Beneficial bacteria is crucial to good digestion. Of course, we need to stay away from harmful bacteria, but good bacteria is necessary. Most of us aren’t getting nearly enough beneficial bacteria, which leads to bad digestion, allergies, and other health issues. The bacteria in our guts make up most of our immune systems. In a time when many of us are squeaky clean and using harmful antibacterial soaps, we can all benefit from these foods.
Foods from many different traditional cultures contained beneficial bacteria. Many types of foods can be cultured to promote a healthy digestive system. Only in the West, and increasingly elsewhere these days, is it considered normal to consume milk in an unfermented state.
Before industrialization, milk was consumed as yogurt, kefir, piima cream, creme fraiche, curds and whey. Vegetables can be fermented to add beneficial bacteria as well, in the form of traditionally made sauerkraut, kimchi, pickled cucumbers or beets. Salsa, mayonnaise, ketchup, chutneys, mustard – virtually any type of sauce can be fermented, and can be added to any meal to add beneficial bacteria. Unpasteurized honey contains lots of great bacteria as well.
One wonderful breakfast to get healthy digestion started for the day could be a simple meal of a spinach omelet with a bowl of piima cream or yogurt and almonds.
For lunch, try a different type of tuna salad. Rub sea salt and pepper on 1.5 pounds of fresh tuna and saute in olive oil until it’s cooked through. Serve it with some fermented ginger, red pepper cut thinly, chopped lettuce and a dressing of rice vinegar, grated ginger, sesame oil and raw honey.
Dinner can be simple and delicious. Try a chicken dish with sauerkraut on the side. Traditional sauerkraut can’t be easier to make. Shred a head of cabbage and place it in a bowl with a tablespoon of sea salt. Pound it with a wooden pounder for about 10 minutes to release the juices in the cabbage. Place into a tightly lidded jar and leave it on your counter for a few days. Presto!
It’s best not to eat the same type of fermented food all the time to vary the type of bacteria that’s going into the gut. Grains and legumes are especially difficult to digest as they contain anti-nutrients called phytates and lectins, and must be specially prepared for optimum digestion, or perhaps should be avoided altogether.
