What are Fermented Foods?

Fermented foods are foods that have gone through a fermentation process. This transformation provides a superior food, rich in friendly flora, lacobacilli and enzymes that are extremely beneficial to the health of the colon and the entire digestive tract.

This live unpasteurized food contains the "transformative power of microscopic bacteria" that helps to balance inner body ecology, digestive functions and vital organ health.  Fermenting food naturally preserves it with healthy living cultures and organisms that encourage life as oppose to spoil it.

In fact, the word "culture" comes from the Latin word meaning "to cultivate" or "till."  By fermenting or culturing food, we are promoting the proliferation of billions of life-giving micro-organisms that will later populate our gut and help us to break down the food we consume more efficiently.

"Humans have been fermenting longer than we've been writing words or cultivating soil." Sandor Katz

Since early times, traditions spanning the globe have been fermenting or culturing foods for nutrition, flavor enhancement and also as a way to preserve food when refrigeration was not possible.

Many of the fermented foods we list here are still consumed today and  adopted as main condiments, foods or beverages in the cultures where they first originated.

Benefits of Fermented Food

Cultured food, because of its high amount of enzymes, is the perfect compliment to any diet regime to increase digestive fire and improve the nutrient absorption of the foods we eat.

Whether you are consuming a high raw diet or a fast food diet, these fermented foods we are about to mention could dramatically change the course of your intestinal strength forever!

"Neither vitamins, minerals, or hormones can do any work - without enzymes." Dr. Edward Howell

Benefits of enzyme rich foods:

• Increases digestibility of food we eat
• Boosts our immune system
• Increases alkalinity; neutralizing pH levels
• Provides a healthy balance of friendly flora in the gut
• Tones the colon and helps with elimination
• Controls cravings for unhealthier foods
• Eliminates toxins and undigested wastes in the body

Our Top 7 Fermented Foods List

Learn more about these favorite ferments and how to make your own cultured foods at home with quick, easy, recipes for:

1) Kombucha

Kombucha, called the "immortal health elixir", is a tangy sweet "mushroom tea" that dates back to the Chinese Qin Dynasty.

The fermentation process produces a slightly fizzy tea that many people today consume for its wonderful taste and nutritional benefits that include active enzymes, amino acids, probiotics and polyphenols.

You can usually purchase commercial kombucha drinks at any health food store, but there is nothing quite like making your own homemade kombucha recipe.

2) Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is shredded cabbage fermented in its own juice with other vegetables and spices added for extra flavor and variety.

Over time, between 4-10 days (or much longer depending on how you like them), the veggies become sweeter, soft, slightly pickled, zesty and incredibly tasty.

Raw sauerkraut is great for re-establishing the balance of friendly flora in the gut and is an especially helpful food to consume for those with candida overgrowth. 

You can visit our basic sauerkraut recipes page for more on how to get started making your own at home or check out our Sauerkraut Recipes Ebook.

3) Tempeh

Originating over 2,000 years ago in Indonesia, tempeh is a fermented "bean cake" that can be made with a single bean variety or a mixed combination of beans and grains.

It is always best to eat cooked beans as fermented food.  This makes them easier to digest and you also absorb more of the protein content.

The white mycelium spore, Rhizopus oligosporus, forms the tempeh cake, which can be sliced, fried or steamed as an alternative to meat.

We always recommend the fresh variety rather than store bought brands that are exclusively made with soybean. Homemade tempeh has a rich taste, like gourmet mushrooms and is really incomparable to any commercial tempeh product. 

Making tempeh only takes 24 hours of culturing time and is a fairly simply process.  (See our homemade garbanzo bean tempeh recipe for more details.)

4) Kefir

Kefir, originating in the Caucasus mountain regions of Russia, is a tart yogurt-like fermented drink that contains friendly bacteria and yeasts that work together to provide natural probiotic-rich properties.

It can be made with raw dairy milk or our prefered method using a blend of coconut meat/juice and sometimes nut milk.

You can learn how to make your own homemade raw vegan version using our coconut kefir recipe.

5) Miso

Miso is a traditional Japanese food and a rich salty paste made from grains, beans and koji spores.

You can find miso paste in most any food store, but it is important to get a high quality product that has not been pasteurized to ensure the highest amount of health benefits.

Studies have shown that women who consume miso paste on a regular basis are less likely to get breast cancer.

For those of you inspired to make your own cultured miso using garbanzo bean, visit our homemade miso recipe and our page on how to decant it.

6) Seed Cheese

Seed cheese is a delicious tangy "cheese" usually made from sunflower seed, pumpkin seed or other seed/nut combinations.

The process of fermenting seed or nut based cheeses involves a culture starter or probiotic powder to initially infuse the soaked and blended seeds. 

This starter helps to break down the plant proteins into a pre-digested food that also contains healthy living micro-flora.

You can visit our seed cheese recipes page for more details on how to make them.  We also have a homemade Cheese Its cracker that uses a fermented nut cheese for that "Cheez Its" flavor many people enjoy.

7) Rejuvelac

Rejuvelac is a slightly sour, lemony, fermented drink made from sprouted grain. Loaded with friendly flora and enzymes, it is a great way to inoculate the digestive tract.

It is a refreshing cultured drink that helps to improve digestion and increase regular bowel movements.

Like the name implies, rejuvelac is "rejuvenating" and, as a "super sprout drink", it provides a highly concentrated source of enzyme activity.

It is made from glutenous grains, usually wheat, so anyone sensitive to gluten should avoid consuming it.

Check out our Ebook: 
Sauerkraut Recipes, 12 Raw Cultured Vegetable Creations

For more fermented food recipes also check out the book:

Cultured, How to Make Healthy Fermented Foods at Home!

Enjoy these fermented foods as zesty condiments, tangy beverages, rich flavorings and some of the most savory of foods all by themselves!

Visit our fermented food recipes page for a complete list of all our cultured recipes using easy, simple, step by step instructions for making your own at home.