The Benefits of Fermented Foods
Trillions of bacteria live in your digestive tract, your gut microbiome.
Generally, the colony of bacteria that live inside you are beneficial to you. They support you by helping reducing pathogens, improve digestion, support your immune system, and reduce inflammation.
However, like a garden, the colony of bacteria in your gut microbiome needs attention and care so it operates optimally and supports your health.
What you eat, the activities you do, if you’ve take antibiotics recently, and the quality of your sleep can affect which kinds of bacteria and how many bacteria live in your gut microbiome.
One way you can help your body cultivate more of the beneficial bacteria is to add fermented foods to your diet. Fermented vegetables contain a variety of beneficial probiotics. Essentially, a vegetable combined with some salt and given enough time will ferment. Popular vegetables for fermenting include cabbage, beets, carrots, green beans, cauliflower, and radishes. There’s plenty of recipes and instructions online that teach you how to safely ferment vegetables.
And, you’re likely already familiar with some fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, miso, and tempeh.
What fermented foods can you add to your diet to support your gut microbiome and overall health?
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