Why Fermented Food Is All the Rage

I've read a lot about fermented foods, and the incredible health benefits it delivers to us, but to be honest, I've only recently started adding it into my daily regime. I kept thinking that it would be too much work to make it, or that I couldn't possibly like eating pickled veggies every day. But the truth is, I'm loving them-especially my daily dose of sauerkraut!

Many of you know that I struggled with my digestion for more than 20 years and was able to restore it to good health, but I still have my bad days (or weeks) when I need to up my game in order to restore balance. I'm happy to report that since adding fermented foods to my daily diet, I haven't had any issues with digestion at all. I find I'm actually starting to crave pickled asparagus!

Don't let the word fermentation freak you out--if you have eaten yogurt, had sourdough bread, or quaffed a beer, you've had fermented foods before. Fermentation is a natural process that's actually very good for you. Generations ago, everyone ate fermented foods every day, and their probiotic bacteria are greatly missing from today's American diet.

Why is that? Simply put, if your gut is unhealthy, then you are unhealthy. The gut is home to trillions of organisms, both good and bad. Fermented foods replenish beneficial bacteria that have been compromised by such things as poor diet and antibiotics. Studies show that probiotics fare better in the stomach when they are consumed in the form of a fermented food or drink (vs. taking a supplement).

The list of fermented food in our lives is staggering: bread, coffee, pickles, beer, cheese, yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and soy sauce are all transformed at some point during their production process. The good news is that it's becoming easier to find fermented foods already prepared for you, so if you don't feel like fermenting food yourself, you can easily find it in a grocery store. I always search for 'raw' sauerkraut because it hasn't been heated and retains all of it's essential enzymes and nutrients, but if it's really simple to make your own (see below) and saves you lots of money.

 

Fermented Sauerkraut Unlike the cooked sauerkraut you get at the grocery store, which is soft and mushy, raw fermented sauerkraut has a crunchy bite that tastes delicious and is filled with probiotics, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and digestive enzymes that work to break down your food, supporting the absorption of vitamins and minerals.-Robyn JaskoIngredients: 1 head organic cabbage 1 Tablespoon kosher salt 1 Tablespoon caraway seeds (optional) Crock setup: 1 ½-gallon mason jar 1 pint mason jar that fits inside the larger mason jar Lid for larger mason jar Directions: 1. Wash cabbage, remove and save outer leaves. 2. Cut cabbage in half, core it, and slice it thin (or, you can also throw it into a food processor and cut using the S-blade) 3. Put the sliced cabbage in a bowl and add the salt and the caraway seeds if using. 4. Crunch up the shredded cabbage with your hands until it releases the natural juices of the cabbage. This will take 5 to 10 minutes. 5. Add the cabbage to the large sterilized mason jar and push it down with a spoon. Keep pushing until the liquid covers the cabbage completely. You don't want air to hit the kraut. 6. Add a large cabbage leaf to the top to seal it. 7. Put the smaller mason jar inside the large jar and push it down on top of the cabbage leaf so the entire thing is submerged in brine. If you don't have enough brine, it's OK to add a little water. In order for the kraut to ferment properly, it must be submerged under water the entire time. 8. Put lid on and let this sit on your countertop, out of direct sunlight. Sauerkraut will need between 2 and 6 weeks to fully ferment, depending on the temperature in your house (the warmer it is, the sooner it will ferment--65 to 72 degrees is ideal). Once the kraut develops that signature crunchy/salty/tangy flavor, you can then store it in the fridge for up to 6 months.