Cultured Foods

Regular consumption of cultured foods is an integral part of a healthy diet.

Cultured foods, otherwise known as lacto-fermented foods, are high in natural probiotics.

Everyone can benefit from adding these foods to their diet, particularly those with immune system issues and digestive disorders. They are also suggested during pregnancy and when trying to balance blood sugar, yeast overgrowth, and problems with weight. Try to include at least one serving of lacto-fermented foods in your diet every day, and try for each meal if your digestion is sub-par or if you are on antibiotics.

Some examples include:

Yogurt- Organic plain whole milk yogurt is best. It is important to eat whole milk dairy because the saturated fat in the yogurt help with absorption of the calcium. A nice thing about yogurt is that you can drain it to produce the whey needed to make other cultured foods such as beet kvass and cultured veggies.

Kefir- This cultured dairy food with a long history is high in amino acids, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and B vitamins. Unlike yogurt, kefir cultures at room temperature. It can easily be made at home with high quality (raw, if possible) milk and kefir powder or grains. If raw milk is unavailable, look for pasteurized but not homogenized milk or organic, grass-fed milk. Kefir powder can be purchased at natural food stores or online at the Body Ecology shop. Kefir grains can also be purchased online from Happy Herbalist and other individuals, or perhaps you can find a friend who can give you some as a gift. More information about making kefir can be found at www.kefir.org.

Cultured Cream/Sour Cream- Cultured cream is a yummy condiment with a high probiotic and enzyme content. Vermont Butter and Cheese Company makes a good creme fraiche- I love it added to soups, Mexican dishes, and desserts. Natural foods stores may carry other brands, as well, or make your own from fresh raw organic (raw, if possible) cream. Body ecology's culture starter can be used to make homemade crème fraiche with raw cream. It is available at from the Body Ecology Shop.

Beet Kvass- A cultured drink made from beets, kvass has wonderful liver cleansing properties.

Kombucha- Made from fermented tea and organic sugar, the result is a fizzy drink with many health benefits. Kombucha can be purchased at natural foods stores (Synergy brand is delicious) or made at home. Some individuals may need to build up a tolerance to kombucha; this can be accomplished by drinking small amounts daily for a few weeks.

Rejuvelac- A drink made from sprouted wheat berries. Rejuvelac is definitely an acquired taste.

Cultured Vegetables or Fruits- extremely healthy and delicious because they contain exceptional quantities of enzymes, B vitamins and vitamin C. See my recipes for sauerkraut, and kimchee, mixed cultured veggies, and mango-pineapple chutney.

Lacto-fermented "sodas"- naturally sweetened/fermented alternatives to commercial soda; recipes are available in the books Nourishing Traditions and Eat Fat, Lose Fat by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig. Or see my blog post on making healthy blueberry soda.

"Haymaker's Oat Water"- A lightly sweetened drink made from soaked oats, vinegar, and molasses. An interesting alternative to coffee in the morning.

Soaked whole grains- Soaking grains at least 7 hours before cooking makes them more nutritious and digestible. Add a little whey if possible for additional benefits. Soaking oatmeal the night before you plan to eat it is a good practice. Eating traditionally produced sourdough bread is also recommended. Recipes for baking with soaked grains are available in the books Nourishing Traditions and Eat Fat, Lose Fat.

Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz is an excellent book on this topic, as well. It contains numerous interesting recipes.