Why ferment – what’s all the fuss?

We run our bodies a little bit like we run our cars. But instead of gasoline our fuel is food. Fermentation provides a rich source of probiotics that helps keep our engines running cleanly, but they need to work in conjunction with quality food to really keep that motor humming. The food is the fuel and the probiotic is the engine oil. And as always it’s all about quality, not quantity.

Humans have been eating fermented foods pretty much since the dawn of time. It’s an ancient practice that exists in almost all cultures. Our ancestors didn’t know anything about biology, they just knew what made them feel good and what provided them with the energy to get on with survival. In short, they knew about quality. So, why ferment?

Fermented food is pre-digested. Before you get your gross face on, listen to this. We use around 10% of our daily energy digesting food which gives us 100% of the energy we need to live. It’s probably one of the most important tasks we are doing daily and we don’t even realize it. Our guts are processing, breaking down and absorbing all the good stuff from the things we eat so that we can continue living. If we don’t put in quality fuel, our bodies have to work extra hard to process the bad to get to the good. That’s where fermentation really kicks in. Because it’s pre-digested by good bacteria, the body doesn’t have to work so hard to get to the nutrients and, as the healthy icing on the cake, fermentation also packs in super powerful digestive enzymes keeping our bellies happy and strong.

 

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Written for The Goodness Magazine by Amanda Jane Harvey, Australian nutritionist and master trainer author of Simply Nourished – A Simple Guide to Traditional Eating.

Enjoy reading the rest of this article – why fermented foods are good for you and an amazingly easy sauerkraut recipe you’ll love in the
August 2014 Issue of Healthy Mama Magazine (The Goodness Magazine).

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