Fermented foods have been around for thousands of years. They contain beneficial bacteria that can help to keep our gut microbiome balanced. It was through the use of fermented foods that our love affair with probiotic supplements has arisen. Back in 1907, Russian scientist, Metchnikoff, noted the health benefits of fermented milk. He said that the lactic acid bacteria in the milk prevented ‘intestinal putrefaction’. He identified the strain lactobacillus bulgaricus which is used in yogurts today.
What are fermented foods good for?
We have since been able to identify many other beneficial probiotic strains in fermented foods. These strains have been used to help allergic symptoms, diarrhoea, inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. We are also learning that a healthy gut flora and good digestion is crucial for the health of other body systems. Gut flora are able to influence mood, cognition, inflammatory conditions like eczema and auto-immune issues like rheumatoid arthritis too.
Ways to use fermented food therapeutically.
Sauerkraut:
Fermented sauerkraut contains mostly lactic acid species of bacteria. One of the key bacteria in sauerkraut is lactobacillus plantarum. This probiotic bacteria is useful for reducing permeability of the gut lining ie it helps reduce ‘leaky gut’ and it plays an important role in reducing inflammation. This is why it has been used to good effect in cases of Crohn’s disease and other inflammatory bowel disorders.
Sauerkraut is a key therapeutic food in the Gut and Psychology Syndrome Protocol (GAPS) which has been used to help people with mental health and cognitive issues. We now know that tending to our digestive health and gut flora has far reaching effects on the health of the rest of our body.
In my clinical practice, I find that sauerkraut juice can help raise stomach acid levels, aiding digestion as well as supporting the microbiome. Due to it’s high vitamin U content it is useful for repairing damage to the stomach lining that may have been caused by pre-existing ulcers or similar pathology.
Kombucha:
Kombucha starts life as a scoby, with care and attention, over time it becomes a powerful therapeutic tool for gut health. Kombucha contains a type of yeast called saccharomyces boulardii. This yeast helps to raise secretory IgA in the gut, in doing this it helps to crowd out pathogens and other less beneficial yeasts like candida. For this reason kombucha is a powerful anti-candida tool.
Beet Kvass:
Beet kvass can be a good therapeutic tool for constipation. The beetroot juice encourages bile to floe and the bacteria help to restore gut flora balance. Lack of bile is a common issue in constipation, especially if a low fat diet has been followed in the past.
Fermented foods should be a regular feature in our diets. The billions of species of bacteria in them make them a real superfood. If you are new to them you may want to start with a little and work your way up to larger amounts.
