INCREASE YOUR GAINS WITH BUGS?
Accelerate recovery and reduce inflammation by consuming fermented foods.
EAT TO GROW
By Nathane L. Jackson, RHN, CSCS
Y ou’ ve done the calorie math. You prioritize fruits, vegetables and leafy greens. Meal prep is sacred and you even have meals in the freezer ready to go in case an evening of Netflix and chill is suddenly needed. You’ ve thought of it all. Almost! You’ re just missing a side of bugs. Yes, bugs! Don’ t worry, no one’ s saying you should eat crickets, but the reality is that you could get more of the available micronutrients foods have to offer through fermentation.
What Are Fermented Foods? Fermentation is the process of breaking down carbohydrates by bacteria, yeasts and other microorganisms into simpler substances, like alcohol and organic acids. It also acts as a way of preserving food to retain the nutrients and prevent spoilage.
Examples of fermented foods include sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, olives, cultured cheese, kombucha, yogurt, kefir, miso and tempeh. When shopping for sauerkraut, kimchi and pickles, be sure to look for products that use a brine of salt and water instead of vinegar. Why? The latter prevents natural fermentation from occurring. Better yet, make your own.
Many ask: Could beer and wine count towards the recommended daily serving of fermented foods? Technically, they are fermented, but beer and wine don’ t provide much gut bacteria. Beer doesn’ t contain probiotics as the hop acids prevent their survival and the probiotics in wine are destroyed when sulfites are added for preservation.
Why Is It Important? Our gastrointestinal( GI) tracts are loaded with bugs, or more scientifically stated, microorganisms that help populate and restore good bacteria. In fact, we have over 400 species of microbes living in our gut. Fermented foods are essential to gut health because they’ re full of these helpful critters. Bacteria improve our digestion through the production of enzymes that not only boost nutrient uptake, but also reduce gas and bloating.
Fermented foods help disable anti-nutrients, such as oxalates, lectins and phytates, found in grains, beans, legumes, lentils and nuts. These anti-nutrients are a plant’ s defense mechanism for survival and can sometimes make our digestive process difficult. Some tribes and nutrition gurus demonize these aforementioned foods and make careless recommendations that everyone should eliminate entire food groups. Similar to gluten and lactose, not everyone experiences the same digestive discomfort. As a result, these foods – all foods for that matter – should be consumed on an individual basis. For example, you may experience digestive discomfort when consuming soybeans, but have no issue with the fermented version called tempeh. The same can be said for those who don’ t handle milk well but are okay with yogurt.
14 SEPTEMBER 2017 | ironmanmagazine. com