Little Step No. 66
What to do:
Have ONE serving of fermented food daily.
Why this step works:
This week’s little step is inspired by a lovely lady who asked me recently about gut health. More specifically, she’d heard lots about the importance of friendly gut bacteria, and wondered if there was anything she could add to her diet that would be helpful?
The good news is there are actually lots of little steps you can take to support your friendly gut bacteria. I suggested she start with one small change that could make a big difference. "Have one serving of fermented foods daily" was my suggestion. I then decided this would make a great little step - so thank you, this one's for you!
What are fermented foods?
Fermented foods have been around for a long time (around 10,000 years!!) but only recently have become more widely available. They include kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, raw apple cider vinegar and sourdough bread.
Why are fermented foods good for you?
The full answer to this question is nuanced and complex, in part because this is a hot topic of research and there are gaps that will be filled in time. Here’s a simple overview for now:
Fermented foods contain potentially ‘probiotic’ microorganisms (the friendly bacteria that live in your gut) AND ‘prebiotics’ (the food that friendly gut bacteria feed and thrive on).
The fermentation process creates special compounds which may support cardiovascular, immune and metabolic health. It also helps to convert healthy plant compounds into even healthier compounds and may help to reduce toxins and 'anti-nutrients'.
Some fermented foods (such as kefir) may also be easier to digest than their non-fermented counterparts (milk).
How can I add them into my diet?
I like to add a spoonful of sauerkraut or kimchi to my salads, use kefir as the base for my smoothies, add raw apple cider vinegar to salad dressings, use miso paste in stir fries and enjoy sourdough bread toasted with proper butter and poached eggs!
However you choose to add fermented foods into your diet, your friendly gut bacteria will be eternally thankful. Enjoy x
P.S. Please note, fermented foods suit most people but are not for everyone and it's really important to listen to your own body when making dietary changes. If you find you can’t tolerate them you might need to do some foundational work on your gut health before adding them to your diet.