I’ve been seeing an increased interest in fermented foods these days, especially sourdough bread baking. When I started The Fermented Table it was my goal to learn and perfect but also promote fermenting, so as you can imagine this upward trend is exciting. If you’re reading this because you’re thinking about jumping into the fermentation waters, I highly suggest using both feet.
Here are five reasons to start fermenting today
1. It is an Easy, Healthy Hobby
My dad once told me the secret to not growing old too fast was to always be willing to learn something new. He was always learning, whether it be a new language for an upcoming trip or woodworking in order to make his grandchildren and great-grandchildren toys, toy boxes, or rocking horses. When our hobbies can produce something others can enjoy too, it’s a hobby worth having. Fermenting can do that and improve one’s health at the same time. That alone makes it more than worth the effort to learn. Although not much effort is required. Most of the time spent is simply watching and waiting while the food does all the work.
2. Saves Money in the Long Run
For some people, it will save them money immediately. That is if they aren’t enamored by all the cool gadgets and gizmos available to those who decide to become a full-fledged fermentation junkie. Of course, that’s not us. We love to try our hand at something new mostly for all the cool things we get to buy in the process. We use multiple lames for sourdough scoring and every shape of banneton for proofing. Yesterday we were researching fermentation lids and nearly bought a third unique version of Kombucha bottles. Most of the gadgets aren’t necessary they are just fun to try and can make things a bit easier. But even if you do buy a few of the gadgets it’s still much cheaper to make your own organic Kombucha or yogurt than to buy.
3. We All Need the Probiotics
Good gut health will change your life, mentally, emotionally, and physically. For some, switching to an organic, non-GMO diet and adding fermented and raw foods will be the difference between life and death. We’re not exaggerating although it may sound like it. Statistics prove that good gut health leads to a better quality of life. As the average American diet drastically changed over the last 40 years so did the average American’s health. Many people require multiple medications yet still live a far less abundant life than promised. Good gut health has changed that for some.
4. Food Connects People
Your friends and family will visit more often when they know that they’ll enjoy a cold kombucha, get to taste test your latest attempt at hot sauce or feta cheese, and leave with a fresh loaf of sourdough tucked safely under their arm. And you’ll feel good knowing that you made something they love. Family and friends are so important, we should be willing to do anything that can be done to strengthen these relationships. Since having more children is no longer an option we’ll have to grow this family any way we can. So if knowing there is always something good to eat around here keeps people coming over so be it.
5. We All Need to Eat Smarter
We need to be intentionally smarter about our food choices. Our grandparents ate organic, non-GMO food they grew in their own backyards. They never had to look for words like “grass-fed, grass-finished” because that was just the way things were always done. They raised their own “non-hormone injected” chickens not to be trendy but because it was cheaper and easier than buying eggs. And of course, they canned and fermented to make sure they had good, nutritious food all year long. They knew what they were eating because they or the neighbors they bartered with were very much a part of the food process. We should be at least as smart as they were when it comes to what we put on our tables, don’t you think?
So what do you think, what will it take for you to dive in? Another glass of wine maybe?
