Many cultures around the world have been eating fermented foods for many hundreds of years, from Sauerkraut in Germany to Kimchi in Korea and many places in between.
Fermented (not pickled) foods and drinks help eliminate toxins in the body, especially in the digestive system. Theses foods and drinks have been through a process of lacto-fermentation in which natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch creating Omega-3 fatty acids, enzymes, b-vitamins and a host of beneficial probiotics. This process also preserves the nutritional content of the food and makes it and others foods it’s consumed with much more digestible (so why not pop some on the side of your fish and chips and such like to help your body process these naughty food, it makes them not quite so naughty then – winner!). Fermented foods and drinks are so beneficial to the digestive system and as many health conditions stem from our digestive health they can then have a hugely positive effect on things like our energy levels, immunity and mood.
These days we simply don’t get enough probiotics or essential enzymes in our standard diets, but fermented foods and drinks can give us what we are missing for increased health and well-being.
The benefits of fermented foods and drinks are…
1. High in multiple strains of probiotics
2. Aids digestive health
3. Detoxes the digestive system
4. Helps balance the production of stomach acid
5. Improve immunity
6. Increases energy and overall health and well-being
7. Aids the productions of serotonin
8. Balances the good and bad bacteria in the digestive system
9. Preserves food
10. Cheap to make and you can use up foods that might go to waste
11. Easy to make
12. Helps address candida and parasite issues
There are tons of difference beneficial fermented foods and drinks out there. Here are some of the most popular…
1. Kombucha
2. Milk Kefir
3. Yogurt
4. Cheese
5. Water or Coconut Kefir
6. Kavas
7. Sauerkraut
8. Kimchi
9. A selection lacto-fermented or cultured vegetables
10. Sour-dough
11. Fermented beans and pulses
12. Fermented grains
It’s so incredibly easy to start your own fermenting journey. If you start with the krauts you’ll not need any special starters, equipment or even much time or money. Here’s a video of my making sauerkraut to prove it! And if you like is spicy then why not check out my kimchi video here.
It’s worth remembering that if you are new to fermenting and/or if you have digestive issues you should only have a tiny amount of fermented foods and drinks to start with otherwise you may find yourself with some pretty severe detox symptoms as the good stuff in them gets to work on the bad stuff in the digestive system.
If you would like to find out more about making all sorts of fermented foods and drinks then why not check out my next fermenting workshop here.
Here’s some relevant links you might like:
How to make a sourdough starter here.
Fermented pickled onions here.
Fermenting vegetables here.
How to make lacto-fermented vegetables here.