All About Our Fermented Foods
Q: How do I eat and use sauerkraut in my diet and my life?
A: This is one of our favorite questions! When we think of kraut we think about brats or sausage. Yum! As a delicious condiment, there are many more ways to enjoy this powerful superfood.
Our recommendation is to eat a little bit on purpose every day. It is helpful for us to get a daily dose of probiotics for the good of our gut. Personally, we eat a little bit right out of the jar with a fork with or without other food, a couple times per day.
That said, we love to add sauerkraut as a side to other dishes. Here are a few ways you can add some zest and life to your foods.
• Breakfast - on scrambled eggs, breakfast sandwiches, or in your favorite green smoothie.
• Lunch - salads, sandwiches, and wraps. Sauerkraut makes an awesome dressing. It adds flavor, moisture, and acidity (everything we want dressing to do! Or, do you love a Reuben sandwich? now you can make your own! here is a fun recipe for Reuben sliders.
• Veggies - add to prepared salads (like potato or egg) for some tang. on top of stir-fry or curries.
• Meats - as mentioned above, sauerkraut is awesome paired with meat - add some. Top your favorite pizza for a bit of zest.
Q: How much sauerkraut should I consume?
If you're just starting out and are using sauerkraut for its medicinal purposes it's best to start out slow, with say 1-2 teaspoons a couple times a day. If you've been eating sauerkraut for some time, it's ok and even beneficial to eat more, anywhere from 1 Tablespoon 2x per day to up to 1/4 cup.
This is all going to depend on your gut. In the beginning, there can be an adjustment period as your digestive environment becomes more balanced. There could be a little gas or bloating, and this is not to be feared. If you have these effects try backing down a little and continue to build over time.
We hope our suggestions are helpful, please know that we are grateful to serve and answer these questions, so please post your questions here on the page or message us on Facebook with your questions.
How do I store my Kraut, Kraut Juice, or Kvass?
It is best to keep your sauerkraut, juice, and kvass in the fridge. When sauerkraut isn't stored in the refrigerator it will continue to ferment. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, at some point, it could affect the flavor and crunch of the sauerkraut. Kvass should always be refrigerated.
How long will my product last in the refrigerator?
Our sauerkraut is good for 6-9 months in the fridge! The tradition of fermented foods was a method of preservation so that nutritious foods from the garden could be consumed in the offseason. But we don’t think yours will last that long! Beet Kvass is good for 6-8 weeks in the fridge. Consume 2-6 ounces daily as a blood tonic to keep the organs and digestive system in check.
Be sure to check the expiration date stamp on your product! Chances are if you've been eating kraut for some time your body is craving it.
Can I heat my sauerkraut or cook with it?
Technically you can, but here is why you might want to rethink it. Our kraut is fermented raw and is considered a “live” food with healthy enzymes and bacteria to benefit your health. Heating your sauerkraut will compromise these live elements. Don't hesitate to add it to warm foods just be sure to add it in at the end.
Why should I eat fermented foods?
It’s hard to give a short answer here because there are so many benefits of fermented foods. One of the benefits a lot of our customers are looking for is the digestive improvement of anyone's body. Improving digestion improves all aspects of our health.
What is it about fermented foods that makes them so good for me?
Fermented foods contain an abundance of beneficial bacteria, aka, probiotics. There are as many as 1 trillion bacterial cells in and on our body at any given time. Some are good and some have the ability to become dangerous. The good guys have many functions with one of the top beings to help us maintain a healthy immune system by fighting other bacteria (infections etc). They also help us break down food and extract nutrition ultimately keeping us in balance and healthy.
How many live good bacteria (probiotics) are in a serving of sauerkraut?
Just like with probiotic pills it is ultimately impossible to know exactly how many exist per serving. Research has shown that 16 ounces of raw fermented sauerkraut have approximately the equivalent to (8) 100-count bottles of probiotics. That is a lot of bacteria! We are talking billions per serving. Did you know that there are also certain bacteria that ONLY come from fermented foods? So if you're wondering, yes, it's good to take probiotics and is equally as beneficial to also eat fermented foods right along with them.
What are probiotics?
Did you know 80% of your immune system is located in your gut and 95% of your serotonin (happy hormone) is manufactured in your intestines? What’s more, if your digestive system is out of whack, your entire body will suffer. That makes the gut pretty important. Because it’s so important, it’s critical to keep it in the best shape possible.
The health of your gut depends on the number of good bacteria, known as probiotics, inside of it. Probiotics are found naturally in your gut; however, the number of good bacteria versus bad bacteria in your gut can often get out of balance.
Stress, pollution, a diet high in sugar or eating too many processed foods will wreak havoc on your body’s good flora. Even birth control pills or taking an antibiotic one time can cause an imbalance.
Can probiotics survive to go through the stomach?
The simple answer is yes. They are tough little buggers. However, it’s a bit more complicated than that. Bacteria are like little armies who have the ability to storm through the acid ph of the stomach. Like other armies in battle, not all of them will make it. However, the good news is once they've made their way through, they are well equipped to reproduce and repopulate quickly in their next local, where they will continue to create a safer and healthier environment. There are plenty of studies out there to back this claim. You can find reliable ones on study sites like Pub Med.
The Basics
What happens if one of my products arrives damaged or missing?
If your Garden Goddess Ferments order is delivered with a damaged product, please be sure to send us an alert on our Customer Service page. Please describe the damage and upload to that page a photo of the damaged product. Our customer service will review the situation personally and we will process your return, send you a pre-paid return label and we'll arrange to ship you a replacement product. Any customer with a claim of a damaged item or box must submit their form within 48 hours of your delivery date (determined by the date of confirmed delivery) to have your requested considered.
Do you ship outside the US?
When will my order be shipped?
Most orders will ship within three (3) business days; for those orders placed over a weekend or a recognized US holiday, your order will be processed the following business day. All customers receive an email confirmation of their purchase as well as an email showing your shipping date and tracking.
Will I have to pay taxes?
The US government requires all online businesses to charge taxes in the state where the business resides and/or operates. This means that if you are a customer who lives in the state of Arizona you will be charged state, county, and federal taxes along with all applicable shipping fees. Customers residing outside of Arizona will not pay tax but will be required to pay all applicable shipping rates for their area.
What payment methods do you accept?
At this time Garden Goddess Ferments happily accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX and PayPal for online orders.
What happens if my box or product order is lost in transit?
In this busy world of ours, shipping delays do occur from time to time. Our customer service suggests that shoppers wait a full five (5) business days before submitting your notice to us that your package was lost. If the address listed in your account is correct and we can confirm with the carrier it is in fact lost, we will ship a replacement box to you free of charge. All customers assume the $14.95 shipping cost to replace and re-ship a new box or product to you.