Thinking about fermentation

I saw a large jar of apple-cinnamon sauerkraut brewing on the counter this week as it seems my wife decided to take a stab at copying the deliciousness from our Wise Traditions conference lunch this past weekend. I hope it turns out well! I've been thinking about adding more fermented foods to our diet; we drink kombucha daily, and pickled veggies of various sorts grace our table periodically.

As if reading my thoughts, a recent visitor to Psychic Lunch has put in detail a personal review and recommendation of this food practice: Kc tells us why lacto-fermentation should be part of our diets:

Lacto-fermented (sometimes called cultured) vegetables also contain powerful probiotics for a healthy digestive system. This is especially good news for people that can't tolerate yogurt or other dairy ferments. Besides adding zest and interest to any dish, these homemade pickles actually help protect you from intestinal upsets and side effects of antibiotics. One spoonful of fermented veggies will also cure heartburn and derail sugar cravings. Vegetables that have undergone lacto-fermentation have been proven to contain more vitamins and minerals than the same vegetables in either raw or cooked states. They also help stimulate stomach acid aiding digestion hence the age-old tradition of serving vegetable or fruit relishes with high protein meals (cranberry sauce with turkey, sauerkraut with sausages, chutney with lamb, etc.). All condiments, salsas, chutneys, and jellies started out as fermented products and I intend to work up to one day eating only homemade fermented condiments. Just imagine getting beneficial probiotics into your children every time they use ketchup or mustard.Kc, Living It Up Corn Free, Nov 2009

You should read the whole article.