Why Eat Fermented Foods?

Fermented foods made my life so much better.

Tall order, I know. But it's true. 

To be honest though, fermenting seemed really weird when I was first getting into it.

It was outside of the norm. It smelled and looked a little funny. It was totally outside of what I knew.

But I’m glad I stayed on the road and kept learning more. Because fermented foods helped me feel better than I had in years  decades. 

Let’s take 2 steps back for a quick second. though...

What is fermenting? 

Fermenting is an ancient practice that has been used for thousands of years to preserve food as well as make it more nutritious and tasty. There’s evidence that fermentation was used 10,000 years ago! Ancient people fermented a huge range of foods. 

Due to modern refrigeration, that has gone by the wayside...especially in America. 

Now, we know that there is a link between a modern diet and anxiety and depression. There are lots of reasons for this but some big ones are blood sugar, inflammation and oxidative stress.

Why? The science gets complicated but a major reason is that oxidative stress and inflammation overwhelm the body and can start a vicious cycle that triggers even more inflammation and oxidative stress. Sugar fuels the fire.

The good news is that fermented foods help. A lot.

Fermented foods help build up beneficial bacteria in the gut which can help our bodies reduce inflammation, manage blood sugar and better handle oxidative stress. (win-win-win!)

In fact, there is research that microbes found in fermented foods, impact mental health. Studies in both people and animals show that consuming probiotics can reduce anxiety, depression, anger and decrease cortisol levels.

Additionally, fermentation also makes food more bioavailable to us, meaning that we get more of the good stuff from it!  Among other things, it helps make B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc (all important for brain health) more bio-available. 

Another important thing to know: 

Something like 80% of the body’s serotonin is made in the gut. Yup. Crazy!

So it's no wonder that eating fermented foods help us feel better.


Where To Find Fermented Foods Commercially:
Now there are MANY sources of fermented foods. The ones most easily available commercially are:

 1. Yogurt. Look for plain varieties. If you don't like the taste of plain yogurt, try adding your own jam, berries or a small amount of honey. I  use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream on tacos etc. 

2. Kefir. This is a fermented milk drink.  It is delicious to drink plain or in smoothies.

3. Kimchi or sauerkraut. The kind from the deli/produce section. 

3. Kombucha. This is a fermented tea. Again, you can find it in the produce section. 

For me, the fermented food which made the biggest impact on me was kombucha. I started drinking it because it was easy and refreshing. If I start feeling lousy, I make it a point to drink some and it really does help me. 

Making Fermented Foods:

For most fermented foods all you need is food+salt+time. Easy peasy. Which is amazing! 

So far I've only tried making a few ferments.  I’ve made lots of pickles. These have a depth of flavor like you wouldn’t believe. They are so good. And easy. Here's my easy fermented pickle recipe. 

Sauerkraut is another easy one. All you need is salt, cabbage and time. Here's my sauerkraut recipe.

I’ve made kombucha quite a few times which is easy (and inexpensive) too.

I ferment my chickens' food too and they really like it. It makes the feed last A LOT longer as well. 

I want to try different ferments. I’ve heard fermented marinara sauce is amazing! I'm going to give it a try this summer.

I'd encourage everyone to give fermented foods a try (or another try!) Start slow!  For tips about getting started with fermented foods, start here: 

I know that the more fermented foods I eat, the better I feel. So cheers to that.

What is your experience with fermented foods? I'm SO interested to learn more and would love any resources, recipes, or recommendations you might have!