Nourish
Why You Should be Eating Fermented Foods—And Easy Tips to Start
Walk into any grocery store and you’ll see one of the biggest dietary trends on display: fermented foods. From kombucha and kefir to kimchi and sauerkraut, fermented foods are having a well-deserved moment thanks to their impressive health benefits. But what exactly are fermented foods, and which ones should we be eating? Let’s break it down.
What’s so special about fermented foods?
“Fermented foods are good for us because they provide good living bacteria for our gut,” says Dr. Frank Lipman, founder and director of Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City. (You likely know these beneficial bacteria by the name “probiotics”.) Traditionally, fermentation was used as a food preservation method: The bacteria or yeast in foods like yogurt and sauerkraut feed on the natural sugars, which creates lactic acid and helps make the food safe to eat. But there’s an added bonus: “Those bacteria are essential for our health, to help digest our food, absorb nutrients, make vitamins and hormones, and to keep out the bad bacteria,” Dr. Lipman says.
What should I look for when buying fermented foods?
One downside to the many commercially available fermented foods is pasteurization—which, by definition, kills bacteria. Dr. Lipman recommends looking for refrigerated raw sauerkraut or kimchi at your market to ensure that it contains the beneficial bacteria. You don’t need to worry too much about the salt content—the salt helps to preserve the food safely—but do watch the added sugars, particularly when choosing kombucha.
And while yogurt is widely advertised to be a good source of probiotics, many commercial varieties are pasteurized and homogenized, so they may not contain much beneficial bacteria. “Raw milk yogurt and kefir are better, as long as you aren’t sensitive to dairy,” Dr. Lipman says.
Can I make my own fermented foods?
Absolutely! In fact, fermented foods made at home are often better for you since they have all the good bacteria that gets killed in store-bought fermented products. This fermented carrots recipe is a great place to start.
How often should I eat fermented foods?
Dr. Lipman recommends eating fermented foods at least once a day since they are also one of the best ways to boost your immunity. “Seventy percent of your immune system is in your gut,” he explains, “so if there’s damage to the gut wall, toxins can leak through and trigger the immune system to react.” Some symptoms of this “leaky gut” include gassiness, bloating, constipation, and/or loose stools. “Fermented foods are one of the only ways that you can get these good bacteria from foods that you eat,” he says.
Are there other ways to get the benefits of fermented foods?
If you want to add a daily dose of beneficial bacteria to your diet but aren’t sure you can get it from food, Dr. Lipman suggests taking a probiotic supplement with at least 20 billion bacteria per serving (like his Probiotic Powder).
It may take some trial and error to find the fermented foods that you enjoy most—and to grow accustomed to their somewhat funky flavor. But since eating them can boost our digestive and immune systems, we’re totally up for the challenge.
Interested in learning more about creating a healthy microbiome? Barre3 Online Plus members can access Sadie’s webinar with renowned gastroenterologist Robynne Chutkah and download our 7-Day Microbiome Reset. Not a member yet? Join here to access more than 300 online workouts ranging from 10 to 60 minutes, plus our targeted programs, upcoming webinars, and so much more.
Walk into any grocery store and you’ll see one of the biggest dietary trends on display: fermented foods. From kombucha and kefir to kimchi and sauerkraut, fermented foods are having a well-deserved moment thanks to their impressive health benefits. But what exactly are fermented foods, and which ones should we be eating? Let’s break it down.
What’s so special about fermented foods?
“Fermented foods are good for us because they provide good living bacteria for our gut,” says Dr. Frank Lipman, founder and director of Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City. (You likely know these beneficial bacteria by the name “probiotics”.) Traditionally, fermentation was used as a food preservation method: The bacteria or yeast in foods like yogurt and sauerkraut feed on the natural sugars, which creates lactic acid and helps make the food safe to eat. But there’s an added bonus: “Those bacteria are essential for our health, to help digest our food, absorb nutrients, make vitamins and hormones, and to keep out the bad bacteria,” Dr. Lipman says.
What should I look for when buying fermented foods?
One downside to the many commercially available fermented foods is pasteurization—which, by definition, kills bacteria. Dr. Lipman recommends looking for refrigerated raw sauerkraut or kimchi at your market to ensure that it contains the beneficial bacteria. You don’t need to worry too much about the salt content—the salt helps to preserve the food safely—but do watch the added sugars, particularly when choosing kombucha.
And while yogurt is widely advertised to be a good source of probiotics, many commercial varieties are pasteurized and homogenized, so they may not contain much beneficial bacteria. “Raw milk yogurt and kefir are better, as long as you aren’t sensitive to dairy,” Dr. Lipman says.
Can I make my own fermented foods?
Absolutely! In fact, fermented foods made at home are often better for you since they have all the good bacteria that gets killed in store-bought fermented products. This fermented carrots recipe is a great place to start.
How often should I eat fermented foods?
Dr. Lipman recommends eating fermented foods at least once a day since they are also one of the best ways to boost your immunity. “Seventy percent of your immune system is in your gut,” he explains, “so if there’s damage to the gut wall, toxins can leak through and trigger the immune system to react.” Some symptoms of this “leaky gut” include gassiness, bloating, constipation, and/or loose stools. “Fermented foods are one of the only ways that you can get these good bacteria from foods that you eat,” he says.
Are there other ways to get the benefits of fermented foods?
If you want to add a daily dose of beneficial bacteria to your diet but aren’t sure you can get it from food, Dr. Lipman suggests taking a probiotic supplement with at least 20 billion bacteria per serving (like his Probiotic Powder).
It may take some trial and error to find the fermented foods that you enjoy most—and to grow accustomed to their somewhat funky flavor. But since eating them can boost our digestive and immune systems, we’re totally up for the challenge.
Interested in learning more about creating a healthy microbiome? Barre3 Online Plus members can access Sadie’s webinar with renowned gastroenterologist Robynne Chutkah and download our 7-Day Microbiome Reset. Not a member yet? Join here to access more than 300 online workouts ranging from 10 to 60 minutes, plus our targeted programs, upcoming webinars, and so much more.
