Why should you make fermented foods a part of your daily diet?
What is it?
Fermentation is the conversion of carbohydrates into alcohol and carbon dioxide(CO2) or organic acids using yeasts, bacteria etc. without the use of oxygen (anaerobically). Wow, carbs and sugars into alcohol sounds really beneficial for the slow carb diet followers but there is more to that. Fermentation is used to make wine, beer, kimchi, pickles, sauerkraut, yogurt and more.
Benefits of fermented foods?
- Preservation – it is a natural way of preserving foods and increasing substantially the shelf life of some foods.
- Fermentation is an all natural process provided no artificial ingredients are used.
- Tasty and inexpensive – I love the taste of almost all fermented foods (even sauerkraut:) ). Moreover, it is easy to ferment foods inexpensively.
- Fermentation eliminates toxins from the food.
- Improves digestion as the food is easier to digest and assimilate due to the fermentation process.
- Friendly probiotics and bacteria in fermented foods that balance the bacteria in the intestines.
- Many studies have shown that fermented soy, helps in preventing and reducing the effects of many diseases including cancer and heart ailments. The macrobiotic diet is a big proponent of miso, made from fermenting soy beans, has many benefits including lowering high blood pressure.
Time for a serving of sauerkraut!
– Gary Saggu