Fermented Foods
Are you running out of ideas of what to do with all that fresh garden produce other than freezing or canning? Have you ever considered fermenting some of those fresh veggies? It is another great way to preserve that bountiful harvest through the winter. Digestive health is slowly becoming the number one health problem in the nation. It is the chief concern most often seen in my clinic. When the use of medical interventions fails, people turn to alternative solutions. Unfortunately, I don’t usually see people until their digestive health has been severely compromised and disordered eating has become a way of coping. Herbal medicine offers a way to improve your digestive health over time. I always remind clients that it has taken years of neglect to reach a state of compromised digestive function, so it is going to take some time to repair the damage that has been done. Fermented foods offer far more than preservation – they meaningfully support digestive resilience, metabolic balance, nutrient absorption and even healthy aging. The latest research regarding fermentation and its medicinal benefits points out these 6 key factors towards benefiting health and possible longevity.
Nutrient Availability
Did you know that fermentation enhances the availability of nutrients, making them more easily digestible, therefore more easily absorbed by the body. This includes the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simpler compounds, proteins into amino acids and fats into beneficial fatty acids. Many adults experience a natural decline in digestive enzyme production with age, which can contribute to bloating, gas and reduced nutrient absorption. Properly nourishing our bodies, especially as we age, becomes so important and fermented foods should be considered to maintain optimal digestion. There is always an exception to the rule. If you struggle with excess histamine, then fermentation would not be for you. In that case, you would want to strictly adhere to a FODMAP (fermentable, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols) diet.
Bioactive Compounds
Fermented foods are loaded with beneficial bacteria that contribute to the microbiome of the digestive system. Fermentation produces lactic acid, which supports gut function, amino acids that enhance protein absorption, and plant-based bioactive compounds. These compounds contribute to the overall health benefits of fermented foods. Our current SAD (Standard American/Canadian Diet) is almost void of fermented foods. Fermented foods should be consumed daily and if possible, a little with each meal. But if you are new to fermented foods, I would suggest starting slowly and increasing overtime as your digestion improves. Introducing beneficial bacteria such as lactobacillus, bifidobacterium, bacteroides, faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and akkermansia muciniphila, just to name a few, goes a long way to improve gut health. Truth is that our bodies are made up of more bacteria than human cells and keeping them happy and in balance is important. When you feed your digestive system with beneficial bacteria it improves the ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria, improving the symbiotic relationship within the digestive system and eliminates the possibility of a candida overgrowth.
Anti-Aging Potential
Fermented foods have been shown to have anti-aging potential through mechanisms like scavenging reactive oxygen species (free radicals), mitigating oxidative stress (imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body leading to cell damage) and regulating critical signal transduction networks (internal cellular system that signals chemical and physical responses in the body). These foods also modulate gut microbiota, regulate the immune system and enhance antioxidant defense systems. By reducing free radicals, inflammation and improving cellular response within the body, you reduce the potential for disease states to take hold in the body. These are important factors in maintaining a long and healthy life.
Gut Health
Fermented foods have been shown to maintain the integrity of intestinal cells and support the gut’s natural defense mechanisms. This is particularly evident in studies comparing sauerkraut with raw cabbage and salt solution. Preparing your own homemade sauerkraut is far more beneficial for your gut health than processed versions. If the sauerkraut you are buying does not say “raw” on the label and contains other ingredients besides cabbage, salt and water in the ingredients list, then you probably should just put it back on the shelf and either make your own or look for another source of “raw” sauerkraut. If sauerkraut isn’t your thing, don’t fret, you can ferment many different varieties of vegetables, including herbs and spices to meet your desired taste. Each ferment contains its own unique variety of beneficial bacteria. Kefir is the king of ferments when it comes to fermentation as it has been shown to include over 100 different strains of bacteria in a single ferment.
Vitamins and Minerals
Fermented foods are rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals which are more bioavailable and easier to absorb than their fresh or synthetic supplemented counterparts. An example of some of the vitamins and minerals found in fermented foods are Vitamin K2, B-Complex of vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, zinc and folate (which is a B vitamin). Not all fermented foods will contain the entire list of vitamins and minerals as stated. If you eat a diversity of fermented foods, you can rest assured that you’re obtaining many of these vitamins and minerals within your diet.
Metabolic Health
Metabolism is how your body turns food and drink into energy to keep you alive and functioning. It’s the chemical processes happening in your body’s cells every single second of the day.
Fermentation derived from bioactive compounds plays a central role in modulating key age related pathways and potentially extending lifespan. The microbiome becomes less diverse and less resilient as you age, impacting your metabolism. Regular consumption of fermented foods can help maintain gut microbiome diversity, which is essential for overall health and longevity.
When looking towards probiotics to improve gut health and health in general, you should also consider the value of adding prebiotics and postbiotics to your daily regimen. Prebiotics are the foods that feed the probiotics in your digestive system. They are the non-digestible food components like inulin, FOS (fructooligosaccharides) and GOS (galactooligosaccharides). These prebiotics reach your colon intact and feed the beneficial microbes within the colon. Examples of such foods are; chicory, burdock root, onions, garlic, mushrooms, green bananas, apples, nectarines, watermelon, etc. Remember, diversity is the key to health improvement.
Postbiotics are the bioactive compounds the probiotic bacteria produce when they consume prebiotic fiber in your diet. Although these bioactive compounds are considered the waste products of probiotic bacteria, they too offer various health benefits. Postbiotics may support gut barrier integrity, immune modulation, metabolic regulation and brain-gut signaling. A blend of prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics are being explored as key components to regaining health and improving digestive integrity.
In summary, fermented foods are not only a way of preservation but are important to our gut health and health in general. If you haven’t tried fermented foods, I suggest you give it a try. All you need to begin the process is a jar with either a clamp down seal, silicon fermentation lid or fermentation air lock and a glass weight. My personal favorite is the clamp down lid with a glass weight, but you do have to remember to “burp” it everyday this way. You will be able to find some fermentation recipes with instructions under the recipes section of my blog. Good luck and I hope I have inspired you to give it a try. Let the fermentation fun begin.
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Lorie Schell
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