I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Good health starts in the gut. Keeping your internal ecosystem healthy and balanced is essential for a strong immune system and vital living. Eating fermented foods is one of the easiest and most economical ways to improve your gut flora. Humans have been fermenting foods for ages. And you may be surprised how easy it is to do at home…..
The gut is the principal area of your body where exchanges are made between you and the outside world and where nutrient uptake takes place. Since most diseases start in the gut, the quality of the flora that resides there is extremely important to overall health. Think about this: the human gastro-intestinal tract houses the bulk of the human immune system, about 70% of it. Everything we eat and drink passes through the gut along the gastrointestinal tract.
The tubelike GI tract is embedded with millions of bacteria that live, grow, and metabolize (digesting and absorbing) in what’s considered a complex ecosystem comprised of both beneficial and harmful bacteria. Imbalances within this ecosystem will impair the gut barrier and increase risk of developing disease. With our stressful lifestyles, environmental toxins, and food lacking in real nutrition, our gut lining is unable to completely regenerate and heal itself as the old lining naturally sheds off. This leaves tiny gaps in the lining, allowing proteins and other “foreign” particles to seep into our bodies (leaky gut), creating a host of ailments and diseases, including :
Compromised immune system, food allergies/intolerances, gas/bloating, thyroid problems, diarrhea/constipation (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), migraines, weight gain/loss, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, auto-immune issues, depression, mood swings, anxiety, schizophrenia, autism, poor memory, difficulty concentrating….. the list is extensive.
Read more HERE about why fermented foods are good for you.
Like I said earlier, fermenting your own foods is easy. I’ve compiled a list of fermented food recipes to help you and your family find new ways to add fermented foods into your diet. I’d love to hear if you try them. And I’d love to hear if you have a favorite fermented food recipe. Enjoy…..
Easy Pickles from Savory Lotus
Fermented Salsa from Cheeseslave
Top 17 Kombucha Recipes from Living The Nourished Life
Easy Ginger Carrot Sauerkraut from Savory Lotus
Homemade Lacto-Fermented Ketchup from Homemade Mommy
Homemade Lacto-Fermented Mayonnaise from Homemade Mommy
Lacto-Fermented Apple Sauce from The Coconut Mama
Fermented Ginger Carrots from Savory Lotus
Beet Kvass from The Coconut Mama
Lacto-Fermented Summer Squash and Zucchini Pickles from FearlessEating
Lacto-Fermented Dill Pickles from Cheeseslave
Fermented Orange Juice from Oh Lardy!
Probiotic Dairy Free “Cheesecake” from Savory Lotus
Lacto-Fermented Berries from Oh Lardy!
Coconut Yogurt (dairy free) from Gutsy by Nature
Click HERE to PIN THIS!
To learn more about fermented foods, I highly recommend Sally Fallon’s book, Nourishing Traditions
Be sure to check out my 9 Tips for Successful Fermentation.
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This is perfect – just what I needed! My biggest problem so far is that I haven’t liked the fermented foods I’ve eaten. I just need to keep trying them until we find one we will all eat. We shared this with our readers at homesteadlady.com.
OMG my mouth is watering! Thanks for this awesome compilation. I have never made my own fermented foods before, and this is a great inspiration. I will definitely be trying many of these!
It’s really easy once you get started. Let me know if you try some of these and how it goes. 🙂
Hi Katja,
Thanks so much for including my fermented purple cabbage and orange sauerkraut in your recipe lineup! I really appreciate it. Have a wonderful week!
No problem! Great recipe…. 🙂
Great recipe. The last two times I tried fenrmntieg beets I used recipes that shredded the beats. both resulted in a thick, sugary sludge after a couple of days. Shredded beets are probably great when fermented with other veggies, but not when fermented alone. Anyone have success with shredded beets? This time I used your recipe of 1/2 inch cubes. I had 3 layers in a 1/2 gallon crock of red and gold beets alternating, looked pretty as it sat to ferment. I did a ferment of basic sauerkraut after the beets, and used a few pieces of outer cabbage leaves to hold the beats down. I placed a 1 quart pyrex glass storage jar on top as a weight to assist in mold prevention. Placed on top of the jar a cloth to keep air particles and bugs out. (Has anyone ever have bugs turn up in their ferment? I haven’t, but better safe than sorry) Sat for 3 days, turned out wonderfully. They are delicious by themselves, and also great paired with soft goat cheese on a salad like I had for lunch. Looking forward to checking out the rest of your website. Keep the recipes coming!!
I love fermented beets. I have also had better luck with bigger pieces versus shredded. I have read that the sugars ferment too quickly if the beets are broken down too much, creating more of an alcoholly flavor. Aren’t fermented foods awesome?!
Fermentation methodology . Plz give me samples as many as possible.