Why eat fermented foods?

I love fermented foods, and strongly recommend them {okay, maybe require!} for all of my coaching clients. When I started eating them so many of my digestive health issues like bloating and feeling so blah after meals started to magically disappear (as well as my strongest sweet cravings!).

You may be thinking: “Okay, Robyn, what exactly are fermented foods? And what’s so great about them?”

Although many of us don’t often eat fermented vegetables like raw sauerkraut or kimchi, our diets typically include a lot of fermented products: bread, cheese, yogurt, coffee, tea, alcohol, mustard, and more. You’d be surprised how un-foreign fermentation is to your body! But for the health reasons we’re talking about here the kraut is where it’s at. And I’m not talking about the stuff you put on a hot dog at the ballpark, I’m specifically speaking about raw, unpasteurized and fermented vegetables you typically find in the refrigerator section of your local health food store.

Aside from the delicious tangy taste, the best part are THE BENEFITS!

Why eat fermented foods?

• Fermentation jumpstarts the digestion process. The nutrients in fermented foods are already partially broken down, which makes them easier to digest. Plus, fermented foods contain probiotics, those good-for-your gut bacteria that boost your digestive health.
• Fermentation lends anticarcinogenic (cancer fighting) qualities to your food. Sauerkraut in particular contains high levels of glucosinolates. These compounds have been shown to have anti-cancer activity in laboratory research.
• Fermented foods increases your immune system! Regardless of what hand sanitizer and cleaning product commercials tell you, bacteria is the only thing that protects against bacteria {tweet that!}.

Ready to try these superhero foods? Here are 3 simple ways to add more fermented foods to your diet:

1. Make a superhuman breakfast – This meal was THE game changer for me: sauerkraut, greens, protein, healthy fats and grounding root veggies – the perfect way to set yourself up for a great day. It stimulated so many other amazing changes in my body. This meal was created and coined by one of my teachers and dear friends, Laura Hames Franklin, founder of the School of Universal Health Principles and School for Superhumans (hence the breakfast name!). Head on over to Well.Org for a video of me making this breakfast!
2. Have a kraut snack – One of my favorite little secrets to making fermented veggies great and super mild in flavor for newbies is to mix them with a little fresh lemon juice and mashed avocado. In addition to mellowing the flavor, the fat in the avocado helps to deliver the nutrients into your body. This little trick of a “recipe” generally makes fermented veggies easy for anyone to consume. You can eat the mixture on it’s own or add it to salad.
3. Enjoy some bubbly – Kombucha that is! For those of you new to the ‘buch, it’s a fermented tea beverage that’s slightly sweet, slightly sour, and generally carbonated. A note: you should drink kombucha in much smaller portions than the bottle says—only up to 4 ounces at a time. Try sipping in fancy glass like you would champagne!