7 benefits of at-home fermentation
Fermentation is more than a buzzword - it’s a food preservation method that’s been used for centuries. Skip to present day and fermentation is basking in the spotlight as science catches up with tradition - we’re learning more and more about the advantages of fermentation. The health benefits of fermented foods go beyond eating them, though. There are so many other reasons for fermenting at home, too. The hands-on and deeply satisfying process brings ancient practices into modern kitchens in the most rewarding way.
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If, like us, you always have a couple of sad carrots at the back of your fridge, fermentation can help you with that! In as little as 10 minutes you could have rescued said carrots (or any other forgotten veg!) and turned it into a healing, healthy ferment that will last for a lot longer in your fridge.
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In a world of ‘buy it now!’, free next day delivery, and never-ending 15 second videos at the swipe of a finger, sometimes it’s good to retrain our brains to slow down. To remember that we won’t, in fact, keel over on the spot if we have to wait more than a second for the finished product. Lacto-fermentation can take over a week to be ready to eat, so strap yourself in and enjoy the slow lane
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If you know anything about fermented foods, it’s that they’re good for your guts. But what does that mean? Fermented foods are full of good bacteria which our guts happily receive. The more and the wider the variety of bacteria, the more your gut is bolstered to deal with things like…
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We used to think of the gut/brain axis (the thing connecting the two) as more of a one-way tannoy system from the brain to the gut. We’re now learning that its much more of a two way telephone conversation. If someone is screaming at you down the phone, it’s likely to make you feel a bit sh*t, isn’t it? Well, if your gut is screaming at your brain down the axis, your brains likely to feel a bit sh*t, too. Fermented foods can facilitate a happy chat between the two.
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Bring in the guards!
A diverse microbiome (a wide variety of different bacteria in your gut) can help teach the immune system who the bad guys are, by showing up as the good guys. Not only that, but the good bacteria take up the space they deserve, and leave less space for the bad guys to colonise.
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In collaboration with an enhanced immune system, a healthy gut produces anti-inflammatory Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) which control your immune responses. And there you were thinking you were in control of your destiny…
A good microbiome can also help build and strengthen your stomach walls, reducing the risk of inflammation spiking leaky-gut. Yuck!
