Heal Yourself with Fermented Foods

What do your mean by fermented? You mean like fermented grapes? Oh...I drink plenty of wine. Okay, so wine is fermented but does not contain the beneficial ingredients that you will find in the below fermented foods. 

So...What exactly is fermentation? Any of a group of living organisms, as yeasts, molds, certain bacteria, and enzyme. 

A large part of your immune system lies in your gut. If your gut isn't healthy, then your defenses are down, and chances are you will easily catch "cold". This healthy bacteria is also beneficial for women's health and keeps yeast infections at bay. They can also heal leaky gut syndrome, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) which includes, diarrhea, constipation, cramps, bloating, and abdominal pain. 

Think of it like this--everywhere there is bacteria. Good and bad. We come into contact with several billion kinds of bacteria each day. Even sugar depresses our immune system and can kill any good bacteria we may have. How do we fight the bad stuff? We add in the good stuffQ Unfortunately, our body's cannot produce this good bacteria, which is why it is essential to consume it.

Here is a list of commonly known foods that are fermented:

• Kefir
• Yogurt
• Kombucha
• Cheese 
• Relish
• Dill Pickles & carrots

As of lately, we have been hearing a lot about probiotics, healthy digestion or healthy bacteria. You will find several strands of healthy bacteria in yogurt and kefir. The important thing to note is not all yogurt is created equally. Before you rush out and buy the brand you just seen on the last TV commercial, let's discuss why. 

When choosing yogurt, always read the ingredient list. Don't purchase yogurt that has high fructose corn syrup or corn syrup in it. And it is always best to avoid sugar. Many brands list HFCS or sugar as the second ingredient. Despite any health claims, these two ingredients pretty much cancel out any health benefits. 

Look for local farmers who have grass fed cows, use VAT pasteurization and do not homogenize. This allows to you get the best quality milk. (I could write a whole 'nother blog on why raw milk is best, but I'll save that for another time.) 

You will also want to choose 2% or higher milk fat. The fat found in milk is not bad fat. They are healthy fats that help your body better assimilate the milk. 

All of the above fermented foods can be easily prepared at home. Not only is it simple and straightforward, but it is much less expensive than buying at the grocery store AND when you make your own, you skip the packaging which allows much more available healthy bacteria and enzymes to survive. These bacteria thrive in very particular environments so it can be easy for some to die during the packaging and shipping process. 

The next few blogs will be kind of like a series on how to make fermented foods in your own kitchen. So far, I have successfully made kombucha. (yay!! :)

Next up, I'll be sharing how to brew your own kombucha, along with its awesome benefits. 

I'm looking forward to it!!

Stephanie