Fermented foods- the do's and dont's.

Do they offer any benefits? Or is it just another marketing gimmick.

Fermented Foods for the Gut.

Kefir. Kimchi. Saurkraut. Sourdough bread. What’s the buzz about these fermented foods? Do they even offer any benefits to the gut?

Actually yes, consuming fermented food can boost the beneficial bacteria count in your stomach, also known as probiotics.

If you think about it, every culture in India has some fermented foods as part of their food tradition. Be it the Appam’s from Kerala, Dhoklas from Gujrat, or Gundruk from Nepal. With the rise of the preservatives and canning process by the food industries, we are slowly moving away from fermented foods.

What are Fermented Foods?

Fermentation is a process in which bacteria and yeast convert carbs into essential stomach acids. Here are a few examples:

• Kimchi

• Idly/ Dosai

• Kombucha

• Chilra

• Tempeh

• Sauerkraut

• Miso

• Chakuli pitha

How do they benefit the Gut?

Fermentation produces probiotics, which can help restore the balance of friendly bacteria in your gut and ease any digestive issues.

This, in turn, keeps digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic gastritis at bay by eliminating the toxic elements from our system.

But guess what is more important than probiotics, its PRE- biotic! Read this to know more:

• Probiotic Vs. Prebiotic Vs. POSTbiotics!

How much do you need per day?

A nibble. That’s it. Do not overdo on fermented foods as they can cause gut issues. Just a glass of Kanji per day, a tbsp of miso or a few dosa’s do the trick.

Fermented foods have potent live bacteria and do offer benefits, but overdoing the same is not healthy.

Simple ways to include them in our diet and make a lifestyle change:

1. You can prepare a go-to summer drink with fermented black tea.

2. Chop cabbages in your leisure hour to make sauerkraut and kimchi.

3. Keep miso in your fridge and add a tbsp full of the same to your soups.

4. Make idly/ dosa and dhokla’s a part of your breakfast menu.

Easy Beetroot kanji recipe for the summer.

You need the following ingredients to prepare this sumptuous, lip-smacking drink :

• 4-5 large carrots peeled.

• 1 large beet peeled.

• 1 tablespoon Brown Mustard Seeds.

• 6-7 cups filtered water, or enough to fully submerge the vegetables.

• 1 tbsp sea salt.

Instructions:

• In a coffee grinder, crush the mustard seeds.

• Chop carrots and beets into long pieces.

• In a glass jar, mix all of the above ingredients and cover with a lid or cheesecloth.

• Enable at least one week for the jar to sit in a sunny spot, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon.

• When the kanji takes on a tangy taste, the drink has fermented.

• Strain the drink.

• To cool the drink, put it in the refrigerator.