You are what you eat, and that includes foods that will help your body fight off infectious
diseases this winter including colds, flu, and coronavirus. Instead of filling up on all of the
fixings this holiday season, try incorporating fermented foods into your diet. It is a sure way to help fight infection, build immunity and keep from feeling so full.
Fermentation is a process that involves bacteria and yeast breaking down sugars. Not only
does fermentation help enhance food preservation but eating fermented foods can boost
the number of beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, found in your gut. Fermented foods are also high in fiber, packed with vitamins A, C and K, are a great source of iron, magnesium and calcium. And they taste amazing!
Some popular fermented foods include kefir, a type of cultured dairy product, kombucha, a
fermented tea that’s fizzy and tart, sauerkraut, a popular condiment consisting of shredded
cabbage and beet kvass which is a fermented beet juice. Many you have heard of these, but there are also fermented recipes that are not on your radar, like fermented lemonade. The below recipe is a simple and delicious way to incorporate fermented foods into your holidays meals that family and guests will most definitely enjoy.
Citrus season runs through the month of February in Arizona, so you have plenty of time to
create this refreshing beverage that is also a great way to preserve your precious fruit.
Make sure to get the kids involved because they’ll be more likely to drink it if their little
hands had something to do with putting it all together.
Yummy Fermented Lemonade
5 c. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 c. Fresh Pineapple Juice
1/2 c. Whey
Directions: Add lemon, pineapple and whey in a 32 oz mason jar. Fill the rest of the jar with filtered water within an inch of the top. Let the mixture sit on the counter at room
temperature until it reaches your desired sweetness. Three days is usually a good sweet
spot. Put it in the fridge after day three and enjoy as a concentrate. Add water to dilute the
tartness and keep the flavor. Start with a 50/50 ratio and adjust to preference.
By Suzette Smith, Owner of GardenGoddessFerments.com
