Live Blood Analysis
Pork and sauerkraut is as traditional in some cultures as chili and cornbread is in others. But did you know that there’s good reason to eat raw fermented sauerkraut with pork?
Does Eating Pork Affect Your Blood?
A small scale preliminary study was conducted to determine the effect of eating pork on the blood. A drop of blood was examined under a high powered light microscope before and after eating pork. According to the article linked to above:
Analysis of the blood can reveal numerous conditions, including the stickiness of red blood cells (RBCs) and their tendency to aggregate and clot, as well as the formation of fibrin—the chief clotting protein—and aggregation of platelets. The presence or absence of these clotting factors can be readily seen using dark-field live blood analysis. Early blood clotting has been linked to chronic systemic biochemical inflammation, which is at the root of chronic disease.
This pilot study involved 3 adults. In each case, their blood was tested before eating pork and was found to be heathy. Eating cooked fresh pastured pork caused a negative effect on the blood for all 3 participants. See photos of the blood cells here.
When the experiment was repeated using marinated and then cooked pastured pork, however, each of the subject’s blood was completely normal.
Another pilot study was conducted 2 years later using pastured pork sausage and raw, fermented sauerkraut. Again, a blood test was performed before eating the pork sausage and again afterwards. On a return visit blood was tested before eating the sausage and again after eating the sausage with 4 ounces of raw, fermented sauerkraut.
In this second study, only 1 participant had a negative test after consuming the sausage. When the test was repeated with sauerkraut, this participant’s blood was normal. The sauerkraut apparently protected her from the negative effect that the sausage previously caused.
These pilot studies were too small to make sweeping generalizations, of course, but it does appear that the tradition of eating pork with sauerkraut may be a great idea.
Raw Fermented Sauerkraut
Raw fermented sauerkraut is a great way to boost digestion since cabbage is known to stimulate the production of stomach acid. By fermenting the cabbage, you are adding beneficial bacteria to your diet which, again, is great for digestion and healthy bowel movements.
Fermented foods, and the good bacteria they contain, are thought to help to reduce inflammation in the body. (source) Remember those sticky, clotted blood cells we talked about? They have been linked to chronic inflammation.
While the preliminary study mentioned earlier was quite small, it does appear that raw fermented sauerkraut may help to prevent any problems associated with eating fresh pork. Did our ancestors know something we’ve forgotten?
Why Keep the Sauerkraut Raw?
Search the internet for recipes for pork and sauerkraut and you’ll find that the majority of them cook the sauerkraut along with the pork. Gasp! To reap the benefits of the sauerkraut, please don’t heat it. The heat will destroy the beneficial bacteria so necessary for our gut health.
Keeping the sauerkraut raw doesn’t mean it has to be served cold. Remove your sauerkraut from the refrigerator several hours before you plan to eat it, and it will be room temperature and compliment your hot pork perfectly.
Make Your Own Fermented Sauerkraut
If you want great sauerkraut, there’s nothing like making your own homemade sauerkraut. Using great ingredients is the key to success. Fresh harvested, organically grown cabbage is ideal.
Beneficial bacteria is naturally present on cabbage and fresh vegetables, so you want your produce to be as fresh as possible. And pesticides can inhibit bacterial growth, so be sure your produce is grown without them.
So, will you be eating raw, fermented sauerkraut with your pork from now on?
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Oven Roasted Pulled Pork Recipe from Blog Chef
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Zoe says
What about those of us who cannot eat raw cruciforus vegetables because of out thyroid? Does the fermentation process take care of that?
Susan Vinskofski says
Zoe, fermentation does not reduce goitrogens. You may want to consider marinating your pork to make it more digestible. This article may interest you: http://nourishedandnurtured.blogspot.com/2011/05/thyroid-goitrogens-and-recipe-for.html
Rhianon says
That study is really interesting; I would love for them to conduct it on a larger population. I recently came across an article that suggested that naturally fermented sauerkraut was good to eat with fatty and protein rich foods (like pork) because eating fatty/protein rich foods can inhibit the beneficial bacteria in your gut; so adding sauerkraut when you’re eating that adds in some more active bacteria. Have you heard anything about that?
Susan Vinskofski says
I completely agree that a larger study is needed. I haven’t heard about sauerkraut being beneficial to fatty meals. I’d like to hear more about that. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Emma says
This is a really great product. It is also very rich in vitamin C, as far as I know. After reading a review about bistromd food delivery, I often get healthy food portions home, I also got some sauerkraut dishes, which is very nice.