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Needless to say, I was definitely a weird kid, but I was also clearly onto something.

sauerkraut in a bowl on a table with fork

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Sauerkraut is full ofprobiotics, which some research has shown can help improve gut health.

And if that weren’t enough, it’s also freakin' delicious.

Here’s everything she told me, plus what I learned from making it myself.

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Audrey Bruno

Basically, the lactobacillus is pre-digesting the sugar in the cabbage for you.

The breakdown produces lactic acid, which naturally preserves and prevents the growth of harmful bacteria in the cabbage.

It also gives sauerkraut its famous sour flavor and makes it easier for you to digest.

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Audrey Bruno

Then, massage your cabbage for about five to 10 minutes with coarse salt.

It’s a bit of an arm workout, so be prepared.

You’ll know the cabbage is ready when it looks more like coleslaw than cabbage.

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Audrey Bruno

You should end up with a decent amount of liquid and the leaves should have become slightly translucent.

I used whatever I was able to find in my apartment and didn’t have any problems.

Check on your sauerkraut every couple of days and pop it open and release the gas build-up from fermentation.

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Audrey Bruno

Enjoy it on hot dogs, or, if you’re like me, straight from the jar.

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Audrey Bruno

Image may contain Plant Vegetable Food Human Person and Produce

Audrey Bruno

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Audrey Bruno