In the autumn-winter period, fresh vegetables rarely appear in the diet of the average urban dweller, and they, unlike seasonal ones, have very few vitamins. That is why various pickles become a frequent guest on the table. One of the simplest, most popular and useful is sauerkraut. However, for people suffering from hypertension, it is important to know how to properly use this product is safe for health, which will be discussed later.

Chemical composition and calorie content

The preparation of acid cabbage involves salting it with a further fermentation process, which results in the formation of lactic and acetic acids and softening of fiber.

Did you know? The dish was invented in China, originally cabbage was fermented in sour rice wine. Such a salad was included in the diet of the Chinese, who participated in the construction of the Great Wall of China.

In addition to useful acids, the product contains in large quantities the basic and most necessary vitamins for the body: A, B, C (in cabbage there is more vitamin C than in the same amount of lemon). In addition, during the fermentation process, the salad is enriched with macro- and microelements such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, chlorine, aluminum, boron, iron, iodine.

Sauerkraut is a low-calorie product, 100 grams of the product contains only 26 kcal, which is less than 2% of the average daily human need

Useful properties of sauerkraut

Sauerkraut salad is not only a delicious treat for dinner or a festive table, but also an excellent source of vitamins and minerals

• The benefits of this product can hardly be overestimated:
• sour milk bacteria formed during the brine fermentation, when ingested in the gastrointestinal tract, contribute to the normalization of microflora, the healing of the walls of the irritated intestines;
• acids in combination with macronutrients provide a decrease in blood sugar and cholesterol;
• B vitamins and vitamin A are indispensable helpers for the heart, increase the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels;
• for people who want to lose weight, this dish is a diet. Low calorie content and high carbohydrate content allow you to expand your diet. And oxymalonic acid, participating in carbohydrate metabolism, prevents the formation of fat deposits;
• A high concentration of vitamin C makes the product an affordable antioxidant and natural tonic. Daily use of cabbage will make up for the lack of this nutrient in the body and strengthen the immune system.

When can I eat sauerkraut

This product is a standard dish and can be consumed daily in the absence of contraindications for health reasons.

It is better to use the salad not on an empty stomach, adding a little vegetable oil to it, combining it with the next meal:

• it is useful to eat a meal the day after a plentiful feast, accompanied by the use of alcohol, as it helps to relieve a hangover;
• It is recommended to supplement your diet with salad after intense physical exertion, hiking, training, in order to restore the salt balance in the body;
• in the season of flu and colds, sour cabbage with onion will be useful, supplementing the diet, strengthening the body's defenses;
• subject to a diet for weight loss, the product can be combined with protein foods to maintain a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

We advise you to read about the features of the use of sauerkraut in pancreatitis.

Rules for the use of sauerkraut for hypertension

Doctors are not tired of repeating that with arterial hypertension it is important for a person to adhere to proper nutrition and, first of all, limit the amount of salt in food. There is a dilemma how to combine the obvious usefulness of an acidic vegetable for the heart with this rule.

Some doctors are of the opinion that this product for hypertensive patients should be strictly prohibited due to the salt content. However, it turns out that this salad contains many substances that support the heart.

In order not to completely abandon your favorite dishes and at the same time not to harm yourself, it is recommended to follow the basic rules:

• Before eating, wash the vegetable salad a little with water to remove excess salt, add a little green onion and be sure to season with vegetable oil;
• combine the dish with unsalted foods so as not to exceed the norms of salt intake. It is most useful to eat it with boiled potatoes or baked meat;
• strictly comply with the measure. For hypertensive patients, it is no more than 200 grams of product per day, not more than 2 times a week.

Important! If blood pressure rises and does not decrease for a long time, all salty foods, including cabbage, are strictly prohibited.

Harm and possible contraindications

Despite the obvious benefits of sauerkraut, not everyone can include it in the diet.

• Like any other product, it has contraindications:
• pregnancy and lactation. During this period, the use of vegetables in both fresh and sour form should be treated with caution, since the product contributes to increased gas formation in the intestine. This can adversely affect the condition of the future mother and baby and cause flatulence;
• diseases of the abdominal cavity and intestines in the acute stage;
• impaired normal kidney function and urinary tract disease;
• thyroid disease.

Important! Since sauerkraut contains a large amount of acids, people who suffer from diseases of the stomach and intestines, in the period of exacerbation of the disease, it is not recommended to use it.

Features storage sauerkraut

Sour cabbage is an excellent dish that retains beneficial substances for 8-10 months. So that the salad does not deteriorate and does not cause poisoning, you need to thoroughly approach the issue of its storage.

The finished vegetable is usually kept in an enameled, wooden or glass container. Moreover, it is stored in glass for only 2 weeks, and in wooden tubs or in a pan for at least 8 months at a temperature of -1 ... + 4ºС.

The product must be kept in brine, this will ensure the safety of vitamins. You need to remove the cabbage from the liquid immediately before serving

If necessary, the salad can be frozen in plastic containers, but in the defrosted form it must be eaten immediately, it will not lie down for further storage. As a natural preservative, housewives are advised to add cranberries to the brine, this allows you to store the salad for longer.

Did you know? Few people know that sour cabbage soup is not a widely known soup with sour cabbage, but a malt drink similar to kvass. Soup got its name because cabbage soup was used in its preparation.

So, having familiarized yourself with the composition and properties of sauerkraut, we can conclude that this product is a natural source of many nutrients, a wonderful and delicious diet dish. However, people suffering from hypertension should be wary of this salad and strictly follow the rules and norms of its use.