hours
    • macadamia, 4 hours
    • millet, 6 hours
    • mung beans, 12 hours
    • oats (steal cut), 8 hours
    • peanuts, 12 hours
    • pecans, 8 hours
    • pistachios, 8 hours
    • pumpkin seeds, 8 hours
    • quinoa, 4 hours
    • sesame seeds, 8 hours
    • sunflower seeds, 8 hours 
    • walnut, 8 hours
    • wild rice, 8 hours

    • drain and rinse thoroughly with fresh water
    • Optionally, you can dehydrate the product for long-term storage
    • most of these products can be eaten at this stage.


    CONTENT RELATED TO SOAKING NUTS, LEGUMES AND GRAINS


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    Ginger bug

    Ginger bug aka 'first ferment' is a fermentation starter culture. In other words, it is rich in wild bacteria and (fermentation) yeast that will help you to kickstart other fermented products like ginger ale, probiotic lemonade and other sweet fermented effervescent fresh fruit drinks (or sodas). While some people also devise ways of using the ginger bug, this post will focus on using the ginger bug in the more common way, ie as a fermentation starter that may be kept alive for up to years on end to start a wide variety of drinks.


    Uses & benefits of a ginger bug
    • Rich source of lactobacilli, the health-enhancing probiotics or 'good bacteria' (like those found in yogurt) that promote the growth of healthy flora in the intestines and helps with digestion and the absorption of nutrients
    • to preserve nutrients
    • to break down nutrients into their more digestible forms

    You will need:
    • pure water, non-chlorinated
    • ginger root, fresh, partly grated / finely diced / finely minced (preferably organic so you can use the skin). I hate grating foods. A manual workaround is to thinly slice the ginger, chop and then smash the slices. Works fine for me as this makes it easy for straining away the fiber afterwards. If you have organic material, wash rather than discard the skin. You can wash and scrub ginger with diluted vinegar or lemon juice without killing all of the good bacteria. However, washing them this way, along with scrubbing them will remove wax coating. 
    • sugar, white
    • transparent, wide-mouthed glass jar for fermenting and storing the ginger bug. Transparency of this primary fermentation bottle allows you the brewer to observe the ferment. The wide mouth allows the brewer to easily feed, empty and fill the jar.
    • hot water and soap to sanitize the bottle

    Steps for making the ginger bug
    • Combine the following in a glass jar
      • grated ginger, 2 tbsp to 1 cup (according to your taste). You can use the skins. Set aside the remaining un-grated ginger for later. You will need to grate a little more periodically to continually feed the bug.
      • 2 tbsp white sugar 
      • 2 cups of water. 
    • Cover the jar. You need not seal the jar with an airlock. The cover really only needs to keep out dust or other contaminants. 
    • Allow to stand at room temperature and out of direct sunlight for 24 hours. (Overtime, direct sunlight can sterilize fermentations over time)
    • Every day, feed the bug by combining the following very well into the mixture. 
      • 1 tbsp grated ginger 
      • 1 tbsp grated sugar
    • Stir vigorously to oxygenate the liquid as this is useful to the yeast and to re-submerge ginger pieces that may have been pushed up to the liquid's surface.
    • Watch for signs of successful fermentation:
      • build up of gas within the mixture. This is evident through bubbles and a popping sound when uncovering a securely closed lid.
      • The mixture starts to get cloudy.
      • The mixture makes a fizzing sound
      • ginger solids settle to the bottom.
      • white yeast settles at the bottom. This is completely normal.
      • bubbles form a frothy layer on top of the bug, even without the bottle being sealed.
      • the mixture has a slight smell of yeast (somewhat like how beer smells)
    • Decide whether you will refrigerate your ginger bug or leave it at room temperature. The feeding requirements for your options are as follows
      • Refrigerated: feed once weekly
      • Room temperature: feed daily as above
    • Things you might observe.
      • GOOD / ACCEPTABLE
        • It is common for some people to see their culture turn pink. This is safe. This is possibly due to mineral contents in your fermentation. 
      • BAD SIGNS
        • the culture becomes dark and or slimy
    • You can keep the ginger bug alive for months to years on end, even after starting to use it (for fermented sweet drinks). 
      • Top up with more unchlorinated water and continue feeding the bug to populate the new volume of water
      • If you wonder whether the bug is still alive, test it by observing if a small amount can make a sweet drink (that has no other starter). If the sweet drink starts to bubble within about 24 hours, the bug is still alive.
      • If the ginger pieces begin to crowd the jar, strain off the spent ginger and then add new stock. BTW, an indicator that the ginger is very old is when it turns brown. You do not need to wait for the ginger to get brown before removing it however. The liquid alone will already have the useful bacteria.



    CONTENT RELATED TO MAKING GINGER BUG
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    Ghee

    Ghee, aka clarified butter, is a non-vegan type of butter. It is unlike regular butter because the water and milk and casein / protein solids are removed through a controlled heating process that resembles boiling. Ghee may derive from butter of cows, goats or buffaloes. However, A2 cow milk is considered the best. A2 is best for those with A1 beta-casein intolerance.


    Benefits of ghee

    • Ghee is suitable for lactose intolerant diets (because the milk fats are removed).
    • Ghee has a high smoke point of roughly 232-251 C (or 450-485 F). This is much higher than that of butter at roughly 120-175 C (or 250-350 F). An advantage of this higher smoke point is that the ghee does not burn as quickly as does butter when cooking something like eggs for instance. It can even be used for deep frying.
    • Ghee has a long shelf life and does not need refrigeration.
    • Ghee is good for digestive health. It has the highest known amount of butyric acid which improves nutrient absorption. This is especially good to resolve colon issues. Colon problems often compromise one's ability to process and absorb butyrate normally (from fiber). It also helps to improve bile production to improve your digestion of fats and in turn improve nutrient absorption from fats. Who knew?! Ghee is even prebiotic because short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), which butyric acid is, are prebiotic by nature.
    • Ghee improves insulin resistance thereby normalizing blood sugar levels. It is fascinating to note that ghee actually reduces the glycemic index of meals.
    • Ghee is also a source of 
      • vitamin K2 and D, both of which promote good bone health.
      • omega 3 fatty acids, which can reduce bad cholesterol.
      • vitamin A. It provides lutein which promotes good eye health, and even blocks macular degeneration.
      • vitamin E
    • Ghee boosts energy. This is because its butyric acid is a short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) which the body readily uses as a source of energy immediately, ie rather than gets stored (the way long-chain fats do). In other words, it is not fattening. In fact, ghee promotes fat loss in that it moves fat from stubborn parts of your body.
    • It is even anti-carcinogenic.
    • Other reported benefits include heart health, boosts brain function.


    • Its topical use is lips and skin loving. Specifically, it is hydrating, softening and reparative.


    Uses

    A rule of thumb is that you can use 2 to 4 tsps of ghee daily, regardless of gender, body type, age or fitness level. While ghee is a fat burner, excessive amounts can be fattening.

    • Cooking butter substitute. (NB. The only exception is baking when you want lightness, fluffiness or flakiness. This is because the steam produced by the butter's evaporating water is responsible for those effects.)
    • Body butter
    • Lip balm
    • Eye cream to reduce dark circles, thanks to its vitamin E content.
    • Frying (without smoking), sautéeing, etc
    • Drizzle over rice, breads, toast, curries, stews.

    Never use ghee as follows.

    • Do NOT combine ghee with curds or (equal parts of) honey. The combinations are considered unhealthy.


    You will need

    • unsalted butter. Butter quality matters. For instance, Irish butter renders far more delicious ghee than Crisco. While you can use salted butter, unsalted is preferable because the salt will be more intense in the ghee and that might not go well with everything you want to cook.
    • heat
    • heat resistant strainer
    • cheesecloth (about 4 layers) inside of a heat resistant strainer over a heat resistant container


    Steps

    • On a stove top, heat butter in large pot. Stir gently.
    • You should see the first milestones: 'giant' bubbles. These bubbles are caused by the water that is forcing its way up through the fats as it boils in the lower level.
    • Watch for another milestone: a foam of roughly 1/4 inch that sits on top of the fat, usually for a few minutes (roughly 3 to 4 minutes). The foam looks like runny ice cream. Each batch is slightly different. On that basis and depending on the butter composition, the foam may or may not cover the entire yellow surface of your fats. It is a combination of proteins, sugar and air. Stop stirring at this point.
    • Turn up the heat slightly to encourage more of the larger bubbles. The larger bubbles should become more vigorous to the extent that they even push the foam outwards to the edge. The water is now escaping rapidly and you will no longer see the fine foam being produced.
    • Eventually, you should see another milestone: the creamy appearance of the foam is dissipating as it begins to sink (where they will ideally stick to the bottom of the pot). Also, bubbles consist more of oil, which is unlike before when the bubbles were primarily water. Drag the strainer across the surface to skim off the foam. 
    • Milestone: the color should become increasingly yellow as the white milkiness separates. Your objective at this point is to see the bottom of the pot without the opacity of white milk solids.
    • Remove the pot from the heat source entirely when you have reached your final milestone: the milk solids have settled and caramelized. The caramelization is highly desired because it imparts a slight nutty flavor (and a deeper golden color).
    • While still hot, you may pour ghee through the cheesecloth. The cheesecloth will trap remaining milk solids that are still suspended in the butter.
    • To prevent rancidity, store in dark, airtight and cool conditions.




    CONTENT RELATED TO GHEE

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    Speed up digestion

    Sluggish digestion, sometimes called 'slow transit constipation / STC' or 'lazy bowel syndrome' a symptom of a disorder rather than a medically diagnosed condition. Common symptoms include abdominal bloating and pain, nausea, infrequent bowel movements, slow transit time of food, constipation, and straining.

    This post is greatly inspired by Dr Eric Berg's structured explanation of what is required to speed up digestion by considering the 5 determinant variables of digestive health. I like this structured approach because, if it helps you to identify specific factors in which your digestive system is deficient so that you can respond appropriately.


    Key issues: roots of and solutions to the problem

    Stomach acidity of pH 1 to 3 is required to easily breakdown food. However, if the pH in your stomach is not adequately acidic, the breakdown process becomes impaired. Beware, it is unsafe to consume anything at this acidity level because it would burn your tissues that line the route from your mouth to the stomach. Instead, it is ideal to consume weaker acids that help to boost the stomach's ability to reach its optimal acidity. 

    Useful supplements include.

      • betaine hydrochloride (ideally with pepsin)
      • salt in food
      • potassium-rich foods
        • avocado
      • kombucha tea with as little sugar as possible
      • consume weaker acid
        • apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp in a glass of water
        • sauerkraut
    Substances to avoid include
      • antacids


    Bile helps to breakdown fats. (Bile is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder). 

    Useful supplements include

      • pure bile salts (sal biliar). 1 capsule after meals will help with bloating, burping and belching.
      • Items that prompt the liver to produce bile
        • beetroot greens
        • choline
        • ghee
        • ginger. An additional digestion-related benefit of ginger is that it promotes motility, ie the rate at which food moves through the digestive process.
        • lemon
        • milk thistle
        • probiotics, They help your body to recycle bile.

    Avoid

      • antibiotics
      • fatty liver condition
      • removal of the gall bladder


    Enzymes are the non-physical (or body's natural chemical) means of breaking down nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Enzymes are produced in different parts of the body that include the stomach, pancreas, large and small intestines. Enzymes are very important. Symptoms of poor enzyme action include dark fatty tarlike stool that sticks to the toilet.

    Useful supplements that contain enzymes like

        • lipase (for poor fat absorption or in response to pancreatic insufficiency and associated conditions)
        • pepsin and other pancreatic enzymes (in response to age-related low performance of the pancreas which is often spotted in deficiencies in B12 and fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K)
        • pepsin (to improve protein digestion). NB take with acidic foods for better assimilation.
        • pancreatin (for improving the digestion of lipids and proteins)
        • amylase (for better carbohydrate management)
          • Foods rich in amylase include sweet potato
        • alpha-galactosidase (for breaking down legumes)
        • beta-galactosidase (for lactose intolerance. African and Asian people report a much higher rate of lactose intolerance than otherwise.)
        • papain and chymopapain in papaya seeds that enhance the digestion of proteins. 
      • raw foods. Since heat destroys enzymes, get as many enzymes from raw foods as possible.

    Avoid or minimize

      • Heated foods like canned or pasteurized foods.


    Flora refer to friendly bacteria. These are mostly found in the large intestines. Insufficient flora can lead to constipation, for instance if you do not ease back out of colon cleanse sufficiently well and eat, even the best types of food. Take care to ensure you flora is intact because its lack also leads to poor absorption of vitamins and in turn deficiencies.

    Useful supplements include

    Avoid

      • antibiotics
      • Beware, too much fiber like dry oats without enough water can worsen sluggish digestion.


    Parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is the part of nervous system that focuses on restfulness and digestion. It is the opposite part of the sympathetic nervous system that deals with handling stress through fight or flight. In short, you need to reduce stress as much as possible to coddle the PNS. Overall, however, to need to 1) reduce stress, 2) increase vitamins B1, potassium and Magnesium. 

    Useful supplements and practices include

      • stress management
        • grounding techniques
        • meditation
        • deep abdominal breahting from the diaphragm
        • repetitive prayer
        • nature
        • play with animals or children
        • calming practices like yoga, chi kung and so on.
      • increase vitamin B1
        • flaxseeds
        • sunflower seeds
        • nutritional yeast
        • acorn squash 
        • Avoid substances or practices that severely deplete B1
          • refined sugar, carbohydrates, high blood sugar levels, diuretics (beware that good foods like cucumbers, coffee, ginger, garlic, water melon, and parsley are diuretic), metformin diabetes medicine 
      • increase potassium
      • magnesium

    Avoid

      • stress


    Severe cases

    If your system is very severely backed up to the point of becoming toxic, you might consider laxative methods like the following.

    • Cleansing & herbal enemas
    • castor oil
    • senna
    • Bowel retaining. This may include biofeedback to retrain the bowels to empty regularly.
    • bisacodyl (FYI: a synthetic laxative)

    However, using laxatives on a long term basis is undesirable because it can lead to dependence. In turn, dependence can slower or lessen the body's natural peristalsis. Peristalsis is a series of muscle contractions that the body uses to push food through the digestive tract.

    Dr Berg's YouTube video 'Speed up digestion'


    CONTENTS RELATED TO SPEEDING UP DIGESTION

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    Sauerkraut

    Sauerkraut is prepared from shredded cabbage that is fermented by lactic acid bacteria. Its sour flavor and long shelf life are a result of the lactic acid that is formed when bacteria ferment sugars inside the cabbage. Sauerkraut is well liked for its nutritional profile and health benefits. For instance, sauerkraut

    • promotes healthy digestion. This is best known as a rich source of probiotic bacteria (beneficial gut flora). However, in addition, it also supports other aspects of healthy digestion like stomach acidity, bile production and enzyme activity. Read about speeding up digestion.
    • can prevent or fight polyps in the colon.
    • is full of essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals
    • may contribute to improved heart health, bone health, immune function, and inflammation
    • controls blood sugar and therefore useful for managing diabetes
    • is a versatile food (some uses below)
    • Fermentation differs to pickling because the end result promotes the growth of good bacteria. In contrast, pickling uses vinegar that wards off and kills both bad and good bacteria. For this reason, sauerkraut is a live food.
    • allows phytonutrients to be more bioavailable to the human body. (This is possible because the good bacteria counteract, thereby disable anti-nutrients).


    Basic Sauerkraut Recipe

    You will need

    • A wide fermentation container. This may be made from glass or food grade plastic. 
      • mason jar
      • glass juice jug
    Image (above): Combination of red and white cabbage. flexible plastic container cover cut out and used below a shot glass. The blue cover of the jug forces the shot glass and cabbage to stay in place below.

    • cabbage, white or red. See nutritional differences below. Remove outer leaves, especially if store-bought. You can use the tough cabbage hearts by very finely grating them in advance.
    • Natural salt, 2% to 2.5% weight of cabbage weight. The primary purpose of salt is to inhibit the growth of bad bacteria. A secondary purpose is to expel the water from the cabbage leaves. Avoid salts with iodine or caking agents because they may inhibit the fermentation process.
      • sea salt
      • Himalayan rock salt
      • pink salt
      • Kosher salt (that is free of iodine, caking agents or other undesirable additives)
    • Optional ingredients
      • inoculant. This helps to inoculate the sauerkraut mixture with probiotics, which can increase the odds of successful fermentation. If you use whey, you may use less sea salt. This is also useful if you are concerned that the cabbage might get exposed to the air.
        • kefir whey (optional), 8% cabbage weight.
        • 2% salt water brine (highly advisable)
      • caraway seeds or fresh chopped dill (optional), 2% of cabbage weight
      • See the many other options (below).
    • weight. A weight helps to keep the solids submerged below the brine. This is a must-have to keep the sauerkraut safe. Never overlook this requirement.
      • Well scrubbed and boiled rock will suffice.
      • For mason jars; a shot glass that can be firmly taped in place (with masking tape) to the side of the jar and then covered with plastic wrap. The plastic wrap is soft enough to allow air to escape. The shot glass can be retaped as tightly as necessary after using more of the sauerkraut. When the level of the kraut is too low for a short shot glass, I use a narrow bottle. Since the bottle held sauce that I bought from the supermarket, I wrap it with a brand new, sterile plastic bag that I turned inside out to be extra safe. See the image of this adaptation below. 



    Instructions for making sauerkraut

    • Grate or shred the cabbage finely. Grind the rough fibrous heart of the cabbage as finely as possible. Its fiber makes it a useful prebiotic ingredient that feeds the probiotic bacteria. 
    • Mix the cabbage with salt (and inoculant like liquid brine). The process of adding only salt is called 'dry salting'. The salt draws the water out of the cabbage. Allow this process to occur by leaving the mixture to stand for roughly 15 to 20 minutes.
    • Pound the mixture with the help of a meat mallet or a wooden pounder until the cabbage becomes bruised and releases juice. There are multiple ways of achieving this. My most recent preferred method is to place the cabbage inside a bag and then pound it with a mallet or other very hard object.
    • Compact the cabbage into the bottom of a clean glass jar until the juice rises to the top and completely submerges the cabbage below. The aim is to prevent the cabbage from making contact with the air.
    • Cover the surface. The primary objectives are to prevent dust or other air borne particles from falling into the sauerkraut and to prepare for weighing down the mass of little bits of cabbage. Example(s)
      • DIY plastic discs YouTube video clip by Elly's 'How to make mixed vegetable sauerkraut'
        Crudely cut discs made from plastic containers
        These discs warp over time and should therefore be discarded from time to time to remain effective. Failing to do this will allow vegetables to float above the weight. This happened to me once with a white cabbage and beetroot fermentation. There was a very noticeable distinction between the layers above and below the warped weight. After 9 days, that top layer was brown and mushy while the bottom layer was still red. That ferment had a 2.25% salt brine and the ambient temperature ranged between 19 and 22 degrees Celsius. While there were no signs of mold or even kahm yeast and the smell was good, I preferred to toss the top layer to be safer than sorry. My understanding of this (from AI) is that the reason for the differences in appearance is that air exposure translated into the top layer experiencing greater variations in temperature and therefore faster fermentation which explains the wilting and browing. Conversely, the bottom layer that remained under the brine experienced a far more consistent temperature and slower fermentation.  
      • disposable plastic lunch box cut to the circumference of the jar. In the image below, you will see that, when I cut one side of the lunch box, I did so close to the vertical sides. I used lunch boxes that were as close in circumference as possible to my fermentation jar. This allowed me to create handles by leaving 2 vertical sides of the lunch box. 

      • sealed plastic bag fill of water. This idea both covers as well as weighs down the sauerkraut. It is good at filling spaces and crevices. 
      • un-shredded cabbage leaves
      • plastic wrap
    • Leave behind at least one inch of space for expansion.
    • Place some type of weight over the surface to ensure the cabbage remains submerged. Ensure the weight is very clean and free of potential contaminants. Example(s) 
      • a shot glass that can fit inside most jars. See image above.
      • sealed jar of water
      • a rock, washed and boiled
    • Cover the jar fully to prevent fruit flies or other contaminants. The container need not be air tight. However, the lactic acid bacteria prefer an anaerobic (ie airless) medium, within liquid without air contact. This is why the cabbage fiber must be kept submerged. However, always make provision for air release from the fermentation process. As an option if you are concerned about mold, remove oxygen as much as possible from inside the jar. Some airlock gadgets also suck oxygen out of the jar. Example(s).
      • air lock
      • a non corrosive lid (because metal lids will rust). Screw on lids VERY lightly to allow gases to escape.
      • air lock with oxygen suction feature
      • a cloth that is secured with rubber band
      • cling wrap (aka plastic wrap) or discs of wax paper (video clip). I lay the cling wrap directly onto the top of the sauerkraut to block air from entering. Since wrap is so light weight, air can escape. I allowed some excess wrap to cling to the inner sides of the jar above the level of the sauerkraut. During the first few days of a vigorous fermentation with cabbage and semi-ripe papaya, the cling wrap had bubbles caught between itself and the liquid. In that case, I changed it until the sauerkraut barely created bubbles. 
         
        YouTube video clip by Elly's Everyday soap making 'How to make mixed vegetable sauerkraut'

      • schedule for daily burping if you completely seal the jar. Beware, if you can not keep the schedule, the bottle can explode.
    • Label the jar with the production date and store in the dark at room temperature for roughly 2 to 4 weeks. The ideal range of temperatures is roughly 16C to 24C. 
    • Catchment tray for overflow. Place the fermentation inside of a catchment tray just in case of messy overflows.
    • Place in a warm part of the kitchen (ie NOT the refrigerator) but away from direct sunlight.
    • Within the first week, you may see bubbles rising. This is a sign of fermentation. However, this may force some of the cabbage to rise. for this reason, keep checking to ensure that the cabbage remains submerged. (If not, the cabbage might grow mold or rot).
    • If your brine ever gets too low and can no longer effectively cover the leaves, top up with a 2% salt brine.
    • After the first week, the bubbling slows down. You may therefore need not be as worried about the cabbage rising into the air. 
    • After the first week, you may start to taste test the sauerkraut. The time period beyond this point is a matter of personal taste. The longer you allow the process continue, the tangier and less crunchy the sauerkraut will become.
    • pH test the brine. Pre-fermentation readings without any acidic additives usually give a pH of about 5. Harmful microbes (like Clostridium botulinum / botulism and neurotoxins) can not survive in a pH below 4.6. Consequently, the reading should be under pH 4.6 to be safe, usually within the first 3 days. This will also indicate that the fermentation process has occurred successfully.
    • Skim off kahm yeast with a clean paper napkin. (See how in YouTube video by Clean Food Living 'Fermented beans & lentils') Since it grows back quickly, like a day in my case after skimming it off only when you are ready to eat the sauerkraut. You may also opt to transfer the ferment into a refrigerator if you do not want to keep removing the yeast each time. Another consideration is that, since it can not survive vinegar for long, I think it will likely thin out over time if your ferment gets very potent. 
      Fear not if you see kahm yeast. However, ensure that you are seeing Kahn yeast and NOT mold since the latter is unsafe. See below how to identify and deal with mold. Kahn yeast forms a thin layer that completely covers the top of ferments. Over time, it may trap air bubbles below its surface. While kahm yeast is not ideal, it is not harmful. It is therefore safe to eat a ferment that is contaminated with kahm yeast. You will find it impossible to remove it without some breaking a way into the sauerkraut. Do not stress over this. 
    • Other observations about which you need not worry 
      • garlic turning blue. This is perfectly safe for consumption. This is a normal reaction between sulfur compounds found in garlic that react with copper found in some water sources (like spring water, well water, etc). The blue / green color is a copper sulfate. If you want to prevent this from happening, use distilled water. Additionally, acidity (including from well known sources like vinegar and lemon juice) can speedup this chemical reaction. If you wish to avoid the blue color, consider the following. Since this reaction more likely when the acid was present before you added the garlic, consider using garlic only when you are starting your fermentation from scratch, ie rather than adding garlic to brine that has already fermented and produced the acidic bacteria.
      • slimy bubbles are harmless when your fermentation includes sweet vegetables like beetroots. 
      • frothy bubbles, which may even look slightly soapy that remain on the surface of the brine, are harmless when your fermentation includes sweet vegetables like carrots and beets. In general, the foaming should dissipate within a few days.
    • When you are happy with the level of fermentation and need the process to stop, store the sauerkraut in roughly 7 to 10C (which is around the temperature of a standard refrigerator). Since the cold will stop or drastically slow fermentation, you may place the sauerkraut in a sealed jar. As a rule of thumb, people try to use the sauerkraut within 4 to 6 months. (You may also add citric acid which helps to slow down fermentation).
    • Over time, a dry method sauerkraut seems to 'lose the brine'. (The dry method refers to adding only salt to the vegetables so as to expel water that naturally exists within the vegetables to produce brine, ie rather than adding water from an external source). This common phenomenon occurs because the vegetable may re-absorb the brine, salty and all. Vegetables that have reabsorbed well fermented brine should not easily grow mold because the low pH inoculates it thereby keeping mold at bay.
      • As mentioned otherwise, refrigerate the sauerkraut if the sauerkraut brine has 'disappeared'. This helps to reduce the chance of drying out un-submerged vegetable and inviting mold. If there is only a little mold, you may toss at least that and nearby sections. 
      • Do NOT add new unfermented brine to counteract the 'disappearing brine' phenomenon. The problem with doing this is that it will lower the pH, thereby potentially increase the susceptibility of allowing mold to grow. Having said this, depending on how much you added, the sauerkraut may eventually return to an ideal pH. However, it is ideal to avoid the risk of setting back the fermentation this way. Furthermore, do not vinegar to counteract the way that adding unfermented brine raises the pH. While vinegar will provide an appropriate pH, depending on the concentrations, vinegar will kill at least some of the live bacteria and thereby also defeat the purpose of fermenting food. (See explanation in 'benefits of sauerkraut' for discussion on the difference between fermentation and pickling.)
    • I eat sauerkraut in various ways. My preference is to eat mine raw because heat (temperatures over 46C / 115F) kills the probiotics. However, that does not mean you can not do it.
      • raw, on its own
      • raw, with tortillas. I absolutely love my ultra colorful sauerkrauts with tortillas. Not only is the taste delightful, but it is also visually very appealing. Outside of the white cabbage, the color comes from carrots, red bell peppers, katuk leaves, thyme leaves, garlic, onion and chives. 
      • raw, as a salad condiment. When I found my pineapple sauerkraut too acidic for me, I mixed lots of it with otherwise 'boring' / bland salads made of christophene or cucumbers. The slight sweetness really makes the salad more interesting.
    • If you have any, use remaining fully fermented brine for other ferments.  
      • fermented COOKED (& only a few, not all slightly bruised; NOT mashed; NOT canned) red kidney beans, garbanzo or (dahl) lentils. Since vegetables improve the success rate, add the beans to a fully fermented jar of sauerkraut or just add vegetables to the fully fermented brine. Choose garbanzo over red kidney beans if you want less potassium in your diet ... and if you want more healthy fat and vitamin E in your diet. Choose red kidney beans over garbanzo if you want more fiber, potassium, phosphorus or calcium in your diet. (Regarding protein, garbanzo has only marginally more protein than red kidney beans.) Some people increase the salt percentage, even up to 4%. When a batch of sauerkraut is running low on the counter, I add the beans. Choose lentils over garbanzo if you want more B vitamins B6 which is good for brain health (as brain food, especially if black lentils) and B9 which is good for the blood, iron, phosphorus, fiber, protein ... garbanzo over lentils if you want more calories, more unsaturated fat, carbohydrates in your diet. BTW, beans are considered a longevity food. Coincidentally, blue zones like Okinawa and Costa Rica are high bean consumers. See below YouTube video by Clean Food Living 'Fermented beans & lentils'.



    Variations 

    Variations abound beyond plain sauerkraut. Some involve combining other ingredients at the same time as cabbage* to be massaged and pounded while others involve separate preparation. Generally, the difference in treatment is based on the structural integrity of the ingredient. For instance, apples and pears will turn into a mush. Consider how ingredients will impact on taste and nutritional value. Here are a few ideas of additives.

    • Apples, apple skins, diced or grated and added when stuffing fermentation jars. Apples offer pectin, a prebiotic. Apples are a source of polyphenols.
    • Beets. A popular recipe involves dicing it and adding it to cabbage at 32% of the cabbage weight. Beets are good for brain health.
    • Beans, cooked and some skins broken (NOT mashed) to expose starch.
    • Carrots
    • Celery
    • Corn
    • Dill greens
    • Fennel bulb*
    • Fennel seeds, freshly ground
    • Garlic
    • Ginger root, minced* Rich source of Vitamin C.
    • Herbs (thyme is my favorite)
    • Horseradish
    • Katuk leaves
    • Lemon
    • Lentils (dahl variety), cooked, NOT mashed.
    • Onions, RED. Good for protecting & restoring the nervous system and safeguarding against neurodegenerative diseases (like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's). Overall loved for brain health. Much more potent than white onions.
    • Onions, thinly sliced*
    • Orange zest, pith and or pulp. Even zest and pith are a source of vitamin C. Don't worry, the pith should not make the sauerkraut bitter.
    • Papaya. Great source of prebiotics and digestive enzymes that help with digestion of proteins and fats. Below, I used barely ripening green papaya with red cabbage. Images also above. Delicious! 

    • Pear, diced
    • Pepper
    • Peppercorns
    • Pickling spice
    • Pineapple (for Vitamin C). This makes the sauerkraut slightly sweet. Do not worry, this process does not produce alcohol. Example(s): 

       YouTuber Kickin' it with Karen's combination of pineapple at roughly 33%  of vegetable weight with ginger and turmeric (with black pepper); someone else used it at roughly 30% by weight)
    • Polyphenols (carrots, citrus, onions, etc)
    • Pumpkin 
    • Radish
    • Sprouts
    • Turmeric (with black pepper as an option)

    All other vegetables should be used raw, except green or yellow wax beans, cooking them for at least 5 minutes before being pickled.




    CONTENT RELATED TO DIY SAUERKRAUT 

    YouTube video 'Cabbage nutrition facts - Which is better: green or purple cabbage? In-depth comparison' by YouTube channel Clean Food Living 

    Overall, red cabbage is by far the victor on so many measures. However, consider your personal needs. For instance, white cabbage has a few significant victories that might meet your current objectives. For instance, it offers over twice the amount of vitamin K (a nutrient that is particularly important for bone health) than red cabbage. Someone concerned with bone health as they age may consider this. However, if that aging person is also particularly concerned about Alzheimer's disease, they may prefer red cabbage. If they are concerned with both, they will likely want to use a bit of both varieties.

    • Some of my favorite sauerkrauts thus far.
      • cabbage, 55% by weight
      • carrots, 29%
      • sweet red peppers, 11%
      • greens (katuk), 5%
      • salt, 2.25% of vegetables
      • parsley, thyme


    Mold
    Mold. Most types of mold are problematic. If your sauerkraut has a brine that has under 2% salt and it develops mold, throw out the entire batch. Do not try to skim off the mold because, like other fungi, most types of mold have filaments called hyphae that are invisible to the naked eye that extend below the surface. (The only time that mold can be safely skimmed off is when the brine has at least 2% salt because the salt prevents the hyphae from growing below the surface. However, remove any kraut that was floating and could have potentially become contaminated, even if you can not see signs of mold. The kraut that has remained submerged below the surface of the brine will be safe for consumption.) Here is how to identify it so that you do not confuse it with kahm yeast.
    • Mold is usually blue, green, black, brown or white. (Kahm yeast is white)
    • Mold is usually fuzzy. (Kahm yeast creates a thin, flat layer that floats on the brine) 
    • Mold does not cover the entire surface area of the ferment. (Kahm yeast spreads out over the entire surface of the ferment).

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