Self-serve olive bars are becoming so popular in many Washington supermarkets that storeowners are now offering expanded "antipasto" bars, heaped high with pickles, pickled peppers, mushrooms, artichokes and other tangy pickled and marinated foods, according to The Seattle Times.
This growing trend in both health/natural and regular commercial supermarkets across the country is theoretically good news for health-conscious consumers looking to increase their digestive, cardiovascular and immune health, since these traditionally lacto-fermented foods are some of the oldest and healthiest on the planet. Yet, the key phrase you absolutely must watch for if you want to achieve the amazing health benefits is traditionally lacto-fermented, as not all of these tasty condiments are created equal.
The Wonderful Health Benefits of Traditionally
Lacto-Fermented Foods
Olives, pickles, grass-fed cheese,
wine, yogurt, sauerkraut and the seasoned, aged sausages the French
call "charcuterie" are some of this category’s most
popular delicacies.
Though the term "fermented" sounds vaguely distasteful,
the results of this ancient preparation and preservation technique
-- produced through the breakdown of carbohydrates and proteins
by microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts and molds -- are actually
delicious. Even more so, they are so beneficial to overall health
that some of these "functional foods" are now considered
to be "probiotics," increasing your overall nutrition,
promoting the growth of friendly intestinal bacteria, and aiding
digestion and supporting immune function, including an increase
in B vitamins (even Vitamin B12), omega-3 fatty acids, digestive
enzymes, lactase and lactic acid, and other immune chemicals that
fight off harmful bacteria and even cancer cells.
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