Healthy Habit Challenge #5: Eat Fermented Foods (Essential!)
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! 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 sipped (chugged?) 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 recipe here) and saves you lots of money.
Note: I'm a fan of eating gluten-free, so be sure to stick with fermented veggies and drinks (like kombucha and kefir) for optimal health.
Your challenge: add at least 1-2 forkfuls of fermented veggies to your diet each day for one week and see how you feel! You may be shocked by the results. If you'd like to try a drink, go for kombucha or kefit, but we sure it's low in sugar!
Thought of the day: "“The road to health is paved with good intestines!” –Sherry A. Rogers