Curtido is a fermented Salvadorian slaw made with cabbage, carrots, onions, and oregano. It is easy to make and is chock-full of beneficial probiotics that encourage healthy digestion. It typically accompanies pupusas, but you can enjoy it on its own as a healthy side dish. In fact, curtido has a slightly crunchy texture and fresh and clean flavor that is highly addicting!

The great thing about curtido is that the flavor only gets better the longer it ferments. It will keep fresh in the fridge for months, so long as you preserve it in an airtight container. Think of this side dish or condiment like the Central American version of sauerkraut. It’s fun and easy to make, and you can customize it based on your taste preferences. For example, this recipe includes optional slices of jalapeño, but you don’t have to include it if you don’t appreciate spice. We have to say that it gives it a powerful kick that is pleasant and addicting.

The key to making a great curtido is slicing the ingredients evenly. Much like coleslaw, you don’t want super think slices of carrot mixed in with thin cabbage slices. For this reason, remove a couple outer leaves of cabbage and save them for jarring. At that point, you can use a mandoline slicer or cheese grater to shred/grate the ingredients. Jar the ingredients and let the fermentation begin!

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Can you imagine a life without pickles? You probably can if you dislike them, but that signature briny crunch out of the jar is on another level of delicious. If you are like most people, you probably associate the word “pickle” with the classic cucumber variety. There are many other pickled foods, including various fruits and vegetables. 

Natural pickling and fermentation are traditional forms of food preservation, enhancing the quality of foods. Fermentation is an external, predigestion process that converts complex nutrients into simpler ones. Common fermented foods include sourdough, vinegar, and wine. Pickling is a more controlled form of fermentation that uses salt and examples include miso, sauerkraut, and olives. 

What Are The Health Benefits Of Eating Pickled Foods?

Pickled and fermented foods are some of the most common sources of probiotics. When eaten in conjunction with prebiotics, you can help create the best environment for gut microbes to flourish. The gut also houses the enteric nervous system, which is a second nervous system. Eating pickled and fermented foods can help support the connection between shared cells from both of these systems. 

Eating naturally pickled and fermented foods can encourage the healthy growth of gut microbes. That process can help prevent the growth of unwanted or unhealthy microbes from developing. Pickled and fermented foods can also help to suppress inflammatory responses commonly associated with allergies, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Because of that, fermented foods may aid immune function. Plus, pickled and fermented foods tend to contain a high concentration of vitamins, including vitamins A, C, and K. Pickles are especially high in those vitamins because water is drawn out of the pickles by the salty brine. 

A few studies found that some vinegar-based brines in pickles may help stabilize blood glucose levels. By regulating blood glucose levels, you help prevent feelings of intense hunger. You also help to curb blood sugar spikes, which can lead to energy crashes. 

Nutritional Value Of Pickles

Like most vegetables, pickles are mostly water and contain very little protein and fat. They have a high concentration of vitamins because the salty brine draws out the water from the pickles. Although the nutritional value varies from pickle jar to pickle jar, the average whole dill pickle contains the following:

• 20% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamin K
• 3%-4% of the RDI of vitamin C
• 6% of the RDI of calcium
• 2% of the RDI of potassium
• 1% of the RDI of vitamin A

Pickles also contain phosphorus, folate, and are great sources of beta-carotene. Studies indicate that beta-carotene can help lower the risk of several chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes and age-related macular degeneration. If you want to learn how to make pickles, read on for four amazing recipes. 

Fermented Dill Pickles

Eating fermented foods is highly beneficial for your digestive health. Dare we say that these pickles are better than your granny’s homemade ones? You be the judge!

Click here to start pickling them pickles. 

Homemade Dill Pickle Sauerkraut

Get ready for a recipe that will help improve gut health. Not only is it easy to make, but it is also 100% Full Body Cleanse Approved.

Click here to start pickling that kraut. 

Easy Raw Refrigerator Pickles

Attention cleansers: You finally have a raw vegan pickle recipe! Once you make these, you’ll be wondering where they were all your life.
Click here to start pickling them pickles.

Homemade Pickled Red Onions

This easy pickled red onion recipe is about to be your new favorite topping to a variety of dishes. Here’s a tip: they go great on tacos!

Click here to start pickling them onions. 

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Nobody wants to look at their midsection and feel like the Pillsbury Doughboy. Be that as it may, bloating is a common challenge that many people have to overcome. It can be especially annoying if the primary goal is to achieve a flatter stomach. All of your workout efforts may seem like they aren’t effective if your stomach remains bloated. 

It’s important to understand that bloating and weight gain are not the same, despite the fact that they can appear that way. Fat is not the direct result of gas and water, which typically contribute to bloating. If you balloon up overnight or over the course of a couple days, true weight gain is not the culprit. That’s a little reassuring, but it doesn’t solve the problem. You need to de-bloat and get that stomach back to a flatter state. How do you do that? We have seven simple ways that can help you below. 

Foam Roll Your Belly

Roll out your stomach to relieve stomach tension and built-up gas bubbles that may cause discomfort and bloating. According to several research studies, abdominal massages may relieve bloating. To give yourself an abdominal massage, lie facedown on top of your foam roller. Gently roll up and down to help relieve pressure from the sternum to the pelvis. Not only does this help eliminate gas, but it may even improve digestion.

Avoid Dairy

If you are lactose intolerant, the body cannot properly process dairy. An estimated 68% of the world’s population has lactose malabsorption, which isn’t the same as intolerance. It just means that people are more sensitive to dairy. When the body cannot properly break down dairy, the most common bodily response is gas, diarrhea, or bloating. Do your best to avoid dairy products and opt for one of the many plant-based dairy alternatives that exist. 

Put The Soda Away

Bubbly beverages beget bloating and burping. Alliteration aside, carbonated beverages like sodas typically lead to bloating. When bubbly beverages are responsible, it’s typically because the body cannot release gas via belching. Focus on consuming water, tea, or freshly made juices instead of carbonated beverages if you want your bloating to calm down. 

Eat Fermented Foods

The common saying is, “Happy wife, happy life,” but it should be, “happy gut, happy life.” That’s not as catchy, even though consuming beneficial bacteria encourages a healthier digestive system. Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, fermented vegetables, kefir, and kombucha can promote a healthier microbiome. Repopulating the gut with beneficial bacteria helps break down food and reduce puffiness. Some studies found that probiotics in sauerkraut may reduce belly bloat. Not all probiotic strains work to reduce bloating, so you must choose your fermented foods wisely, as some are not as healthy as you think. 

Don’t Chew Sugar-Free Gum

People chew sugar-free gum because of the low calorie content, but the sugar alcohols are quite harmful to your system. These sugars have been bound with alcohol so that the body can only digest part of that sugar. As a result of partial digestion, the body experiences negative gastrointestinal side effects like gas and bloating. 

Eat Fiber, But Don’t Go Crazy

Fiber is necessary as it helps the body move food through the digestive tract. Additionally, fiber assists with the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut. You can go overboard with fiber, though, and encourage the growth of unhealthy bacteria that can cause bloating or gas. If you experience bloating and you eat a lot of fibrous foods, consider tapering off the fiber-rich superstars. Alternatively, you may need to consume more fiber if you don’t have enough in your current diet. 

Water Is The Answer

Despite that fact that water retention can contribute to an inflated midsection, drinking water will not cause more ballooning. If you don’t drink enough water, the body will retain water to avoid dehydration. When you regularly drink water, however, the body flushes out some of its stores and can reduce bloating. Coffee and tea do not take the place of water, so make sure to focus your efforts on water consumption if you want belly bloat to go away. 

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Attention fellow fermenters: it’s time to rejoice! This is a very easy sauerkraut recipe that is filled with powerful flavors and textures. You can’t fathom how delicious it is until you try it. This sauerkraut calls for the the lacto-fermentation method, which packs the kraut with tons of beneficial probiotics. In case you are unaware, probiotics clean out the bad bacteria that inhabit the gut.

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If you aren’t already consuming fermented foods, this is the perfect recipe to get you started. Fermented foods work to improve gut health by increasing the amount of beneficial bacteria in the gut. In case you didn’t know, a healthy immune system begins with a healthy gut, so make this sauerkraut to boost immune health.

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If you need to improve the health of your gut, health experts always encourage you to eat more probiotics. These beneficial bacteria, which naturally occur in the gut, can improve immune function, optimize nutrient absorption, and increase cognitive function. Above all else, probiotics are necessary for optimal digestion.

When you include more probiotics in your diet, you can experience a wide range of health benefits. A review of several studies found that people who consumed probiotic-rich foods daily experienced a reduction in cholesterol levels and allergy symptoms. And the great thing about probiotics is that you don’t have to buy fancy supplements! In fact, most nutritionists advise against probiotic supplements and encourage the consumption of probiotic-rich foods, especially fermented foods. 

How Many Probiotic Foods Do You Consume?

There is no definitive answer because each person’s microbiome is unique. The general guideline is that people should consume a wide variety of fermented foods every day. The reason for this is because the process of fermentation promotes beneficial enzymes, nutrients, and species of healthy bacteria. Start consuming the following probiotic foods and your gut will thank you.

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage and it contains more organic acids than probiotics. Why should you eat it? Well, those organic acids support the growth of good bacteria in the gut. Sauerkraut is also rich in lactobacillus, a natural lactic acid bacteria, and beneficial digestive enzymes. 

Kimchi

Kimchi is a staple side dish in Korean cuisine, and people make it with gochujang, a spicy paste made from fermented soybeans and salt. Bok choy, Napa cabbage, and a variety of garlic and peppers are the classic ingredients in kimchi. According to a 2014 study, daily kimchi consumption helped reduce the risk of constipation, obesity, and cancer. The same study also found that it improved brain and immune function. 

Natto

Most sushi restaurants serve natto sushi because it is very popular in Japanese cuisine. Natto is fermented soybean paste that contains Bacillus subtilis, a powerful probiotic that offers incredible support to the cardiovascular, digestive, and immune systems. Another reason to consume natto is because it contains nattokinase, an anti-inflammatory enzyme has been scientifically proven to prevent blood clotting. 

Kefir

Think of kefir as the more powerful, tangier cousin to yogurt. To make kefir, milk is seeded with kefir grains, which are actually tiny bundles of bacteria and yeast. Then you let the milk sit and it ferments into a tart drink that is rich in beneficial probiotics. Several studies found that drinking kefir reduced allergy symptoms and gastrointestinal distress. 

Miso

A lot of people are aware of miso soup, which is possible because of miso paste, a fermented paste of soybeans, rice, or barley. Miso paste is rich in colony forming units, making it an excellent source of naturally-occurring probiotics. You can add miso to salad dressings, marinades, or use it to make the classic miso soup.

Tempeh

This is another fermented soybean product, and it is commonly used as a meat substitute in vegan or vegetarian meals. You get tempeh by adding tempeh starter to soybeans and allowing it to ferment for one or two days. You can grill it, sauté it, bake it, and marinate it. 

Kombucha

There has been an uptick in kombucha sales in recent years, due to the gut-healing benefits that come with drinking it. That isn’t to say that kombucha is a new, revolutionary beverage; rather, it has been around for over 2,000 years, originating near Japan. The fermentation of black tea starts by using a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). There are many flavors, which have a mildly sour taste because of the fermentation. Many reports claim that drinking kombucha regularly helps to increase energy levels, promote liver detoxification, and support digestive function.

Beet Kvass

This isn’t popular in the American diet, but people commonly drink it in Eastern Europe. It originated in Russia and used to have a similar fermentation process to beer, only kvass used stale rye bread in place of barley. Beet Kvass, however, uses beets as the starch source and whey to accelerate the lacto-fermentation process. The longer you let the beets ferment, the more the flavor develops. Beets already contain beneficial fiber that supports healthy digestion, and fermenting them only enhances these properties. 

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It’s crazy to think that bacteria can be beneficial for your health. We have been conditioned to ward off bacteria to keep the body health, often resorting to antibiotics to kill bacterial infections or using antibacterial soaps to wash away germs. The wrong bacteria can obviously be problematic, but the right bacteria may be exactly what you need to boost overall health.

Enter probiotics…

A growing body of scientific research suggests that consuming healthy live bacteria can prevent some illnesses, especially those that originate in the gut. Probiotics are microorganisms that are friendly bacteria, which are typically from fermented foods. Northern Europeans have actually been consuming probiotics for years because their diet contains a lot of fermented drinks, yogurts, and vegetables.

A Brief History Of Probiotics

The root of probiotic comes from the Greek pro, promoting, and biotic, life. Probiotics are a relatively recent discovery, considering that the “father of probiotics,” a man named Elie Metchnikoff, discovered their significance in the early 20^th century. He observed rural life in Bulgaria, and the people seemed to live very long lives, despite poverty and harsh climate. He found that these people consumed fermented foods, which he studied and found that intestinal microbiome could be influenced by these friendly bacteria. He also found that senility could be delayed by increasing the presence of friendly bacteria in the gut.

Great Probiotic Foods

• Sauerkraut
• Kimchi
• Kombucha
• Fermented vegetables
• Miso
• Kefir

What Are Microbes And Why Do They Matter?

Microbes are incredibly tiny organisms that include fungi, parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Millions of microbes can fit into the eye of a needle, and yet these microorganisms are powerful enough to influence overall health. Microorganisms in the body outnumber human cells ten to one, with trillions of microorganisms inhabiting the gut, nose, skin, and other areas of the body. The National Institute of Health (NIH) sponsors the Human Microbiome Project (HMP), an organization that researches microbial communities and how they affect health and disease.

The Benefits Of Probiotics

Probiotics For Your Gut

Probiotics have been used to help treat both diarrhea and constipation, which is a more common problem in the United States. For diarrhea, large scientific reviews suggest that probiotics work to reduce antibiotic-related diarrhea in adults by 60%. Other studies found that probiotics shortened the duration of infectious diarrhea in infants and children. The digestive tract needs a healthy balance of good and bad bacteria, but lifestyle and diet (stress, lack of sleep, poor food choices, drugs, antibiotics, and more) often tip the scales in favor of bad bacteria. Probiotics won’t solve your gastrointestinal problems if you continue to make poor lifestyle and dietary choices, but they can offer assistance in establishing a healthy gut microbiome. Further dietary and lifestyle changes need to accompany probiotic consumption to reach optimal gut health.

Probiotics For Vaginal Health

Probiotics may be every woman’s new go-to for maintaining urogenital health. The vagina is a delicately balanced ecosystem, just like the gastrointestinal tract, meaning that an imbalanced system can result in urinary tract infections, bacterial vaginosis, or yeast infections, to name some common female urogenital problems. Oral contraceptives, antibiotics, and spermicides can throw the balance out of whack, but probiotics can help restore healthy vaginal flora. The consumption of probiotics has helped improve bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections, but more research needs to be done on how they affect urinary tract infections.

Probiotics For Heart Health

As you have learned in this article, there are many strains of probiotics, some of which may have the ability to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. By breaking down bile in the gut, lactic acid-producing bacteria help reduce cholesterol levels. Since bile is primarily comprised of cholesterol, it tends to be reabsorbed in the gut, where it enters the bloodstream. Probiotics may prevent this reabsorption from occurring.

Probiotics For Eczema

Eczema is a common skin problem in infants and children. Recent studies have found that the addition of probiotics to a child’s diet may reduce the severity of eczema breakouts. Another study examined how probiotics affected pregnant women and their babies. The findings indicated that the children had an 83% lower risk of developing eczema during their first tow years of life. More research needs to be done in this field, but early anti-inflammatory results are promising.

Probiotics For Immune Function

The increased presence of beneficial gut bacteria has been know to give your immune system a little boost. By adding probiotics to your diet, you help to increase the production of antibodies and other immune cells like T lymphocytes and IgA-producing cells. A large scientific review found that adults who took probiotics had a decreased risk of respiratory infections.

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Once you make this recipe, you’ll be kicking yourself for not making it sooner. It is so incredibly easy and you don’t need that much equipment. Plus, sauerkraut is very beneficial for establishing healthy gut flora.

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