Hawkins Holistic

You could get your daily serving of probiotics from this sandwich!

Does the term “fermented foods” leave you scratching your head?

Thanks to the growing popularity of the macrobiotic diet and seeing kombucha drinks lining grocery store shelves, you might have heard of fermented foods. I’m glad these foods are getting attention, but I believe there is a lot of unmet curiosity from the consumer side. People know fermented foods are good for them, but do they know why? I didn’t, and as a holistic nutritionist, I had a burning desire to understand.

What does it mean to be “fermented”? 

The cultivation of a fermented food/beverage is really more of an art than a science. A fermented food/beverage is one that has undergone fermentation, a careful & lengthy process in which food is exposed to bacteria (such as lactic acid) and yeasts, either via inoculation or naturally through the air. Beneficial microorganisms beat out the damaging ones, and eat up the carbohydrates in the food. The results are interesting flavors, textures, smells, and of course, that nutritional punch!

How can consuming fermented foods help me?

They are PACKED with probiotics – that good bacteria that lives in your gut. Yes, you can take probiotics as a supplement, and there are many wonderful ones on the market, but if I can get a hefty dose of naturally occurring beneficial bacteria from food, I’m all for it.

Fermented foods, while good for everyone, are of particular benefit to those who:

• have a low immune system: frequent colds/flu, chronic fatigue, slow healing wounds, yeast/candida, recurrent illness
• have taken antibiotics, long-term or short-term
• experience depression, mood disorders, and/or difficulty regulating emotions
• suffer from digestive distress such as indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, IBS
• are undergoing a detox: fermented foods are excellent chelators, meaning their bacteria binds to free-floating toxins and heavy metals, excreting them through the proper channels of elimination (rather than circulating throughout the body)
• have difficulty swallowing pills (making probiotic supplementation a non-starter)

What are the best sources of fermented food/beverage?

The top nutrition-wise sources are:

• tempeh
• kimchi
• kombucha beverage (be mindful of the sugar content)
• sauerkraut
• miso
• kefir
• apple cider vinegar (with the mother)

At less than 2 grams of sugar per serving, GT’s Synergy Trilogy kombucha beverage is a top pick.

If you prefer to take your probiotics in supplement form but still want the benefits of fermentation, try Dr. Ohhira’s award-winning probiotic supplement. This potent probiotic is made from 92 fruits, vegetables, mushrooms & seaweed that are fermented over a 3 year process. Bonus: it’s shelf-stable (no need for refrigeration!). Learn more about Dr. Ohhira’s probiotic here.

These are the base facts about fermented foods. My interest in the subject is on-going, and I’ve made the decision to include fermented foods in my day-to-day diet.

For more info about the macrobiotic diet, go to the Kushi Institute website http://www.kushiinstitute.org.

Naturally yours!

Sarah Hawkins, R.H.N.