Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help you maintain good digestion and gut health. Everyone will benefit from good probiotics. My preferred method of ingesting these "good" bacteria is through the food you eat rather than a pill you take.

Fermenting was used to preserve food before we had access to refrigerators. During fermentation, natural bacteria feed on the sugars and starches in the food, which creates lactic acid. Lactic acid preserves the food, makes it more digestible. It increases beneficial enzymes, nutrients, and good bacteria (probiotics). 

Processed foods are so convenient; they tend to fill our pantries. Our society has stopped eating as much traditional fermented food. This means we need to be intentional about getting enough probiotics in our diet. 

Let's look at why it matters and how to consume more natural probiotics.

 

Why Fermented Foods?

Probiotics provide your digestive system with bacteria known to benefit your immune system, help digestion, balance hormones, and even slow or eliminate disease. It keeps the bad bacteria in check and keeps your body in balance

Digestion and absorption benefit from probiotics.  The process of fermentation naturally begins breaking down food, making it easier to digest. Fermented food also provides bacteria and digestive enzymes that help your body absorb all the good nutrients in the real food that you eat.

By making your fermented foods, you ensure the quality and save money.  Finding a good brand of fermented foods that doesn't contain unwanted ingredients can be difficult. Higher-quality products can be expensive. It is more budget-friendly to make your fermented foods from a few simple ingredients. You can get the health benefits of probiotics without purchasing expensive probiotic supplements, and you might actually save money on future medical expenses.

 

What to make?

Fermenting most fruits and vegetables is relatively easy. You just...

• Cut them 
• Mix them with salt and spices
• Pound them to release their juices
• Store them in an air-tight container. 
• Give them time to ferment

You can find hundreds of recipes by searching "lactofermented" with the name of the food you would like to ferment. 

 

Traditional Sauerkraut

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cabbage
• 2 tbsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Core and shred cabbage.
2. In a large bowl, mix the cabbage with salt.
3. Pound with a meat hammer or use your hands to massage juices from the cabbage.  This can take 10-20 minutes, so be patient.
4. Place cabbage and the juice into a wide-mouth mason jar. Make sure the juices cover the cabbage. Leave at least one inch of headspace at the top of the jar.
5. Cover tightly and store on the counter for three days, then move to the refrigerator.
6. Enjoy!

 

Homemade Crockpot Yogurt

Ingredients:

• ½ gallon of whole-fat organic milk
• ½ cup of PLAIN yogurt (Read the ingredients to see the cultures listed, and make sure the only other ingredient in it is milk.) 
  Note: Typically, flavored yogurt does not have these cultures; this is true even for vanilla. Learn more about yogurt here.

Directions:

1. Pour ½ gallon of milk into a crockpot and cook on LOW.
2. After 2.5 hours, turn the crockpot off and let it sit for 3 hours without removing the lid.
3. Once the additional 3 hours have passed, quickly remove the lid and stir in ½ cup of plain yogurt into the warm milk.
4. Set the lid back on and wrap the crockpot in two large bath towels.
5. Let it sit on the counter for around 12 hours, or overnight.
6. Store yogurt in glass quart-size mason jars. The yogurt will continue to thicken to the desired texture after being refrigerated for 4-6 hours.
7. Add your favorite fresh fruits and nuts.
8. Enjoy!

*Don't forget to reserve 1/2 cup to start your next batch.

 

Do you ferment other foods? I would love some new recipes, so please share them with me at your next appointment.

Dr. Jamie

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