What You Don’t Know About Ferments

with Monica Ford & Elaina Luther

Fermented foods are SO popular right now: from kimchi to kombucha to kraut to kefir. But do they live up to the hype? Why are they thought to be so good for us? Can you ever eat too much of them? What does die-off look like? Which are the best ones to incorporate into our diet? In front of a LIVE audience in Southern California, fermentation experts Monica Ford and Elaina Luther answer a wide variety of questions related to ferments. Monica is an ancestral cuisine chef, who launched Real Food Devotee, the first ancestral cuisine delivery service in the country. Elaina Luther is the founder of Culture Club 101, a “beyond organic” nourishing café, specialized grocery store, and community learning center.

Together, with fun and flair, they explore the myths & truths about ferments. How do they boost our health exactly? Which help to fight eczema? Which fight fungal infections? Is it true that eating ferments counterbalances the carcinogenic effects of grilled meats? And what’s the deal with kombucha? Is there too much sugar in it for it to do us much good?Just when you thought you knew all there was to know about the subject, Monica and Elaina bring up some surprising revelations about these ancient, nearly magical foods.

Notes:

Highlights from the conversation include:

Fermented foods are good for microbiome, immune system, and hormone function
Why sauerkraut is “sexy” – a study from Kings College indicates
How ferments help with digestion
How they help with all sorts of body systems, including regulating blood pressure & blood sugar levels and more
Whether kombucha is actually good for you or too sugary for us
How to tell if the kombucha is fermented the right amount
Our sour receptors may be “dormant” but will awaken over time
How our taste buds adapt and the microbiome’s messages change
Foods that may surprise you that are fermented
Whether it’s possible to eat too much fermented food
How to introduce ferments to get the most benefits
How our bacteria “run the show in our bodies”
Each cell has from 200 to thousands of mitochondria that create the energy for our bodies
What die-off effects may appear if you don’t introduce ferments carefully
Elaina’s 20-year fungal condition resolved with broth, fats, and ferments
A baby’s eczema resolved when ferments were introduced
Kombucha as toner for face or resolving rashes