Fermented foods – Pickle Your Way
Image Source: Med-Health
The foods that have undergone a process known as lacto fermentation are known as fermented foods. In this process the natural bacteria feed on the starch and sugar in the food products and create lactic acid. This results in the preservation of food and in the creation of beneficial enzymes, b vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids, and many different strains of probiotics. During this process of natural fermentation, the nutrients in the food also get preserved and also break down the food into a more digestive form. Along with this, a large number of probiotics contained in the fermented foods also improve the digestive functions.
Fermented foods have been consumed in different cultures all over the world for centuries, from Sauerkraut in Germany to Kimchi in Korea and a variety of pickles in India. Many studies have been conducted regarding fermented foods and they have been found to be very beneficial for the overall health. However, nowadays the age old traditions of preparing these foods are being replaced by advanced technology which is to a great extent destroying these benefits as also the natural tastes of the food.
Fortunately however, many enterprising people have realized the importance of the human touch when it comes to nutrition and are making hand made fermented foods. For instance, in India the most popular form of fermented foods are pickles of a large variety.
These pickles were traditionally made with hand picked and processed spices in a manner that resulted in great tasting and highly nutritious products. Many companies now have realized that most consumers are looking for such traditionally made pickles and hence have started producing them on a large scale and marketing them.
The best part is that these hand made pickles are easily available in online stores specializing in selling natural and hand made products. These pickles are made from organic hand picked vegetables and fruits using the best organically grown spices. They are also preserved in olive oil so that you get its benefits along with the other nutritional benefits of the fruits and vegetables. These handmade pickles are free from synthetic chemicals like fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, food additives, preservatives etc. They also don’t contain any genetically modified organisms, irradiation, and other harmful processes.
You can have the benefits of different vegetables known for their benefits for the human body. For instance, garlic is well known for its benefits for cardiac health, but consuming raw garlic can be quite unpleasant and give you foul breath. On the other hand if you eat handmade garlic pickle it will not only taste delicious but also provide all the benefits associated with garlic and also the olive oil in which it is preserved. The same is true of carrots which are well known for the beta carotene that they are rich in. In some regions of India you may not get carrots in all seasons and if you eat them as a pickle you can get their benefits all the year round. For other such benefits and availability of hand made pickles you can click here.