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The Exploration of Fermentation

in The Too Busy to Diet Blog on February 4, 2016

The Exploration of Fermentation

Written by Madeline Engelking, dietetic student at Miami University of Ohio

     Most people would think that little bugs roaming around our body would be a bad thing. And let me clarify first that I am talking about the good bugs that make up bacteria in fermented foods, definitely not bugs like mosquitos, flies, or spiders. Fermentation is the process of starches and sugars being converted into lactic acid and forming good bacteria (“bugs”). If you want to take your nutrition to the next level, start incorporating fermented products regularly into your diet.

You might ask yourself, “Why should I be eating foods with all these bugs?” I am not crazy, I swear. When we have an adequate supply of stomach acid, from eating fermented foods, we create a desirable environment for healthy bacteria to grow. Good bacteria also aids in balancing your gut flora(bacteria), which helps digestion run smoothly, and also reduces gastrointestinal infections. For all you spring allergy victims, 80% of our immune system is located in our gut, so it is vital to focus on your digestive health when it comes to allergies. You may have heard the term “leaky gut” before, but never really understood the meaning. A leaky gut means that the cells in your intestinal wall have gaps and are letting certain substances get through (that shouldn’t), and then cause an immune, allergic reaction. I will cover steps to improve a leaky gut in a few.

After reading a book called, “Digestive Health with Real Food,” I became aware of how much our gut health relates to our mental health. It is fascinating to me to understand that issues such as anxiety and depression can be caused due to an unhealthy gut. This is because our gut produces serotonin, which is the neurotransmitter, credited for making us happy and feeling good. Essentially, if our gut is out of whack and these levels are off, they can trigger these health issues since our gut and brain are connected. Our gut is actually known as our “second brain.” Crazy right!?!

Steps to a healthier gut:
1. Heal your leaky gut by eliminating processed foods and grains. Added sugars in our diet feed the bad bacteria. That’s a no no.
2. Buy, or make, fermented foods like sauerkraut, yogurt (without added sugar ☺ ) and any pickled vegetables! This will provide your gut with the healthy bacteria (natural probiotics).
3. After eating the good “bugs” feed them with onions, broccoli, garlic, asparagus, etc!

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing even unhealthy about eating raw veggies, but if you really want to earn brownie points, try adding more bugs in your diet. I triple. dog. DARE YOU.

**Side note: Taking probiotic supplements isn’t the best option if you want to get a wide range of healthy bacteria. If you vary your fermented foods you will get different strains of bacteria that you couldn’t get from taking a single supplement.

Works cited:
Jacob, Aglaée. Digestive Health with Real Food: A Practical Guide to an Anti-inflammatory, Low-irritant, Nutrient-dense Diet for IBS & Other Digestive Issues. Bend, Or.: Paleo Media Group, 2013. Print.

Photo source: Digital image. Fermented Foods: Top 5 Reasons to Eat Them. PCOS Nutrition Center, n.d. Web. Jan. 2016.