Many vegetables are grown in a fertile valley far away. Almost as
soon as they are harvested, they are flash-frozen and transported on
refrigerated trucks to a supermarket near you. You have a freezer at
home, and the delivery of healthy nutritious vegetables from farm to
consumer is completed easily. Refrigerated trucks keep fresh-picked
vegetables viable long enough that your green grocer's shelves remain
well-stocked throughout the year.
Go back just a few decades, and
you will find that this was not the case. Winter produced very sparsely
populated shelves in the green grocery section of the market. Go back
just a few more decades and you will discover that people had to find
creative ways to sustain themselves through harsh winters and on long
journeys. For thousands of years, people have fermented foods to
preserve them for when supplies of fresh foods were not available.
The
Romans preserved cabbages with salt, and Genghis Khan fed his armies
fermented cabbage to sustain them on their campaigns through Europe.
This use of preserved, fermented foods was a common practice for
travelers as a source of nutrients. As late as World War I, allied
forces relied on fermented cabbage, or sauerkraut as we now know it, to
supply nutrients to soldiers on the battlefields of Europe.
The
process of fermentation helps to preserve the food for use many months
later. Fermentation also generates many health benefits for the
consumer. The essential nutrients and vitamins are preserved. Sugars are
broken down so they are more easily absorbed with far less insulin or
allergy reaction, in the case of lactose intolerance to dairy products.
The process also generates enzymes that are essential to supporting the
digestion of foods that we eat. Finally, they are natural probiotics,
jam-packed with beneficial microorganisms.
A healthy gut,
supported by a strong population of beneficial bacteria, serves as a
powerful booster for your immune system. The digestive tract is where
nutrients are extracted from food and absorbed by the body. Enzyme and
microbial activity accelerates digestion and generates enzymes, vitamins
and antioxidants that are essential to health. They also protect us
from pathogens and flush out toxins from our bodies.
You can find a
variety of ready-to-use fermented products at your local supermarket.
They include yoghurt, which is fermented milk (usually cow's milk). The
fermentation process breaks down the milk lactose to make it easier to
digest and the yoghurt supplies billions of helpful bacteria. Be careful
of brands with large amounts of sugar added, as that will create other
problems. Another healthy fermented product from milk is kefir, a drink
often found in the supermarket refrigerator.
Kombucha tea is
another good source of enzymes and beneficial microbes. Kombucha is made
from fermenting black tea. Other products you may find in the
supermarket include kimchi, a Korean version of fermented cabbage and a
mixture of other vegetables. Raw apple cider vinegar is also loaded with
beneficial bacteria and has many different uses apart from supporting a
healthy digestive system. You may find Japanese products like miso, and
natto, both loaded with microbes and used in cooking soups, marinades
and sauces.
If you feel adventurous, the processes for making your
own fermented yoghurt, kefir, pickles and kimchi are relatively easy
and they require no special equipment. Select healthy organic
ingredients and you will be able to rely on the process for creating
your own healthy, nutritious probiotic foods.
Patrick is a coach, speaker, and trainer to individuals and
business leaders. He helps leaders to achieve success by clarifying
their vision, strategic plans, leadership, change management, brand and
marketing strategy. He helps individuals to remove self-limiting beliefs
and fears that prevent them from acting on their goals and dreams.
615-261-8585 http://www.patrickgsmyth.com
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