Fermenting for health – 5 fermented foods you should be eating right now

By MiNDFOOD

Fermenting for health – 5 fermented foods you should be eating right now
Fermented and pickled foods are a powerhouse of nutrients. These bacteria boosting foods are known for their ability to take food through the seasons, but what many don't know about is their incredible ability to heal our gut.

When certain foods have been allowed to ferment in their own sugars and carbohydrates, a process begins whereby they become more than the modest vegetables they started out as – they turn into superfoods.

The healing powers of fermented foods can assist a multitude of health issues like leaky gut, IBS, digestive issues and can boost your immunity.

Kimchi

Kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean vegetable side dish that is salty, sweet and sour. It is a tasty companion to salads and hot dishes. As a fermented food, health benefits of kimchi include improved cardiovascular health and digestive system. The wealth of antioxidants in kimchi exercise healing effects in the medical conditions like cancer, diabetes, obesity, atopic dermatitis and gastric ulcers.

Make your own at home here. 

Fermented Dairy

For those who aren’t dairy intolerant, incorporating a daily dose of fermented dairy can be incredibly beneficial.

Sometimes referred to as ‘cultured dairy’, fermented dairy contains powerful probiotics and enzymes which can aid in healing our gut.

Fermentation can occur naturally or by adding in lactobacillus bacteria, a bacteria already present (yet benign) in our gut. The lactobacilli then feed on the sugar and starch in milk, creating lactic acid and acting to preserve the milk.

The beneficial enzymes which are released in this process aid in the creation of various strains of probiotics that are excellent for everything from gut maintenance, to repairing the gut after a dose of antibiotics.

How to make your own yoghurt and beetroot labne. 

Kombucha

Kombucha is a drink made by fermenting sweet black tea with a living colony of bacteria and yeast. It’s lovely and refreshing, and is also a probiotic that promotes gut health.

Our favourite kombucha recipe here. 

Sweet & Sour Beetroots

Enjoy delicious beetroot all year long with this simple technique – you’ll never reach for the store-bought canned variety again!

Pickle your beetroots here. 

Sauerkraut

Also known as fermented cabbage, sauerkraut is a powerful gut healer. It has been known to have an impact on brain health, with added benefits helping depression and anxiety.

“Probiotics also reduce inflammation of the gut… because anxiety is often accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms, reducing gut inflammation helps alleviate those symptoms,” said Matthew Hilimire from the College of William and Mary.

For a simple and delicious recipe for Sauerkraut, click here.

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