Sauerkraut = sour cabbage
Now, I know what you're thinking... cabbage is a Goitrogen!! Am I right? Well, guess what? The traditional fermentation process inactivates the Goitrogens -- making sauerkraut an awesome source of beneficial gut flora (a.k.a probiotics), digestive enzymes and a plethora of vitamins -- the perfect food for Hashimoto patients! In fact, *Dr. Isabella Wentz recommends adding fermented foods to your diet as her #1 intervention for healing leaky gut.
Okay, so how do you know if a traditional fermentation process was used versus a modern one? Sauerkraut that you find on your grocery store shelves commonly contain vinegar and have been pasteurized for longevity. These products are not a source of probiotics. Good sources to find the immune bolstering type of sauerkraut you are looking for are health food stores or your local farmer's market. No matter where you buy them, always check the label to ensure it is an authentic superfood! I will often stand in the aisles and google each product on my iphone to check for authenticity!!
So, is there a recipe here somewhere?! No... you eat the sauerkraut raw. Heating it will destroy all the beneficial flora. I choose one meal a day (usually dinner) and use it as a topping on the main entree. You only need about a tablespoon. If you shop around you might even find some with added flavor like dill, garlic or jalapeno. And -- by the way-- there are other fermented foods besides sauerkraut like kimshee, carrots and coconut meat. When you find your favorite one, come back and share it with all your Hashi friends :-)
I've learned most of this from the Hashimoto sources listed on this blog. I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination so please feel free to comment if you find a flaw in something that I write. We're all in this together!!!
Stay strong
*Dr. Isabella Wentz' book is titled "Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause."
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
