With COVID and flu season, it’s incredibly important that we continue to boost our immunity to fight potential sickness, if not for ourselves, then for potentially spreading it to our family and friends.
Before you start thinking “beer” or “cheese”, we’re talking more along the lines of yogurt, kombucha, kimchi, and sauerkraut. Back in July, a report was released as to why COVID fatalities were much lower in South Korea and Germany than in other parts of the world. The rates of death in these two countries were anywhere between 7% to 13% lower than countries like Spain, UK, and Italy. It was believed that the diet, which included large amounts of fermented vegetables, such as various forms of kimchis and saurekrauts were a possible link. It was also found that countries where yoghurt or caviar were largely consumed also saw lower COVID deaths.
Due to it’s high probiotic nature, fermented foods has been found to help reduce your risk of infections and help you recover faster, with the natural inclusion of iron, zinc, and vitamin C: all natural immune boosters.
Fermented Vegetables
When we talk about fermented foods, we are not talking about pickling. Pickling requires acid to create that famous sour flavor, like you find in half sour or full sour pickles. Fermenting doesn’t use an acidic liquid to create that flavor, but relies on the naturally occurring bacteria in the food to break down the sugars. It usually starts it’s life in a salty brine before it becomes the food we know and love.
For those of you who are looking for better fermented food options, why not consider making your own? Fermented Vegetables by Christopher Shockey can be a good starter guide to help you create your own kimchi, sauerkraut, or other fermented vegetables, if you don’t have many varieties available to you where you are. If you also are not a fan of the added sugar content in most store bought foods, making your own becomes the best, healthier option. Don’t forget to get some mason jars to get you started!
Probiotics
Another option would be adding a probiotic to your daily routine. Our favorite is Zenwise Digestive Enzymes. We have been using Zenwise’s probiotics for a few years now and have found it to be very effective, when taken daily, as directed. We were able to reverse the effects of leaky-gut syndrome and increase natural vitamin B-12 absorption after a year of continued use. It’s a great addition to add to your immunity boosting routine.
Yogurt and Kefir
If you’re a regular yogurt consumer, like I am, then you know the difficulties of finding not only the right kind of yogurt, but also debating over the store bought version’s sugar content. And if you also like using plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream when making dips or to put on your chili, I feel ya. You may want to give the book Homemade Yogurt & Kefir by Gianaclis Caldwell a try. As with Fermented Vegetables above, it’s a good guide to figuring out a starting point. It also wouldn’t hurt to get yourself an Instapot with it’s yogurt making feature, to help in the process.
Kombucha
Curious about Kombucha? It’s fermented black tea, so there is a small level of alcohol in there, and it does have a sourness to it, but if you’re ok with that, studies suggest that it has three times more the vitamin C than an orange. Research also suggests that it can also possibly reverse metabolic disorders. If you prefer to try your hand at making your own, check out The Big Book of Kombucha by Hannah Crum and Alex LaGory or try Qula’s Kombucha tabs, if you’re on the go.
Miso
Something you may have never considered as a fermented food would be miso. Yep, that miso soup you enjoyed in your favorite Japanese restaurant or Miso ramen has probiotics! Miso comes in many varieties, but for overall home use, we keep white miso at home. Outside of being a good base for soups, miso also is great in cooking fish and chicken, and mellowing the acid in tomato based stews. As for medicinal properties, Miso and it’s cousin tempeh (vegetarian meat substitute) are both soybean based and outside of their infection fighting properties, have been seen to reduce the risk of diabetes and in lowering high blood pressure. Keeping a small tub of miso in the refrigerator can be one of the best ways to keep your family healthy, while having a quick seasoning for those last minute dinner ideas.
Sourdough Bread
I know bread tends to be a testy subject these days with KETO the rage and gluten allergies on the rise, however true sourdough bread is far better for the digestion than traditional breads and have been seen to be less likely to spike your blood sugar levels. If you want to give bread making a try, check out Bryan Ford’s “New World Sourdough” as your platform to artisan fermented breads. If you don’t want to wait the 3-5 days necessary to get your sourdough starter, you may also want to consider getting Breadtopia’s Live Sourdough Starter. And if you’re like me and can’t seem to make a decent loaf of artisan bread to save their life, there’s no shame in investing in a good bread maker.
Apple Cider Vinegar
And lastly, we couldn’t forget the mother of all healthy food products, Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar! You didn’t know it was a fermented product, did you? This superfood has been linked to everything from weight loss, to cholesterol lowering, to an anti-fungal. The benefits of ACV seems to grow as more research is done on this amazing product! We keep a bottle of it in our home for use in pickling, salad dressings, and marinades. If you don’t have a bottle in the house, you need to get one. Outside of the flexibility of use, the benefits of keeping this product in your cupboard outweighs the negatives.
Although we are currently leading a more hermit-like existence, does not mean we should skimp on taking care of ourselves and our families. With so many tasty, simple ways to fight the spread of infection, there’s little to no reason as to why you shouldn’t add these minor additions into your lifestyle.
As always, please discuss with your doctor any changes to your diet, supplements, or lifestyle, as your personal health conditions should be considered before proceeding. These suggestions are based on our personal experience and research. The additions we made to our lifestyle were done with oversight of our family physician.
Stay healthy, and be well!
(Original post from Aqua & Teal)