Ew! Okay, so two months in a row I’m featuring foods that some people consider just weird. Seaweed… okay, that’s fairly benign… if you’ve ever eaten Japense food, you’ve likely eaten seaweed, so it’s not THAT weird. But fermented foods!? Again, if you’ve ever eaten Japanese food, you’ve likely eaten fermented foods. Think MISO! Anyone out there ever had a Ruben Sandwich? Think Sauerkraut! What about bread, cheese, alcohol? Ever eaten a pickle? Yogurt?

Fermented foods have been around for thouusands of years, and have a long history of being considered a wholesome, healing food. There’s a big rage these days about pro-biotics, and “active cultures”. Most people would turn to yogurt when they hear pro-biotics, and they would be correct. However, most yougurts, even the ones sold as a pro-biotic (Dan Active) are loaded with sugar. In fact, one 3oz serving of Dan Active has 17g of sugar in it! Thats more than 1 Tablespoon of sugar in only 3oz. It’s shameful that a product like that is being marketed as a healthy choice. tsk tsk.

But I digress, this is supposed to be about the wonders of fermented foods! Almost every culture througout history has their own type of fermented foods, and those cultures who consume more than average amounts in their diets have incredibly long life-spans. Everyone from Ancient Romans to Captin Cook have relied on fermented foods for their superior nutritional profile. While we have not really moved away from eating fermented foods today, we have moved away from the traditional ways in which they were made. Store bought yogurts and sauerkrauts are pasteurized, killing off all of the beneficial enzymes and healthy bacteria that inspired their creation to begin with.

Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and healthy lactobacili bacteria, fermented foods can serve not only as a delicious meal, but as a functional food, assisting your body in re-establishing or maintaining a healthy digestive system. Fermented foods like Kimchi, sauerkraut, kiefer are easy to incorporate into your diet. While technically breads, alcohols, pickles and cheeses are fermented foods, they do not offer the same level of healthful nutrients and pro-biotics of simple fermented vegetables, dairy and grains. Experiment with making your own! It’s easy, fun, and cheap!

Here are some great online resources about fermentation, including websites that offer tutorials on making your own at home:

Author and self-proclaimed “fermentation fetishist” Sandor Katz

Short History of Fermented Foods

How to Make Kefir at Home

How to Make Sauerkraut at Home