World Ferment Day

Why World Ferment Day?

Gut health is a cornerstone of all-round health and well-being. The scientific spotlight on gut microbiota has revealed their vital role in digestion, immunity, mental health, and beyond. But here’s the thing: while intellectual awareness is growing, too many people stop at the headlines and never take the next, vital step of altering their behaviour.

That’s why World Ferment Day exists — to transform knowledge into action and empower you to improve your food enjoyment and your health by starting to incorporate fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir and kombucha into your life one way or another. Have you got the guts to make a change? Over time, consuming these foods on a regular basis may give you the best guts you’ve ever had!

We deliberately chose the time of year on or close to Imbolc for this special day, since it represents a time of burgeoning new life and ferments are a mind-blowing source of microbial life. And one interpretation of the word Imbolc is “in the belly of the Mother”. The belly is where it is at!

Fermented food and drink magic

Fermented foods and drinks are a delicious way to support your gut microbiota, gut health and overall health. We are particularly interested in ferments that are driven by lactic acid bacteria, such as fermented vegetables, milk kefir, kombucha and water kefir, for example. Packed with complex communities of microbes, as well as the bioactive compounds those microbes produce (to say nothing of the nutritious plant and or/fruit stubstrates involved), they hold real potential to increase dietary diversity and complexity. They are able to interact with our resident microbes, directly with the cells lining our gut and with the extensive immune tissue and nervous system tissue found in our gut.

The best part? They taste delicious, they are cheap to make from accessible ingredients, they are versatile, they reduce food waste and they are easy to incorporate into any diet.