Beneficial Fermented Foods Can Help Heal Your Stomach

Everywhere you turn in healthy markets today people are talking about fermented foods. But, have you ever tried them? Do you know what they are and why they are beneficial? If you do eat them are you eating enough of them to make a difference in your gut health? Have you ever tried making them? If you are not including them in your diet you’re missing out on one of easiest gut health helpers! A diet rich in fermented foods helps the body from head to toe, promoting a healthy microbiome, strengthening immunity, calming inflammation, supporting better digestion, better elimination and even brain health.

What’s amazing about fermented foods is that a little bit goes a long way. Just one or two tablespoons a few times a week is enough to make a huge difference in gut health. Millions of pro-health probiotic bacteria you will be adding to your gut with each and every serving.

So now I decided to add fermented foods to my diet. Where do I begin?

For thousands of years, fermentation was used for food preservation. Fermenting keeps foods from spoiling, while enhancing the gut-health (though they probably did not realize this). When Refrigeration came along in the early 1900’s, and fermentation was over for the most part. About the same time came the introduction of pasteurization. This process of pasteurization wound up killing pathogens as well as most of the nutrients in dairy. Most foods lost beneficial gut-boosting probiotics. Today, fermented foods are making a huge comeback. We now understand how valuable their benefits are to maintaining health and balance in the gut.

Fermented foods are the Probiotic Support your body needs.

When your gut is out of balance, and is overgrown with the bad bacteria, problems like IBS, constipation, bloating, leaky gut, inflammation and so on, can arise and your immune system is compromised too. With your immune system being compromised your body’s defenses are down you are now at risk to pick up viruses and bacteria. Approximately 80% of your immune system is in your gut. That is why keeping your gut healthy is paramount to good health. Fermented foods help protect the gut with a variety of beneficial bacteria which. Want an added bonus? Fermented foods can help with managing your weight!

If you have not tried fermented foods yet, keep in mind that most of them have a tart, tangy taste so they may take a bit of getting used to. They may cause some gas initially—so start small and go slow. When you add fermented foods into your diet such as raw sauerkraut and kimchi, kefir, kombucha, miso, and fermented pickles, you are not just getting probiotic health benefits, you’re also enhancing the flavor of even the simplest meals. Here are some ways to incorporate fermented foods.

· Smoothies: Add fermented beet slices and some of the fermented beet juice to a berry smoothie.

· Eggs: Add some heat to your eggs with a dash of fermented chili sauce.

· Soups and Salads: Add a fermented food topping to soups and salads. Add a dollop or two or two of kefir into a vegetable puree/soup or toss a scoop of kimchi into a salad.

· Kombucha: Kombucha should be a healthy drink, but many contain high amounts of sugar. Look for brands with lower sugar and you can also combat this by adding it to seltzer.

When buying fermented foods read labels very carefully.

Keep these five points in mind when you buy fermented foods:

1. Fermented foods will always be refrigerated. It’s the cool temperatures that keep all those active cultures alive.

2. Fermented foods must say they’re fermented, if that phrase isn’t on the label do not buy.

3. Fermented foods will never say ‘pasteurized’ on the label, pasteurization kills bacteria, both friendly and not.

4. Fermented and pickled foods are not the same thing. Pickled foods are brined, not fermented. Pickled foods will not give you any of the probiotic benefits of fermented foods.

5. Fermented foods are best when they’re made with healthy ingredients, sourced locally or labeled organic and non-GMO.

Fermented foods are easy to make at home

Almost about any vegetable or fruit can be fermented. By making your own you can save money. Wash and chop the food of your choice, such as, cabbage, carrots, radishes, and cucumbers. Next, pack the pieces tightly into a mason jar. Pour and cover with a solution of one quart water and 2 teaspoons sea salt. Leave about an inch of space at the top of the jar. Close the jar and store in a cool place. Check in on it every couple of days, until there are no more bubbles are visible (usually it takes about 7 -10 days), which is indicates that the fermentation process has ended and they are ready to eat. Open, eat and enjoy!