Are fermented foods good for your skin?

I have been using the same starter for almost four years now; I got it from an amazing fermentation workshop, and it’s been my ride-or-die ever since. Having a trusty starter is important because it needs to contain strong, good bacterial strains that will fight off dangerous bacteria like E. coli. If you can find a friend with a good starter, that’s ideal, but you can also procure a powdered starter online or at a health food store. Another option is to sign up for a workshop like I did to get a trusty starter from an expert.

The process of your bacterial starter fermenting the veggies takes about a week or two depending on how intense you want the flavor to be. I always suggest storing ferments in a dark, cool place to prevent the bacteria from working at hyperspeed and causing an effervescent explosion. Another important tip is to only open fresh jars of ferments carefully over the sink to prevent an unwanted bacterial shower. After you achieve your desired puckering taste, move your ferments into the fridge, where they will last about eight months.

Now that you’ve got kraut coming out of your ears, knowing how much to eat is quite essential. Starting out small is the best way to introduce fermented foods into your diet. Every human microbiome is different, and each person’s reaction to ferments can vary. If you go ham and eat too much fermented food in one sitting, the likelihood of you making multiple trips to the toilet is probable. It’s best to start with a tablespoon or two every day for about a week and slowly increase depending on your reaction. Eating a tablespoon a day is more than enough to reap all of the benefits, but they taste so good that you shouldn’t be surprised if you start adding fermented veg to everything. Personally, I can eat about half a jar of fermented foods with no issues, but that’s after years of building up my tolerance.

When the majority of us think of probiotics, we think of dry capsules. Probiotics generally refer to live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your digestive system. If you’re a busy bee and don’t want to DIY your probiotics in the form of fermented foods, you can buy them, but choose wisely. If you’re buying a supplement, make sure that the bottle says “survivability-certified,” meaning that it’ll survive harsh stomach conditions and make its way to where it will be most effective in the GI system. You also want to find a probiotic supplement that is transparent about what strains are included in the pill. You can also buy fermented veggies and kombucha (fermented tea)—just make sure the packaging says “Live,” as dead bacteria are far less helpful.