These three easy recipes will help you add fermented foods to every meal.
All photos by Jessica VanRoo.
Everywhere you turn, there are new revelations about the importance of a healthy gut microbiome. One of the easiest ways to elevate your gut health is eating more fermented foods, which multiplies the probiotics — beneficial bacteria — in your digestive tract.
The live microorganisms in fermented foods also reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the gut, lowering your risk for atherosclerosis — a buildup of cholesterol in the arteries that can cause blockages. This helps prevent heart disease and other metabolic conditions and lowers your risk for high blood pressure.
“Greek yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar, miso, kombucha, kefir and sourdough bread are just a few examples of beneficial fermented foods,” says Katie Rankell, director of the UCI Health Weight Management Program. “All can be found in most grocery stores, making them a simple addition to your everyday meal plans.”
These easy, colorful recipes — created by Jessica VanRoo, executive chef of the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute, part of UCI Health — will introduce you to the power of fermented foods.
Strawberry kefir
Kefir is a fermented drink made from cow or goat milk. Its name derives from the Turkish word “keyif” which describes the “good feeling” a person gets after drinking it.
It’s made by adding kefir grains to the milk. These grains resemble tiny cauliflowers and contain colonies of yeast and lactic acid bacteria known as probiotics. They multiply and ferment the sugars in the milk. Kefir tastes a bit sour like yogurt but has a thinner consistency making it drinkable.
Yogurt may be the most widely known source of probiotics in the Western world but kefir grains are more potent — containing up to 61 strains of yeast and bacteria to nourish the gut microbiome.
Kefir may help manage blood sugar and boost digestive health. It contains Lactobacillus kefiri, a probiotic unique to kefir that studies indicate can inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria like Salmonella, Helicobacter pylori and E. coli. A carbohydrate in kefir called kefiran also exhibits antibacterial properties.
Easy to make at home or pick up at the store, kefir is the powerhouse drink you didn’t know you needed!
Open-faced kimchi salmon melt
Kimchi is one of the kings of Korean cuisine with 200 types of this traditional side dish made from fermented vegetables! The most popular varieties include baechu kimchi (made with napa cabbage), kkakdugi (made with radish) and oi kimchi (made with cucumber). While recipes vary, most are seasoned with gochugaru — Korean chili flakes for that spicy flavor.
Kimchi is especially effective at lowering cholesterol and reducing insulin resistance, which can lead to metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity. One study of people diagnosed with prediabetes showed that those who ate fermented kimchi over a 16-week period had decreased insulin resistance, blood pressure and body weight.
Salmon is another power-packed food that contains omega-3 fatty acids, a type of heart-healthy fat that can reduce inflammation and support brain health. You’ll also get a dose of vitamin B-12 that helps with nerve function, cell metabolism and the production of DNA. The selenium in salmon promotes thyroid function and reproductive health.
This savory sandwich will give you energy and comfort with every bite!
Crisp fall salad with apple cider vinaigrette
"An apple a day, keeps the doctor away” is a saying for reason. This crisp and delicious fall salad contains apples and an apple cider vinegar (ACV) dressing along with a colorful variety of vegetables. Cannellini beans and walnuts give it a punch of plant-based protein.
Apples are full of nutrients including vitamins C, E, K, B1 and B6, plus copper and potassium. They are also a rich source of polyphenols, a group of antioxidants that are linked to lowering blood pressure and the risk of stroke.
They also are high in water and soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol and keeps you feeling full longer. Apples contain the prebiotic pectin, a specific type of dietary fiber that cannot be digested, so it reaches your colon intact where it promotes the growth of good bacteria. Pectin also improves the ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes, the main types of beneficial gut bacteria.
Apple cider vinegar is made using the cores and scraps from apples. Mix them with sugar and warm water in a jar, then place in a warm, dark place and allowed to ferment. In 4-to-6 weeks, you'll have apple cider vinegar. Or you can just buy it at a grocery store. ACV not only contains all the nutrients from the apple, it also develops something called “the mother” — a collection of beneficial bacteria known as probiotics that help the gut microbiome flourish.
Adding ACV to your salad dressings is an effortless way to get all its benefits. Dig in. You’ll soon be calling this the mother of all salads!
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