What is fermented food?
Fermented Foods are put through a fermentation process in which natural bacteria create lactic acid by feeding on sugar and starch. Outside of preserving the food, the process creates beneficial enzymes, b-vitamins, fatty acids, and various strains of probiotics. They have many health benefits.
Why fermented food?
Your body needs good bacteria inside of it in order to get balanced with nature. Often times we were taught that we shouldn’t have bacteria in our bodies, that we should hand sanitize, clean everything off and completely sanitize and kill all the bacteria. The reality is, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. If you eliminate all bacteria, your body is in trouble. You need it in order to symbiotically live with the environment around us. We actually need to be exposed to MORE in order to challenge the system and build it up.
What is the purpose of fermentation?
Fermentation makes food more nutritious, allows positive bacterial colonies to grow inside, and increases its shelf life. It also produces a delicious tangy taste and plenty of amino acids.
What is the difference between a pickled vegetable and a fermented vegetable?
Fermented foods are tangy because of lacto-fermentation, while pickled vegetables are soaked in vinegar. Fermentation adds far more health benefits than pickling.
Fermented pickles are making a comeback, which is good news for your gut health—give them a try and enjoy the flavor along with the natural probiotics. Remember, you can find them in the grocery store’s refrigerated section with the other fermented products.
Health Benefits Of Fermenting Foods
The lactic acid bacteria that provide the fermentation process are full of benefits, particularly for your gastrointestinal system.
Fermented foods are packed with health benefits, with their beneficial bacteria providing:
- Weight loss benefits, combating bloating and obesity
- Antioxidants, such as polyphenols and vitamin E
- Improved digestive health – Sometimes people who cannot tolerate milk can eat yogurt. That’s because the lactose (which is usually the part people can’t tolerate) in milk is broken down as the milk is fermented and turns into yogurt.
- Strengthened immune system
- Restore the proper balance of bacteria in the gut.
Do you suffer from lactose intolerance? Gluten intolerance? Constipation? Irritable bowel syndrome? Yeast infections? Allergies? Asthma? All of these conditions have been linked to a lack of good bacteria in the gut.
- Raw, Fermented Foods Are Rich in Enyzmes- Your body needs enzymes to adequately digest, absorb, and utilize the nutrients in your food. As you age, your body’s supply of enzymes goes down.
- Fermenting Food Increases Vitamin Content– Fermented dairy products show an increased level of folic acid which is critical to producing healthy babies as well as B vitamins, riboflavin and biotin depending on the strains of bacteria present
- Eating Fermented Foods Help Us Absorb the Nutrients – You can ingest huge amounts of nutrients, but unless you actually absorb them, they’re useless to you. When you improve digestion, you improve absorption.
- Fermented Foods Build Immunity
- Cardiovascular benefits lowering cholesterol and blood pressure
What fermented foods are good for gut health?
The best fermented foods for gut health are:
- These are traditional Korean-style fermented veggies.
- Sauerkraut– the natural, fermented stuff. It’s also naturally high in vitamins and calcium.
- Pickles– not mass processed, but naturally fermented ones.
- Fermented veggies. Any kind of vegetable is great, such as pickled red onions or radishes made from the lactic acid fermentation process instead of simply being soaked in vinegar.
- Apple cider vinegar. Buy this fermented ingredient raw and unpasteurized for maximum benefits.
- Kefir
- Greek or Icelandic yogurt. These are good choices if you tolerate dairy. Be sure to get them unsweetened or choose a variety that is low in sugar.
- Homemade coconut yogurt. This is an excellent option if you’re dairy-free
- Kombucha tea. This popular drink made with fermented tea generally doesn’t contain high amounts of probiotics and usually contains added sugar. Choose no-sugar-added black tea kombucha.
These are the healthiest ways to get the probiotics that your body craves. However, there are other surprising fermented foods like miso soup, soy sauce, and sourdough bread starter.