From Yogurt to Kombucha, Fermented Foods Benefit Your Overall Health
Nutritionist Keri Glasman is founder of Nutritious Life and a member of the TODAY Tastemaker team, a select group of nationally recognized lifestyle experts.
Your gut is one hot topic. I don’t mean the extra weight you may be carrying around your midsection. (I’ll leave that to your partner to decide its hotness!) I’m talking about what’s going on, on the inside.
We all have an ecosystem of bacteria happening in our gut. This intestinal microbiota contains both “good” and “bad” bacteria. When the balance of bacteria is tipped towards the bad, which can be due to lack of sleep, stress, certain foods or various other causes, it may affect digestive health and overall well-being.
Consuming certain probiotics can help this whole gut situation by providing a regular source of good bacteria to the intestinal tract, improving how it functions and how you feel. Research links gut health to brain health and even weight.
While taking probiotic supplements is a good idea, eating fermented foods is an even tastier way to get in those good guy probiotics.
Think the word fermented has a creepy sounding vibe to it? I hear ya. But, guess what? Kimchi, unusual vinegars and cloudy jars of vegetables at the health food store may just become your new food BFFs.
There are loads of benefits to eating fermented foods, so read on to get your ferment-o-phobia behind you.
Fermentation 101
Fermentation is a process that helps to preserve foods. When foods are fermented, bacteria or yeast is introduced to break sugars down into simpler molecules such as alcohols and acids. This process can be as simple as placing vegetables in a salt and water solution, though often there is a starter culture (filled with friendly microorganisms). Breaking down the food does two things: it introduces good bacteria into the food that increases nutritional value and a whole lot of flavor is released — just think of the difference between eating cabbage and sauerkraut!
Like those probiotics you may consume in supplement form, your body benefits from upping your fermented food intake especially when taking antibiotics, which may disrupt the balance of the digestive tract.
Sometimes fermented foods are labeled “cultured” or “pickled,” but they all fall under the fermentation umbrella.
A few of my favorite fermented foods in terms of health benefits are:
Kombucha
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A fermented sweet tea that can be polarizing due to the sci-fi look of it. If you dare, your gut will thank you. This fizzy drink is packed with probiotics and antioxidants.
Sauerkraut
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Similar to kimchi, it’s simply a combo of cabbage and salt. You reap the probiotic benefits while getting the antioxidants and fiber of the cabbage. Plus, it tastes dee-lish on almost anything. Because of its simplicity, sauerkraut is a great option to make yourself in your own kitchen. Your homemade batch will be even healthier since most traditionally packaged varieties lose their probiotic power after pasteurization.
Vinegar
Shutterstock / Evgeny Karandaev
Olive oil and vinegar bottles on wooden table; Shutterstock ID 361195352; PO: today-food
Vinegars add loads of flavor with almost no calories, and apple cider vinegar in particular has been linked to lowering blood sugar. Drizzle on any salad.
Pickles
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Who doesn’t love a good pickle? This crunchy addition to any sandwich is made from vinegar, salt and cucumbers —and often creative seasonings. This is another one to try at home since many packaged options lose probiotic properties due to high heat processing.
Kefir
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Essentially a more powerful (and drinkable) form of yogurt, kefir has more probiotics than yogurt. It also contains B vitamins, magnesium, calcium and protein and works excellent as the base of dressings or a smoothie.
Kimchi
norikko / Shutterstock / norikko
A Korean favorite, kimchi is made from cabbage and other veggies, with a bit of salt and other spices added. Kimchi is loaded with vitamins A and C, minerals such as magnesium, calcium and selenium and, of course, probiotics.
Tempeh
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Fermented soybeans make this vegetarian source of protein also a good source of probiotics.
Among other healthy habits I recommend for a healthy gut — reducing stress, exercising, eating whole real foods with adequate fiber —I advise all of my clients to add a serving of fermented foods daily.
Introduce them slowly so as not to overwhelm your system.
Honey-Roasted Chickpeas Make the Perfect Sweet (Protein) Treat
If you are craving something sweet but know inhaling candy will have you feeling flat, reach for this warm, low-cal option instead: honey-roasted cinnamon chickpeas. High in protein and fiber, chickpeas offer a satisfying crunch when roasted, and if you toss them with a little honey and cinnamon, you’ll have a sweet treat that will also give you a boost of energy.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat silicone mat.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas in a colander. Place them on a towel to dry off.
Spread chickpeas on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until crispy. Test one, and if it’s still soft, bake for longer.
source: popsugar.com
While the chickpeas are still hot, toss them in a bowl with the oil, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Enjoy as is, or for a caramelized effect, place them back in the oven for another 10 minutes or so.
Store leftover chickpeas in an airtight container.
Makes 4 servings. See below for the nutritional information of 1 serving.
All kids are always listening. And sometimes that’s awesome.
I didn’t ask them to do it, I didn’t tell them to do it, I wouldn’t have expected them to do it — but yesterday afternoon, there they were: The older kid (8), instructing the younger (4) in proper push-up technique on the living-room floor.
Just like a trainer in an AbsoluteFIT session will do, she told him to exhale on the “up” part, to keep his hips in line, and to not let his head fall too far forward. I just … watched, boggled. I asked her where she got that.
“From you,” she answered, “that one time you were telling me how you didn’t used to be able to do one and then you showed me,” (which YOU GUYS I swear was over a year ago and I had no idea she was paying that much attention).
“Also,” she added, demonstrating again, “we do this in PE sometimes and a bunch of boys do it wrong and then they go like this—” she stands, striking a classic arms-up strongman pose, “which does NOT make you strong!”
They listen, you guys. They watch and they listen. And then they pressgang their younger siblings into whatever it is, too. I’m just glad she’s picking up my AbsoluteFIT technique instead of other, less-awesome things I do … heh.
Lydia Markoff is an Almaden-area writer, mom, and fitness enthusiast with Texas roots, a New York education, and a Californian heart. She plays bass, reads a lot, watches too much TV, and can be found in the AbsoluteFIT studio three to five times a week. Her life goals include having a body like Linda Hamilton’s in Terminator 2, and/or having Bill Murray randomly crash a party she is attending. If you need something from her, try bribing her with good coffee or cold beer; odds are, she wants one or the other of those right now.
Looking to share in some outdoor adventures with other like-minded individuals? We’ve got the answer!
The AVAC® Hike Club is open to All AVAC® members as well as their friends and family.
When | 1st Sunday of each month at 9 am
Where | We’ll meet at various hiking trail heads throughout the San Jose South Bay Area, specifically hiking trails within an 8-mile vicinity of AVAC®
Details | Destination will be determined prior to the day of each hike. Meet up time is 9 am, the hike will start promptly at 9:10 am. Please plan accordingly🙂
RSVP | It’s easy! Simply email Becky Smothermon or any hike leader.
Next Hike:
Sunday, October 2 @ 9 am
Quicksilver Hike – meet at the McAbee entrance. We will be hiking the Mine Hill Rd./ Senador Mine Trail Loop. It is about a 2.5 mile loop and should take about an hour give or take. Expect a good amount of rolling hills to keep our heart rates up and feel free to bring your dogs although they must stay on leash at all times. Don’t forget to bring water! Lead by Sheena Dinga, Team AVAC®.
About Sheena:
“Hiking is something that has been a good part of my adult life. I mostly love standing on top of any mountain and looking down. The main area I currently hike is the Santa Teresa hills because they are basically my backyard, but some of my favorite past hikes have been the Flattops Wilderness in Colorado, Sky Lakes in Oregon, and Mt Shasta. I am certified in Advanced First Aid which always makes for a safer hike🙂 I look forward to seeing you all out there!”
Healthy smoothies could be your best-kept weight loss secrets. Filling and satisfying these blended drinks can provides an easy way to load up on tons of important nutrients — fiber, proteins and healthy fats to keep you full until your next meal.
The best part is, your perfectly healthy, delicious smoothie literally takes seconds to make!
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