• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Savory Lotus

simple clean eats + healthy treats

  • About
  • Recipes
  • Healthy Living
  • Resources
  • Safe Skincare
    • BEAUTYCOUNTER
    • PRIMALLY PURE
  • MEAL PLANS

By Katja Heino 2 Comments
Savory Lotus may receive commissions from purchases made through links in this post.

Fermented Foods 101

fermented foods, fermentation, sauerkraut

Curious about fermented foods and how they can help keep your gut healthy?  Here’s some fermentation basics to get you started. 

Welcome to Part 1 of my fermentation series! (See Part 2 HERE.)  Today’s post will go over some fermentation basics to help you get familiar with the process.  Be sure to also  check out 85 Ways to Eat More Fermented Foods. 

If you are serious about getting started with making fermented foods, I highly recommend reading Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz.  It’s the first book on fermentation that I read, and I still refer to it to this day.

WHAT IS FERMENTATION?

When we are talking about fermented foods, we are talking about lacto-fermentation, meaning that the starches and sugars in vegetables and fruits are converted into lactic acid by the many species of lactic-acid-producing bacteria present on the surface of all living things. The “lacto” portion of the term refers to a specific species of bacteria, namely Lactobacillus.

Lactic acid is a natural preservative that inhibits putrefying bacteria.   All you have to do is to add SALT.  Bacteria that could be harmful to us can’t tolerate much salt, but there are healthy bacteria that can.  Lacto-fermentation wipes out the bad guys , then lets the good guys get to work . The product is a living food, full of enzymes and probiotics.

Creating an anaerobic environment (free of oxygen) is crucial for proper fermentation as the lactic-acid bacteria thrive in a no-oxygen environment.  Oxygen actually neutralizes them.

TYPES OF FERMENTED FOODS

The diets of every traditional society have included some kind of lacto-fermented food. Some common fermented foods you may have heard of include sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented cheeses, yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and pickles. It is also possible to ferment root vegetables, grape leaves, and some herbs.

Be aware that most commercial pickles and relishes that you find in the supermarket use vinegar, which offers more predictable results, but no lactic acid.  This does not have the health benefits of traditionally fermented foods.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF FERMENTED FOODS

1. Fermented foods improve digestion:

Fermenting our foods before we eat them is like partially digesting them before we consume them. Sometimes people who cannot tolerate milk can eat yogurt. That’s because the lactose (which is usually the part people can’t tolerate) in milk is broken down as the milk is fermented and turns into yogurt.

Raw, fermented foods are also rich in enzymes. Your body needs enzymes to properly digest, absorb, and make full use of your food.

2. Fermented foods restore the proper balance of bacteria in the gut:

Remember that almost 80% of your immune system originates in the gut. Eating fermented foods adds good bacteria to your gut and supports the proper balance of good bacteria.  Lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, constipation, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, yeast infections, allergies,  and asthma have all been linked to a lack of good bacteria in the gut.

3. Fermenting food actually increases the vitamin content.

Fermented dairy products consistently reveal an increased level of folic acid, as well as pyroxidine, B vitamins, riboflavin and biotin depending on the strains of bacteria present.

4. Eating fermented food helps us to absorb nutrients.

You can ingest huge amounts of nutrients, but unless you actually absorb them, they’re useless to you. When you improve digestion, you improve absorption.

5. Fermenting food helps to preserve it for longer periods of time.

Milk will go bad in the fridge, but kefir and yogurt last a lot longer.  Sauerkraut, pickles and salsa will keep for months.

6. Fermenting food is inexpensive.

The foods required to make fermented foods are  cheap.  It is by far the easiest and most economical way to ensure that your gut flora is happy.

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED?

I have been fermenting foods for years now and have found that the best and most consistent results come from a closed-system fermentation system that keeps oxygen out but allows CO2 to be released.

I have experimented with fermentation crocks and mason jars with air-locks but have found my results to be inconsistent.  This mainly has to do with the fact that neither of these systems is completely air-tight, leaving my ferments open to oxygen, molds, and bacterias in the environment.

SO WHAT SHOULD I USE?

I have been fermenting foods for quite some time now.  I have experimented with many different jars.  The ones that I personally use are no longer available online, but I have seen similar ones HERE. These type of fermentation jars come with an airlock that needs to be filled with water and work great at keeping oxygen and pathogens out.

I also really love THESE fermentation lids that fit right over wide mouth mason jars.  They are so easy to use and super affordable.

You’ll want to add a weight on top of your fermenting foods so they stay below the brine.  I use glass fermentation weights made specifically for that purpose.  I know some folks get creative and use rocks or other clean/sterile items.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

9 Tips for Successful Fermentation

8 Awesome Benefits of Fermented Foods

85 Ways to Eat More Fermented Foods

Easy Sauerkraut Recipe

Easy Fermented Carrots

Click HERE to PIN THIS!

fermented food, fermentation

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Filed Under: Healthy Snacks Tagged With: fermentation, fermented food, gut health, sauerkraut

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ferina says

    March 2, 2021 at 3:36 am

    Thank you, I found this very useful for me as beginner

    Reply
    • Katja Heino says

      March 24, 2021 at 12:21 pm

      Yay! Good to hear. 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi I’m Katja!

And this is how we do healthy in our family. Just REAL food. Simple. Easy. Gluten free. More about Savory Lotus

Follow Me on Instagram

🍓🍓 berry season is almost here • that mean 🍓🍓 berry season is almost here • that means i can start making STRAWBERRY BANANA BREAD again 🍓 🍌• soft, moist, and exploding with fresh strawberry flavor • it's next level banana bread 

🍓🍓 hands down the best smelling thing i have ever baked • seriously! •  it's gluten and grain free • no added sweeteners, just super ripe bananas 🍌🍌🍌• i could eat this EVERY day

🍓🍓recipe link in profile 

https://www.savorylotus.com/strawberry-banana-bread/
🍋🍋 if you’re looking for a healthy, delici 🍋🍋 if you’re looking for a healthy, delicious cake to make for mother’s day, a birthday, or just to celebrate another day of life, this BLACKBERRY LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE  is it 🍋🍋 • it's beautiful, it’s tasty, + it’s guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser 

🍋🍋 2 moist layers of light + fluffy cake, smothered in sweet blackberry chia jam, and finished off with indulgent whipped cream • what i love most is the simplicity of this cake • nothing better than fresh berries + cream, IMHO • my inner scandinavian adores this cake 🇫🇮🇫🇮

🍋🍋 recipe link in bio if you wanna bake

https://www.savorylotus.com/blackberry-lemon-poppy-seed-cake-gluten-free/
💧💧DRAINAGE IS ESSENTIAL • 3 easy things yo 💧💧DRAINAGE IS ESSENTIAL • 3 easy things you can do to get things flowing 💧💧

1️⃣ HYDRATION 💧💧💧• drink half your body weight in ounces every day • start the day with 32 ounces of clean water in the first 1-2 hours that you’re awake • drink clean, filtered water • tap water can be loaded with heavy metals, pesticides, + pharmaceuticals 😵• water makes up 60 percent of our total body weight + 90 percent of brain weight 🧠• adequate water intake is essential for the body to function properly • water delivers important nutrients to all of our cells, especially muscle cells (energy!!), helps to move the digestive process along through the system,  helps with constipation, moves toxins through the body faster, and optimizes kidney function (detox!) • without adequate water, toxins can’t be excreted + then can build up in the body 

2️⃣ BOWEL MOMENTS 💩💩 • aim for 1-2 good-sized bowel movements per day (think at least banana-sized 🍌) without feeling the need to strain or feeling of incomplete evacuation afterwards • if the food that we eat is not traveling through the body fast enough, it will sit in the bowels + ferment/rot and the toxins get reabsorbed into the body 😩+ can cause abdominal pain, bloating, + gas 💨• prioritize hydration to keep food moving + eat plenty of fiber to speed up digestion • avoid inflammatory foods • take magnesium to help things keep flowing • practice enemas to hydrate colon + to increase peristalsis • get a professional colonic to hydrate, tone, + clean large intestine • keep things flowing out • better out than in 😉

3️⃣ MOVEMENT 🤸🏽‍♀️🏃‍♀️💃🏻🚴🏽‍♂️• move your body every day • walk, run, jump, dance, ride a bike • take 2 minute movement tbreaks throughout the day • the lymphatic system is one of our main waste removal systems + relies on skeletal muscle contractions to keep flowing • prioritize exercise + walking • hot Epsom salt baths stimulate circulation, improve lymphatic drainage + promote sweating 🛁🛁• sweating in a sauna stimulates the lymphatic system to release excess water + toxins 💦💦
🥥🍋 COCONUT FLOUR LEMON CAKE would be PERFECT 🥥🍋 COCONUT FLOUR LEMON CAKE would be PERFECT for this weekend 🐇🐇 • made with 2 layers of my simple coconut flour cake • smothered in lemon curd 🍋🍋 and cream • it’s light with a bright lemon flavor 🍋🍋

🥥🍋 it’s gluten + gran free • really easy to throw together • if you’ve never made homemade lemon curd, do it 🍋🍋 • it’s SO good 

🥥🍋 recipe link in bio

https://www.savorylotus.com/coconut-flour-lemon-cake-gluten-free/
Load More... Follow Me!

Follow Me on Pinterest

Don't Miss These!

  • dry heels, cracked heels, how to heal, DIY Easy Home Remedy for Dry Cracked Heels
  • Simple Coconut Flour Cake (gluten free, grain free, nut free, paleo) | savorylotus.com Simple Coconut Flour Cake (gluten and grain free, paleo)
  • How to Make Butternut Squash Noodles | www.savorylotu.com How to Make Butternut Squash Noodles
  • Everyday Gluten Free Bread (dairy free + egg free)

Clean Swaps

Clean Swaps

My Cookbook!

My Cookbook!

Footer

Get More Recipes on Pinterest

Visit Savory Lotus' profile on Pinterest.

Get More Recipes on Facebook

The Savory Lotus on Facebook

Stay Connected

Copyright © 2021 Savory Lotus    ·    Affiliate Disclosure     Disclaimer     Privacy Policy     Terms of Service