Hippocrates once said, “all disease begins within the gut”. Whether you are experiencing allergies, digestive issues, or needing more energy, spending some time supporting your digestive system can be a great place to start. Our gut is a delicate ecosystem that can be impacted by a number of factors (i.e. stress, toxins, drugs, and food particles). How we support our healthy gut flora for optimal digestive functioning is something we are starting to see more exploratory research around. However, we still have a lot more to learn about all the microbes that help us break down and digest our food.
One category of foods that is being explored to support the digestive system is one that our ancestors used for years, Fermented foods. Fermented foods were once how we preserved and stored food over the winter months before refrigeration came along. Fermented foods are thought to provide cultured bacteria to our digestive tract which can keep your microbiome in tip top condition.
Fermented foods include things like kefir, tempeh, miso, kimchi, kombucha, yogurt, and of course sauerkraut. Incorporating fermented foods into the diet can be as simple as adding a little miso into your soup, using sauerkraut and kimchi as a condiment, adding kefir into your smoothies or enjoying a good quality pasture-fed, organic yogurt for a snack. If you are interested in learning more about fermented foods and their potential benefits, check out these research articles: 1, 2, 3.
Making sauerkraut is very easy, give this method a try and enjoy a cost-effective and tasty fermented condiment anytime.
