Centuries ago fermenting food was quite common, but not so much today. Fermentation is a process which helps pre-digest foods and results in beneficial bacteria. The prebiotics and probiotic bacteria from fermentation can help to ease digestion and restore integrity to the gut lining.
Eating fermented foods is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health. Fermentation increases the beneficial bacteria, vitamins and enzymes present in foods and makes the nutrients they contain more bioavailable.
Compared to probiotic supplements, fermented foods provide a larger variety and diversity of strains of gut-friendly
microorganisms in sufficient numbers to help improve your gut flora over time to enhance your digestion, immune system and overall health.
Top 3 Fermented Foods:
1. Sauerkraut
- Sauerkraut is shredded cabbage fermented in its own juice, water and sometimes with other vegetables and spices added for extra flavor and variety.
- Raw sauerkraut is great for re-establishing the balance of friendly flora in the gut.
- You can add a bit of sauerkraut to meat, poultry or eggs like a condiment.
2. Kefir
- Kefir is a tart yogurt-like fermented drink that contains friendly bacteria and yeasts that work together to provide natural probiotic-rich properties.
- Kefir is high in a variety of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, Vitamin K2, thiamin, B12 and biotin – a B vitamin that helps the body assimilate other B vitamins.
- Add 1-2 tbsp of kefir to smoothies, yogurt or oatmeal.
3. Miso
- Miso is a traditional Japanese food and a rich salty paste made from grains or soybeans.
- You can find miso paste in most any food store, but it is important to get a high quality product that has not been pasteurized to ensure the highest amount of health benefits.
- If you have a yeast or candida overgrowth, avoid fermented foods and probiotics that contain yeast. Stick to probiotics that just contain bacteria to help correct gut dysbiosis (imbalance between good and bad bacteria).
- • To ensure you tolerate probiotics in fermented foods, it’s important to introduce them gradually. Start with just ¼ to ½ tbsp. on the first day and build up the dose little by little every few days or every week.