Raw Fermented Vegetables

(NaturalNews) Many cultural traditions eat fermented vegetables on New Years Day to bring good fortune. Folklore has it that the long threads of sauerkraut potentially represent a long life. Greens are also associated with money and thus thought to bring good fortune. A practical reason for the tradition may be because cabbage is a late fall crop, and the best way to preserve it for the winter is by making sauerkraut. However, these traditional reasons to eat sauerkraut are trumped by a thoroughly modern concern not based in myth.Dr Don Huber, an expert in the area of science that relates to the toxicity of genetically engineered (GE) food, has revealed a number of facts about the catastrophic alteration and destruction of our environment, our food supply and our biology. Huber explained that GE crops not only destroy healthy soil microbes, but they also destroy healthy gut flora. Healthy gut flora prevent colonization by disease causing bacteria.Do you eat genetically modified crops? The vast majority of our corn and soy come from GE seed. These crops are generally used as feed for cattle, hogs and poultry, or otherwise used in many processed foods. You can't be sure when you eat them or in what form you will find them because in the United States there is no requirement to label foods with GE ingredients. A healthy balance of gut flora can be aided by the recipe below, and if historical folklore is correct it may even bring good luck too.1 head of cabbage (use red cabbage for extra phytonutrients)4 large carrots1 onion3 cloves of garlic3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar1 tablespoon of sea saltpurified waterWash cabbage and carrots. Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage and set aside. Finely chop the cabbage, carrots, onion and garlic and place them in a large bowl. Cover the vegetables with water, and add the vinegar and salt. Massage the vegetables with your clean hands. Be a little rough so as to break up the cells and to help begin the fermentation process. Cover the mixture with the reserved outer leaves of the cabbage. Weigh down the leaves with a plate so that the vegetables are all submerged in the water. Place a weight on top of the bowl if necessary. Place the mixture in a cupboard or in an unused oven and leave for three to five days (can be longer depending on taste and also the temperature in the room). Remove the top cabbage leaves and discard them and then put the fermented vegetables into jars. They will keep in the refrigerator for weeks.Fermented vegetables make a tasty nutritious addition to many meals and especially add great crunch and flavor in a sandwich.Marsha Anderson practices organic gardening, plant based nutrition, and healthy living in sunny San Diego, California.