Fermented foods and beverages are becoming increasingly popular and for good reason! Consuming fermented foods is very beneficial especially during a cleanse; they contain beneficial bacteria that help your body naturally eliminate toxins and even heavy metals. The healthy bacteria will create enough energy to detox while still having enough energy to continue to with your everyday life.
Fermentation is the breakdown of carbs like starch and sugar by bacteria and yeast, it was used as an ancient technique of preserving food. It is increasingly understood now that fermented foods can also have enhanced nutritional and functional properties, we now scientifically understand what great health benefits they offer. The fermentation process encourages essential bacteria such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria to flourish. These bacteria actually pre-digest the food making them more bioavailable for the body to absorb both the beneficial bacteria and the active enzymes also act as detoxifiers for the intestines.
Why Do We Want To Add Bacteria To Our Diet?
Your gut is filled with good and bad bacteria. We want to create a balance of these bacteria for a healthy immune system because about 80% of your immune system is in your gut. Yeast and pathogenic bacteria feed off sugar, if the diet consists of high sugar content the more hospitable it will be for harmful microbes to thrive in the intestines. This turns into an unhealthy cycle, the more sugar you eat, the more you crave, which feeds the bad bacteria causing many health issues. The good bacteria, however, break down lactose, sugars and starches in the food, making digestion easier. And once they reach your gut, they will continue to help break down food and keep out bad guys while maintaining a healthy gut flora.
Along with fermented foods such as, Sauerkraut and Kimchi there are also beverages that provide the same benefits. Kefir is used in many areas of the world in forms of fermented milk, coconut water, and water.
In one study Kefir demonstrated antifungal activity against such species as Candida (yeast). The results demonstrated that kefir possesses antibacterial and antifungal activities. Many cultures have been making Kombucha for centuries. A fizzy fermented tea that can now be found in many stores across North America. Research shows this fermented tea fights off E. coli and Staph bacteria in the digestive tract, while supporting the gut and boosting the immune system. You can enjoy these foods in abundance, Sauerkraut and Kimchi can be added to any meal on the side. Kefir can be enjoyed on its own or in a smoothie, and Kombucha is drank as a refreshing beverage.
The last things you want in your body are built-up toxins, it’s highly recommended to cleanse the body to reboot your system. While cleansing it is important to support the gut with these fermented foods and beverages. Taking the time to make these foods at home is best and cost-effective.
At Living Alchemy, our products use a range of whole foods which we ferment with a traditional Kefir-kombucha process. All of our formulas use 35 naturally occurring strains which bio-activates the existing nutrients, giving the body maximum, therapeutic effect. To find out more visit www.livingalchemy.com.
Gillian Templeton R.H.N
Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27998788
https://wellnessmama.com/2245/fermented-food-benefits/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fermentation#bottom-line