Natural Selections

“When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need” ~ Ayurvedic proverb

Fermentation: The History and Science

Fermenting vegetables is an ancient form of food preservation.
Kimchi, Kombucha, Sauerkraut and Chutney are all examples of fermented foods

Lacto-fermentation of foods is an ancient art. It’s been practiced for thousands of years as a way to preserve different foods. The process breaks down many vitamins and other nutrients into more easily digestible forms. Additionally, Lacto-fermentation increases the palatability and nutritional quality of food. Lacto fermented vegetables involves a process that helps increase the bioavailability of certain nutrients. This means they are more easily taken up in our bodies.

“Lacto” refers to lactic acid (and has nothing to do with dairy). Fruits and veggies have “good bacteria” (lactobacillus) on their skins. In an anaerobic (no oxygen sealed container) environment these lactobacillus bacteria break down the sugars in the fruit/veggies into lactic acid. Lactic acid prevents contamination of harmful bacteria. It acts as a preservative and prevents fruit/veg from spoilage.

Health Benefits:

*Gluten Free

*Diary Free

*Low Carb

*Diabetes Friendly

*Probiotic

Preparing your Veginator and Ferments:

Using raw vegetables as the starting ingredient increases the vitamin and mineral content of fermented vegetables.

You have several options, to prepare the vegetables for fermenting: grating, shredding, chopping, slicing, or leaving whole. It’s really up to you. Considering veggies such as carrots, radishes and beets are pretty dense, chopping these will help lactic acid penetrate the vegetable.

Rinse the vegetables in un-chlorinated water rather than tap water.

Salt: Use Ferminator salt which is free of iodine and/or anti-caking agents.

Water: Chlorinated water can inhibit fermentation, so use spring, distilled, or filtered water .

Instructions: (For Natural Selections Veginator Kit or if you have own Fermenting Container)

Unpack Veginator Kit and select desired vegetables for fermenting.

Wash your vegetables thoroughly under cold water

Clean and dry the Veginator Container.

Mix salt mix with filtered, distilled or spring water as per directions – 1.5 liters water for 2-liter kit. 2 liters water per 3-liter kit

Add the chopped, sliced, grated or diced vegetables and ensure that all the vegetables are fully submerged in the saltwater/brine solution. If vegetables float, you can add a cabbage leaf or Butternut/Squash ring above vegetables to submerge them. A plastic bag filled with brine can also be used as floatation weight.

Label the jar with the date you started fermentation.

You may see a whitish yeast build up on water surface. This is common. It is not mould, it’s is a yeast (commonly known as Kham Yeast). It is not harmful and can be scooped off with a spoon.

Once fermented, remove contents of Veginator and place in smaller sealed containers in fridge. In summer vegetables if chopped finely will be fermented by 7 days. In winter / colder temperatures 2 weeks may be needed for proper fermentation

Once in the fridge, these will keep for several months. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Are pickled vegetables the same as fermented?

Pickled vegetables are not the same as fermented vegetables. Fermented vegetables have been soaked in a brine or submerged in water with salt for an extended period of time, while pickled vegetables have been preserved by being submerged in an acidic solution. Vegetables that are most commonly pickled include onions, garlic, chillies, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, cauliflower, beets and carrots. Fermented vegetables can also contain these items in addition to carrots, broccoli, butternut, turnips, cabbage.

Can you eat too much fermented food?

There are many fermented foods that people eat on a regular basis. For some people, fermented foods like yogurt or sauerkraut can be eaten as an everyday probiotic food because of their prebiotic properties. However, too much in one sitting may lead to digestive problems in some cases. You’ll know it’s too much if your stomach starts to churn and if you’re feeling some discomfort and bloating.

On Probiotics:

What is Probiotics?
 Probiotics help to keep our gut healthy. Research has been attributing the health of our gut (microbes in our gut) to mental health. So, getting more fermented foods in may benefit both your physical and mental health.

Having the right gut bacteria has been linked to numerous health benefits, including the following:

*Weight loss

*Improved digestion

*Enhanced immune function

*Healthier skin

*Reduced risk of some diseases

Probiotics are often taken as supplements that are supposed to help colonize your gut with good microorganisms.