Is sauerkraut a German food?

Table of Contents:

1. Is sauerkraut a German food?
2. Why is sauerkraut so popular in Germany?
3. Which country eats the most sauerkraut?
4. Did sauerkraut prevent scurvy?
5. Did sailors eat sauerkraut?

Is sauerkraut a German food?

Although "sauerkraut" is a German word, the dish did not originate in Germany, as fermenting cabbage as Suan cai was already practised back in the days of the building of the Great Wall of China, the practice was likely transmitted from China to Europe by the Tartars.

Why is sauerkraut so popular in Germany?

For Germans, eating sauerkraut functions as a means of ensuring that the next year will be filled with an abundance of blessings. Specifically, it is believed that the amount of wealth to be gained in the coming year is proportionate to the number of fermented cabbage shreds consumed.

Which country eats the most sauerkraut?

While still, a staple in homes and restaurants, the consumption of sauerkraut in Germany has been declining. Today the average per capita consumption of sauerkraut is approximately 2.

Did sauerkraut prevent scurvy?

Simple, fermented sauerkraut played an important role in helping prevent scurvy — an affliction known in its day as the scourge of the seas, responsible for an estimated two million deaths between 1500 and 1800 — on sailing ships around the world.

Did sailors eat sauerkraut?

To trick them, Cook simply had sauerkraut “dressed every day” for the officers' table. When the enlisted men saw their superiors eating it, they assumed it was a delicacy and requested some for themselves.