Fermented Foods For Immunity and Digestion
Friendly bacteria can be good for you
Humanity has used fermentation as a way of preserving food for centuries. From Sauerkraut in Germany to Kimichi in Korea, cultures around the globe have been eating fermented foods for a long time.
The process of fermentation involves natural bacteria feeding on the sugar and starch in food creating lactic acid, a natural preservative. Fermentation is the only type of food preservation that doesn't destroy certain nutrients, create more nutrients and enhance others.
Fermented foods have evolved and become popular for their purported health benefits. In breaking down food and preserving nutrients such as b-vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids and beneficial enzymes in foods, natural fermentation fosters digestion. We'll explore these in more detail below.
Reasons to Start Eating Fermented Foods:
From birth our gastrointestinal tract, including the stomach and intestines, is home to a huge population of beneficial bacteria that we can call microflora. The introduction of pasteurisation, refrigeration and factory food processing has led to the elimination of natural bacteria that nourishes our internal microflora. This is why today, more than ever, it is important that we supplement our diets with an array of raw, fermented and probiotic foods to maintain a healthy digestive system.
Maintaining a healthy colony of bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract will help replenish a lack of beneficial bacteria, defend against illness and infection caused by harmful bacteria, promote pH balance in the intestine and promote immune system support. A healthy balance of good bacteria and digestive enzymes will help you absorb more nutrients from the food you eat.
One of the most common fermented foods is Sauerkraut. To find out more about its health benefits, read our post Researchers Discover the Healing Powers of Sauerkraut.
Many of the great historical cultures had one sacred food which they relied on to ensure strong mind, body, and spirit; fermented fish/fish liver oil. The Mighty Roman Soldier was given a daily ration of fermented fish oil. The Stoic Scandinavian Viking had a drum of fermenting cod livers outside the door of his home.
To learn more about the process and benefits of fermentation, watch this video.