Adding Probiotic Fermented Food To Your Diet To Improve Gut Health

The health of the gut biome has become mainstream knowledge in recent years. Finding ways to achieve this mysterious level of fermented probiotics is another story, with some conflicting information.

We have to filter so much information to drill down to the core, or in this case the gut. Recently I have seen numerous YouTube videos telling people how unhealthy it is to eat watermelon, bananas, and grapes. Really?

Those are whole foods with high nutritive value. Why not tell people to avoid sugar, fast foods, additives, meats high in salt and nitrites, potato chips, and donuts? Surely we should cut back on, or eliminate the high calorie harmful foods, before we tackle the grapes. 

In some cases you will read that pickles are part of the probiotic fermented food group. However salt brine is not the same as fermented. Olives are more likely to be fermented than pickles. Certain olives like Frangiulia are not fermented, but preserved in a salt solution brine, like most pickles are. 

Olives that are usually fermented include the Greek style black olives. They are harvested when ripe, then stored in brine and left to ferment for several months. Spanish style green olives are treated in an alkaline solution and then fermented in brine. Pitted Kalamata olives are naturally fermented. 

Castelvetrano olives are in the same family as the Franguilia, and are not fermented in order to maintain the bright green colour, and mild smooth flavour. 

The purpose of fermenting olives is to remove the bitter compound oleuropein. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts break down the sugars in the olives, which contributes to the flavour. The pH is lowered, which inhibits microorganisms leading to spoilage.

Most grocery store pickles are pickled as opposed to being fermented. However, some pickles are fermented, which is a slower process. There are certain fermented brands that can be purchased on Amazon, or you could check with your local deli. Examples are Bubbies, Olive My Pickle, Oregon Brineworks, and Cleveland Kitchen. 

One of the highest colonization of heathy gut organisms is found in Miso soup. A close second is in dairy based kefir, which is similar to cultured yogurt, except it is a liquid. 

Kimchi and sauerkraut are also fermented and good sources of probiotics. Both have cabbage as the main ingredient. Kimchi is a Korean side dish and contains other vegetables in addition to the cabbage. It typically contains chile flakes (gochugaru), and may also contain fish flakes.

Whereas traditional sauerkraut is known to have come from Germany. It is believed to have its origins in China around 2000 years ago, where it is known as suan cai. Fermenting has been a method of preserving cabbage in many countries, and is a commonly served with Bratwurst sausage in Germany. 

What I have learned in sourcing out high colony fermented food, is to carefully read the labels to reduce your intake of sulphites and additives. There are many brands of sauerkraut that contain just cabbage, white wine and brine, without adding sulphites. 

Kombucha is a carbonated fermented drink with green and black tea, so it does contain caffeine, as well as a small amount of cane sugar. It is quite strong tasting in my opinion, and if you are sensitive to caffeine, it will keep you awake. It might be a good substitute for some of the athletic drinks, without the harmful effects. 

Probably the most well known fermented probiotic is natural yogurt. 

As far as what destroys, or creates an unhealthy gut biome, it is a fairly long list to include: sugar, alcohol, antibiotics, processed food, artificial sweeteners, additives, red meat, gluten, lack of sleep, and unmanageable stress levels, especially around meal times. 

Although antibiotics are well known to alter the gut biome, and cause an overgrowth of yeast and fungi, all medications, prescription, over the counter, and supplements will have an effect on gut health. The autoimmune protocol diet, which is designed to heal the gut, specifically eliminates NSAIDs. Medications like Ibuprofen, Naproxen, ASA, Motrin, and several others have a negative impact on gut health.

NSAID’s are COX inhibitors, which is a digestive enzyme. They disrupt the intestinal barrier, and alter the gut microbes. This increased permeability is often referred to as “leaky gut” and will increase inflammation. I used to be a skeptic when it came to leaky gut syndrome, but now have a better understanding of how it comes about. 

Anything we ingest must go through the process of digestion, and detoxification if it contains toxins, or harmful compounds. Many supplements are actually harmful. Too much protein can damage the kidneys. Certain spices, if taken in excess can be toxic. 

Also if the diet is lacking in nutrients, fibre, whole foods, sufficient protein, healthy carbs, and variety, it will have an adverse effect on gut biome. 

How long does it take to get a good balance of microbes in your gut? I suppose it depends on how much it is depleted, and for how long. Apparently dietary changes can begin to alter the gut biome within days, or weeks.

The gut healing autoimmune protocol diet recommends a six month period during which time you avoid dairy, gluten, all grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and nightshade vegetables. This includes peppers, including spices from peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant. You can eat sweet potatoes on this regime. 

After three and a half months on the AIP diet, I decided to add steel cut oats, buckwheat, chia seeds, hemp, and flax, primarily because I wanted a normal hot breakfast as opposed to eating salmon and sauerkraut for breakfast. 

In addition to adding some grains, I reintroduced eggs as well. Otherwise, without dairy, nuts or legumes, the only way to get protein was by eating meat. 

The AIP diet does seem to help reduce inflammation. 

We all have certain sensitivities, and things we choose to avoid. 

Good digestion, and good sleep are real blessings. If they come naturally – we tend to take them for granted. 

If not, we might be inclined to learn how to make Miso soup, and find some fermented pickles.