The Power of Fermented Foods

Introduce your body to the magic of fermented foods. 

Building your gut health, doesn’t have to be daunting or complicated. Fermented foods play an important role to building a strong healthy gut.

Hard to believe, that refrigerators weren’t always apart of our kitchen’s basic appliances. However, just over a century ago many foods didn’t have the same shelf life we are used to today. 

Introducing, fermentation. A preservation process with insanely effective health benefits.  

What is fermentation? 

Fermentation is the breakdown of carbs, like starch and sugar by bacteria and yeast an ancient technique of preserving food. Producing a range of vitamins, beneficial organic acids and other health-promoting compounds are created during this process, including other probiotics that help feed the gut lining and maintain a healthy bacterial balance. 

Essential fermented foods for a healthier gut life:

1) Kefir 

Now bear with me with Kefir, I am a lover of fermented foods and drinks however I had to work on my relationship with Kefir. Safe to say it definitely paid off. 

Kefir is a fermented drink, made from the milk of cows, goats or sheep (I opt for goats, rather than cows). If you have issues with dairy, opt for coconut Kefir.

Kefir is most definitely one of the most microbe-rich foods in the world, with high microbial diversity of ten to thirty-four different strains of bacteria. 

Kefir uses kefir grains and goats, cows, sheep or coconut milk or water. Kefir grains are not actually grain’s but small gelatinous beads that appear like grains and contain a variety of bacteria and yeasts. The grains are placed into a glass bowl or jar and soaked in milk, covered and left at room temperature for a minimum of twenty- four hours. Enabling the bacteria and yeast to ferment the lactose (natural sugar in milk) into lactic acid, activating the bacteria to proliferate and grow. 

It’s the high levels of naturally occurring bacteria and yeast, which breakdown the lactose in milk, making it suitable for those who are lactose intolerant.         

Kefir is usually sold is ready-to-drink quarter bottles found in health food stores, please find links below. 

*** ADD LINKS BELOW ***  

2) Sauerkraut 

Fermented cabbage doesn’t exactly have the most appetizing ring to it, but its surprisingly delicious and you got it, incredibly impactful for improving your guts health. 

‘Sauerkraut’ German for ‘Sour Cabbage’ is high in organic acids, vitamin C and digestive enzymes. I would highly recommend making your own at home, see here for a super easy Sauerkraut you can do at home as many store-bought brands can be pasteurised a process which can kill many of the beneficial probiotics. They can also have added sugars and preservatives. 

There are plenty of studies that link the strong connection between your gut and brain. Interestingly, some studies have led to believe the bacteria present in your gut may have the ability to send messages to your brain influencing the way it functions. 

For example, sauerkraut is a fermented pro-biotic food can contribute to a healthy gut flora which is linked to helping reduce stress and maintain brain health. 

EASY PEASEY SAUERKRAUT RECIPE: 

3) Kimchi

The little sister of sauerkraut. A staple in Korean Cuisine. 

A little hotter than sauerkraut it’s the perfect condiment to jazz up a meal. Its created by Chinese cabbage and Korean radish with a selection of seasonings, spring onions, garlic, ginger, sea salt, fish sauce and so on! 

Packed full of treats for the body, high in vitamins A, B and C – whilst also used in Korean culture to fight infections and respiratory illnesses. 

Also, very easy to make at home. Try it out! 

4) Kombucha

 My personal favourite of mine alongside Sauerkraut. A fermented drink made from sweetened tea and a specific culture known as a scoby (scoby stands for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts.)

If you struggle with digestion like I do, I urge you to introduce Kombucha into your daily life. 

There are lots of good brands on the market, however its very simple to make your own at home, however the aim of the game like most other home-made fermented foods is patience. 

Sourcing a scoby. 

However, I urge you that everything in moderation, you could overdo the amount of fermented food and drinks in your diet. It can lead to bloating and excess yeast, particularly harmful within women.