positive health changes eating fermented foods?

Hi Wardeh Harmon! Welcome to permies. Could you please talk about some significant positive health changes you've experienced since eating fermented foods? thanks a heap!
stephanie

Good timing, I just started a batch of Kombucha. I would be interested in learning what you have to say about the health benefits.

Hi, Stephanie. Hi, Jason.

I'm speaking from experience here, not giving medical advice.

We have seen reversal of food allergies due to re-population of the gut with beneficial organisms. I've experienced better digestion, which I think is because of the digestive enzymes in fermented foods. I have felt instant relief from seasonal allergies after drinking a glass of Kombucha or water kefir. Beet kvass can help with regularity.

Just to name a few.

Natto will make you poop.
There's no way you can be constipated.

Also, years ago I took a whole foods, fermented foods supplement from South Korea. (It had a sort of natto product in it.) This product was slow dried, organic veggies and fermented foods all in one.
Anyhooo, the same result. I pooped huge every day.

Just thought you had to know about that.

Thanks everyone! I'm looking forward to fermenting more things besides kim chee and kombucha, perhaps that kefir water. I've always been a little sluggish in the bowel department. Food sensitivities stink, so new goal: eliminate those and move on with life!
Patrick- What is this Natto you speak of? I must look this up. I must also get more recipes.

Battle is a traditional fermented whole soybeans food. Cooked soybeans are innoculated with a friendly bacteria. It doesn't have the usual problems of soy. The protein is predigested you could say so its easy to digest.

Natto not battle.

Wardeh Harmon wrote:Hi, Stephanie. Hi, Jason.

I'm speaking from experience here, not giving medical advice.

We have seen reversal of food allergies due to re-population of the gut with beneficial organisms. I've experienced better digestion, which I think is because of the digestive enzymes in fermented foods. I have felt instant relief from seasonal allergies after drinking a glass of Kombucha or water kefir. Beet kvass can help with regularity.

Just to name a few.

What food allergies did eating fermented foods seem to improve? Anything to do with a peanut allergy?

I have not yet seen the really big benefits Wardeh describes above, but I haven't been on this journey as long or as consistently.

A couple of benefits I am know of:

-Sauerkraut or sauerkraut juice is now my first choice home remedy for nausea and/or painful stomach cramps. I put a spoonful of juice in a glass of water and sip it -- works wonders.

- Raw, unpasteurized milk is more digestible.

- Kefir/yogurt are good for battling candida

- I can make home-made vinegar for both cooking and for a hair rinse. It saves me from spending what seems to be an outrageous amount of $$ on raw apple cider vinegar (I use "no-poo" for hair -- a baking soda wash & vinegar rinse.)

- I eat a lot more vegetables when I have veggie ferments in the frig. I am lazy, and also I cook for just myself. So I can buy a whole cauliflower, cook half of it for dinner with cheese sauce, and throw the rest of it into a mason jar with chunks of onion, pepper, and/or other veggies. Then whenever I have a green salad or a want a a few veggies on the side, I can add pickled cauliflower and onions. And my "leftovers' are MORE nutritious instead of less!

I see we are missing out on a major food group: Beer!

I've found that consuming one a day has improved my sleep, made me smile more and helps me relax!

In all seriousness, reasonable beer consumption has shown to lower the chance of heart disease, raise your good cholesterol, and provide a myriad of minerals. Hops are good for you too!

I buy nothing but organic veggies in the winter and I ferment them all. Every night with dinner I serve a HUGE salad with mixed greens and whatever fermented veggies I have. Indian spiced cauliflower, garlic and ginger carrots with a dressing made with fermented pepper sauce. Keeps our tummies humming all winter long!