Does sauerkraut help with constipation?

Why is it important to improve bowel function?

Why is it necessary to improve bowel function and achieve daily bowel movements? Because when waste is retained in the body, it is harmful to it . Poisoning occurs with one's own poisons. We all know very well that when garbage is not removed from an apartment for several days, it begins to decompose, emit an unpleasant odor, and poison the air in the room.

The same thing happens in the intestines. Food waste that is not removed in time decomposes internally and toxic substances are absorbed into the blood. This affects your appearance and well-being. If a person suffers from constipation, his skin becomes stale, irritation and pimples may appear on it. He has an unpleasant odor from his mouth. He may experience a headache, lack of energy, and a feeling of heaviness in his intestines.

If constipation becomes regular, laboratory blood counts worsen. And there it is not far from the appearance of diseases. Therefore, establishing daily bowel movements is a paramount task for maintaining health.

According to doctors, normal bowel movements should be daily. We all know that with daily bowel movements we enjoy excellent health, experience a feeling of vivacity, lightness, a surge of energy and strength.

By the way, vegetarians have bowel movements up to three times a day. This is also considered normal, provided that the stool is not liquid, but shaped like a “sausage” (albeit soft).

Composition and calorie content of the product

Braised cabbage

Cabbage is an inexpensive and accessible vegetable that can be purchased at any time of the year. The vegetable is used fresh, it is soaked, fermented, and salted. Most of all they prefer the stewed product. Cooking cabbage this way is quick and easy. It is not necessary to use a white variety; it can be broccoli, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts. The dish can be easily made varied and more attractive in taste: meat products, sausage, and vegetables are added here. The main and constant ingredients for preparing the stew are the following: finely chopped cabbage, onions, tomatoes, any vegetable oil, salt and spices. Depending on the spices used, the taste will be different.

The product is characterized by a high content of vitamins and microelements. Stewed cabbage boasts a high concentration of vitamin B2; it also contains vitamins C, K, E, A, PP and others. Mineral components include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, fiber, lactose, and sulfur. Vitamin and mineral complexes have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and mucous membranes, accelerate metabolic processes, and strengthen vascular walls. Vitamin PP prevents vasospasm, which has a beneficial effect on health during frequent headaches and attacks of cholecystitis.

Stewed cabbage is a low-calorie product.

On average, one hundred grams of food contains only one hundred kilocalories. Adding other ingredients changes the calorie content. Mushrooms and stewed vegetables are low in calories, but cabbage with meat is close to five hundred kilocalories per hundred grams.

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Why does cabbage relieve constipation?

One of the best foods to help improve daily bowel movements is cabbage. Yes, yes, the most ordinary white cabbage. Thanks to her, the intestines work like a clock. Eat cabbage every day and you will forget about bowel problems.

Cabbage is an extremely healthy vegetable. Its healing properties have been known for a long time. It contains a large amount of vitamins. It is especially rich in vitamin C. In this indicator, it is superior to many other vegetables.

Cabbage improves metabolism and removes cholesterol from the body. Thus, it cleanses blood vessels, improves heart function and prevents stroke. It is believed that cabbage also improves vision, cures stomach ulcers, etc.

But now we are interested in how it acts on the intestines, so we’ll talk about that. Cabbage contains a large amount of fiber. These are indigestible dietary fibers. Their role is to mechanically irritate the intestinal walls, promote its contraction and, thereby, promote food gruel to exit. Fiber is found in cabbage in large quantities. It stimulates the digestive tract, increases the secretion of gastric juice, so cabbage is extremely useful for constipation.

Useful properties of cabbage for the gastrointestinal tract

There are many types of this vegetable (white cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kelp), which have unique properties for the human body.

White cabbage has the following effects on the gastrointestinal tract:

Mild laxative due to dietary fiber.
Activates peristaltic movements of the intestines (facilitates the movement of feces). Cabbage juice is used for atony and constipation.
Increases the secretory activity of the digestive glands.
Antibacterial.
Reduces inflammatory processes.
Contains vitamin U or anti-ulcer vitamin from cabbage juice. The chemical structure corresponds to S-methylmethionine. It stimulates the healing of ulcers, reduces pain, improving the condition of patients. It is widely used for the treatment of gastric ulcers, duodenal ulcers and gastritis.

This vegetable has the ability to cause constipation. This effect is observed when eating an overcooked vegetable; it should not be cooked to the end.

During pregnancy, you can eat all types of cabbage (sea cabbage, white cabbage, sea cabbage, Peking cabbage, etc.), but preferably those that have been fermented.

Cauliflower, used for constipation, has properties that are different from white cabbage:

has less irritating effect on the intestinal mucosa;
easier to digest, suitable for starting complementary feeding for small children and for older people.

Sea kale has a wide range of uses. It is valued for its high iodine content, which is necessary for people who do not receive the element in the required quantity from food.

Sea kale, used for constipation, contains fiber and alginic acid, a substance whose salts are used for medical purposes. Alginates have the ability to selectively bind heavy metals and radionuclides. They are used for the following purposes:

Stimulation of intestinal motility.
Enveloping the mucous membrane.
Slowing down the rate of glucose absorption from the intestinal lumen.
Detoxification.

Broccoli contains dietary fiber that facilitates cleansing of the gastrointestinal tract, helps with constipation, normalizes digestion, and stimulates the secretion of bile. Due to the magnesium content, acidity in the stomach is normalized.

Cabbage dishes that should be included in the diet

To get rid of constipation and establish ideal bowel function, eat cabbage in any form every day (I emphasize, every day). Then you will forget about constipation. Bowel movements will occur every day: in the morning or an hour and a half after the first meal.

Cabbage can be consumed in a variety of forms, as long as it is present in your diet. One serving of cabbage is enough per day. These could be dishes such as:

- raw cabbage salad, - pickled cabbage salad, - sauerkraut, - borscht, - cabbage soup, - cabbage schnitzels, - cabbage stewed with tomato, - Polish bigus, - pies with cabbage filling, - cabbage cutlets, - casserole cabbage Etc. The range of dishes depends on your creativity.

Well, if you are lazy or don’t have time to cook different cabbage dishes, make it a rule to eat sauerkraut every day, and the problem of constipation will be solved.

By the way, you can add small quantities of carrots to cabbage. But there is an important note ! When eaten raw, carrots promote bowel movements. But when boiled or stewed, on the contrary, it fixes it. Keep this in mind when you prepare cabbage dishes and put carrots there to a minimum or not at all.

Colon cleansing with sauerkraut

This product improves digestive processes, cleanses the intestinal tract of toxins and stagnation. Sauerkraut has been successfully used for constipation for quite a long time, being one of the most effective methods of traditional medicine against such a delicate problem. With its frequent use, cholesterol levels decrease, metabolic processes improve, heaviness and discomfort in the abdomen disappear, and difficulties with stool disappear. This useful product is especially good for atonic constipation. The use of sauerkraut brine is also recommended, in particular for those patients who have difficulties with bowel movements due to gastritis with a low level of acidity. The most effective recipes for constipation:

In the mornings and evenings before meals, drink one glass of cabbage juice. If necessary, the product can be diluted with a small amount of boiled water.
Add grated pumpkin, chopped garlic, some caraway seeds to the sauerkraut, season with olive oil. This salad can be eaten every day in combination with black bread and boiled potatoes.
Before going to bed, eat a salad of sauerkraut, chopped apple and cumin seeds.
Squeeze the sauerkraut from the brine, add chopped onions, soaked lingonberries, fresh herbs, season with vegetable oil, preferably olive oil.
In the morning on an empty stomach, drink brine, then eat a small portion of cabbage. You can have breakfast after half an hour.

When consuming sauerkraut for constipation, it is recommended to drink a lot of water (more than two liters per day).

Warning

For some diagnoses - acute enterocolitis, increased intestinal motility, spasms of the biliary tract - it is better to refrain from using cabbage, as it can increase spasms and thereby cause discomfort.

The list of healthy dishes starts with salad

For a vitamin salad, vegetables that are neutral in their chemical composition are cabbage, carrots, onions and greens. Finely chop all the vegetables, cut the onion into half rings, you can add radishes and greens. Season the salad with olive oil and salt.

Next is vegetable soup. Prepare the meatballs in advance, chop the cabbage, carrots, and onions as they cook. You should not fry; the diet menu does not imply an excess of cholesterol contained in fried oil. Therefore, light soup without frying is the healthiest option for a first course. Add chopped vegetables to the prepared broth with meatballs. Cook for 40 minutes, then season with sour cream and herbs.

And at the end - the second course. This is, of course, stewed cabbage. Why stewed? Because it does not contain carcinogens from frying in hot oil and has an increased content of vitamins, which are preserved during stewing. So, chop the cabbage, about one small fork. Finely chop the carrots and onions and place in a deep frying pan for stewing. Add juice from grated tomatoes, salt and spices - paprika or ground black pepper as cooking progresses. Cook for 50 minutes over low heat, sprinkle with herbs before serving.

It is quite difficult to surprise guests or family with the presence of stewed cabbage on the dinner table. But the beneficial properties of this dish for many body systems are truly impressive. The low calorie content of the vegetable does not prevent stewed cabbage from fighting hunger and saturating the body with vitamins, as well as micro- and macroelements. Like any product, cabbage has contraindications that you should be aware of so as not to harm your health. Recipes for dishes with stewed cabbage are amazing in variety. They can be adapted to your own taste preferences and enriched with healthy products that are combined with the original one. Stewed cabbage is great for proper nutrition. Let's find out how to get the most out of eating stewed cabbage, what health problems it can solve and what benefits it can bring?

Healing properties

Sauerkraut is rich in valuable vitamins. So, just 200 g of this product covers almost half of the daily requirement for vitamin C. Moreover, vitamin C is stored in this product for 8-9 months. And even after heat treatment of this product, vitamin C is still retained in it.
Sauerkraut is a source of B vitamins: vitamin B12, necessary for clarity of thinking, good mood, oxygen supply to cells, and formation of musculoskeletal tissue. And vitamin B6 promotes better protein absorption (that’s why sauerkraut is useful as a side dish for meat dishes).
It is rich in microelements such as potassium, iron, magnesium, zinc.
In addition, sauerkraut is an excellent source of nicotinic acid, which ensures the normal course of vital cellular processes and adds shine to hair and strength to nails.
It is also an excellent preventative against gastric and duodenal ulcers. Its fiber promotes digestion and improves the microflora of the intestinal tract. There is also a healing effect for stomach pain.
Sauerkraut strengthens the immune system and regulates metabolism.
It is also useful because it helps maintain your figure. Its calorie content is lower than even the already low-calorie fresh cabbage. At the same time, it creates a feeling of fullness for a long time. The tartronic acid contained in it interferes with the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fats.

To increase immunity and improve digestion processes, 100 g of sauerkraut 2 times a week is enough.

Harm of stewed cabbage and contraindications for consumption

In addition to health benefits, stewed cabbage also brings harm. Therefore, contraindications should be taken into account:

gastritis,
diarrhea,
cholecystitis,
stomach ulcer, duodenal ulcer,
enterocolitis,
high level of stomach acidity,
pancreatitis,
inflammation of the intestinal mucosa,
a number of kidney diseases,
recovery after operations on the chest and abdominal cavity,
allergy.

In other cases, if discomfort occurs, you should continue to use it after consulting your doctor. The benefits usually outweigh the harm.

Culinary secrets

For pickling, choose healthy, dense heads of cabbage, clean them of damaged leaves, chop or shred them. One bucket takes about 8 kg of cabbage. Fermented with carrots and bay leaves, it is used to prepare salads, first and second courses. And if sweet and fragrant seasonings are added to the preparation, then only for salads and main courses.

You cannot ferment cabbage in aluminum containers. The dish contains substances that are extremely undesirable for the body.

If there is not enough salt in the cabbage, it may turn out soft. And excess salt will kill beneficial lactic acid bacteria. The best option is 200 g of salt per 10 kg of cabbage.

Cabbage pickled with heads (or halves) retains approximately 1.5-2 times more vitamins than shredded cabbage. Pickled cabbage and stored according to all the rules retains high vitamin activity for 6-8 months.

It is best not to rinse the sauerkraut, but simply squeeze out the excess brine from it. And in order to preserve its beneficial properties to the maximum, it is better not to cook it, but to stew it. But most of all, it is useful in its raw form.

Cabbage broth recipe

To start cooking, remove the top, rough leaf plates from the head of cabbage.
The juicy part of the head of cabbage is chopped into medium pieces; 200 grams of raw material should be taken from the prepared volume.
Fill an enamel bowl with a liter of water and cabbage.
We put the container on the fire and bring it to a boil, then, on a low flame, keep the broth for another 15 minutes.
The finished drink should be filtered and used for its intended purpose.

Cabbage decoction for weight loss

To lose weight, you should prepare the product using a special method.

Take 150 grams of raw material, pour three full glasses of water over the cabbage and cook for 15 minutes.
At the end of cooking, remove the broth from the stove and strain thoroughly.
After this, let it cool and drink without seasoning. No spices or other additives that can reduce the beneficial potential of cabbage broth.

Benefits of cabbage decoction

Now we’ll tell you how cabbage decoction is useful. This drink reveals the medicinal properties of the white vegetable. The following elements are observed in a properly prepared decoction:

Vitamin B1, which has a calming and relaxing effect on the body. The vitamin also takes part in water-salt and carbohydrate-energy metabolism, so the benefits are invaluable;
Vitamins of group B2, working to improve the thyroid gland, as well as strengthen metabolism. B2 is a good preventative against early old age, manifested in changes in the skin of the body and face;
Calcium containing compounds that strengthen bones, hair and nails, fight excess fat cells;
Potassium, which removes swelling by eliminating excessive fluid levels;
Manganese compounds. Manganese is responsible for the normal functioning of the muscular and nervous parts of the body, and also supports the immune system;
Chromium, which reduces cholesterol and blood sugar;
Choline. The use of cabbage in medicine is also ensured by the fact that a high percentage of choline supports brain activity, memory and the synthesis of hormones that process fat deposits;
Zinc is also found in cabbage broth. Reducing appetite and normalizing hormonal levels are just some of the beneficial properties of this element of white cabbage.

Cabbage has a diuretic and laxative effect, so excess water will be released along with toxins. The result is a productive reduction of the caseload to optimal standards.