Ferment your way to a great gut

Fermentation 101

Better than pineapple beer (And safer)

“My fellow South Africans”

Cyril Ramaphosa

Oh, how we dreaded those words every week. The dark days of the pandemic were indeed that – dark, scary, uncertain… But – if the Covid 19 Lockdowns taught us anything it is that everybody “Knows a guy”. Regardless of what contraband you needed, chances are someone in your extended social circle could get it for you.

We also know of many a large Coleman cooler box being converted into an impromptu fermentation still, and litres of so called “Pineapple beer” doing the rounds…Let’s just say South African’s aren’t new to the home fermentation game.

At least our guts were getting good bugs. (And a few cases of alcohol poisoning.)

However, if we are talking about gut health, nothing beats a good pickle.

In recent years products like Saurkraut, Kimchi and Kombucha have made their way onto our grocery store shelves and plates, but did you know you can DIY these gut superfoods?

Sauerkraut

Coming straight from Germany and literally meaning Sour Cabbage, this is a great spin on either coleslaw or “Bubble and Squeak” as a delicious way to eat cabbage.

Sauerkraut has amazing health benefits:

• It is extremely nutritious.
• It is a potent probiotic and improves your digestion
• It can help with weight management
• It supports a good immune system. (High in Vitamin C and iron

According to healthline.com, one cup of Sauerkraut contains

• Calories: 27
• Fat: 0.2 grams
• Carbs: 6.1 grams
• Fiber: 4.1 grams
• Protein: 1.3 grams

Sauerkraut also provides a significant portion of your recommended daily value of:

• sodium
• vitamin C
• vitamin K1
• iron
• manganese
• vitamin B6
• folate
• copper
• potassium

What’s more, Sauerkraut is easy to make at home!

We love this recipe by by Dr Eden Lurie for the South African Lifestyle Medicine Association. Give it try!

Kimchi

This is (basically) the Asian version of Sauerkraut and delivers a similar punch of probiotics but has a different flavour profile.

It is still a cabbage based fermented dish, flavoured with Korean pepper, chili and other Asian spices,

As with Sauerkraut, Kimchi is a great source of probiotics, vitamins and minerals, and the fermentation process makes these nutrients more bio-available and therefore easier to absorb. Kimchi can be eaten as a side dish, or added to soups, stews, noodle dishes or even pasta and vegetable dishes.

Top Tip: Although Kimchi is largely cabbage based, many varieties exist, and you can feel free to use your own mix of vegetables.

While making Kimchi at home is a bit more labour intensive than Sauerkraut, it is still a fun process and well worth the hassle. We love this recipe for traditional Napa Cabbage Kimchi by My Korean Kitchen.

Kombucha

The name might sound like some foreign root vegetable or Yoga pose, but in actual fact, Kombucha is simply fermented tea.

As with all properly (and live) fermented products the benefits of Kombucha centre around gut health, but, unlike the acquired tastes of Sauerkraut and Kimchi, Kombucha is a deliciously light, fizzy and refreshing drink. It is less sweet than fruit juice or canned soft drinks, and more refreshing than plain iced tea.

Real Kombucha is a healthy gut drink, but it does however contain a hellavu lot of sugars…So diabetics and dieters should maybe steer clear. However – if you are feeling under the weather, have a tummy bug or want a natural energy boost, a crisp bottle of Kombucha can’t be beat.

Making kombucha at home is fun!

Remember when we spoke about juicing, and we said you don’t have to buy a juicer because someone you know probably has one they are not using? Well – much like lockdown contraband, you probably know a guy who can help you out with a Kombucha starter.

A Kombucha starter is called a “scoby” and be warned – it looks like a jelly fish floating in your tea.

There are many places online that can sell you a scoby starter kit, but you can also ask around for a living one. If you have a local health food spot or restaurant that makes their own Kombucha it would do you well to make friends with them and get your hands on a bit of their scoby. Remind them that sharing is caring.

As always, the internet is full of recipes and starter kits for Kombucha.

We love this Step-by-Step guide and complete How-To discussion done by the geniuses at Woolies Taste.

Take note: Fermentation is one thing, but mould is a whole different thing.

While it can be easy and rewarding to ferment your own food and drink at home, you do need to take care to do it safely. If you see any mould, black spots or “fluff” growing on any of your food, or on your scoby, DISCARD EVERYTHING and start again.

Top Tip: Keep your tools and utensils clean and sterilize them with boiling water. Rinse everything with undiluted white spirit vinegar and be careful to keep the process hygienic.

Remember, all these fermented products contain live bacteria and are therefore unpasteurized. Young children, pregnant women and people with immune deficits should steer clear unless cleared by a healthcare professional.

Also read our article on the benefits of a Vegetarian lifestyle.